Organic Acids Test (OAT)

The Organic Acids Test (OAT) provides a metabolic “snapshot” based on those products the body discarded during urination. These small organic acid molecules are byproducts of human cellular activity, the digestion of foods, and the life cycles of gastrointestinal flora.  Organic acids in urine may be toxic at certain levels or may simply be “markers” of metabolic pathways. One distinction that makes The Great Plains Laboratory, Inc. OAT test so popular is the ability of this profile to reliably detect the overgrowth of yeast and bacteria species commonly missed by conventional culture methods. Metabolites of yeast or gastrointestinal bacteria appear against the background of normal human metabolites and provide a real-time assessment of yeast and bacterial activity. These organisms can produce or exacerbate symptoms in many conditions and often affect other metabolic processes assessed in the OAT.

Additional pathways of interest include products of carbohydrate digestion, mitochondrial function which produces most cellular energy, many vitamin levels, neurotransmitter metabolites, fatty acid oxidation abnormalities or ketosis, oxalate levels, and inborn errors of metabolism. The Organic Acids Test evaluates all of the well-defined inborn errors of metabolism that can be detected with this technology (called GC/MS) such as PKU, maple-syrup urine disease, and many others. In addition, we check for many other abnormalities such as vitamin deficiencies and abnormal metabolism of catecholamines, dopamine, and serotonin. We currently quantitate 65 substances, but also evaluate other substances that are not quantitated. Some of the other biochemical abnormalities common in autism include elevated uracil and elevated glutaric acid. The Organic Acids Test results are essential to the overall assessment of the patient with chronic illness.

Once any abnormalities are detected, there are a variety of treatment options available to correct the condition. Some of the improvements that have been reported to us during and after treatment include: decreased fatigue, regular bowel movements, increased energy and alertness, increased concentration, better eye contact, improved verbal skills, less hyperactivity, better sleeping habits, and decreased abdominal pain.