• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Genova CDSA results

justy

Donate Advocate Demonstrate
Messages
5,524
Location
U.K
Well i finally got my Comprehensive digestive stool analysis with parasitology back. After hearing others talk on here, and having had many and varied stomach problems i have to say the results were dissapointing - in that not much came up at all.

Seems its the story of my life, that not much looks wrong. And it feels weird to be sad that there doesnt seem much wrong on tests.
Oh well.
Here are the results - i would be very interested to hear others ideas about the areas where things were a bit off.

Digestion - Chmymotrypsin 2.6. reference range: 0.9 - 26.8 My doctor describes this as very low despite being in range. She suggests in her report that this could be due to poor pancreatic function.

Metabolic Markers - Beta Glucuronidase 6,102. reference range 337 - 4,433. This is described as markedly high - and due to upper fermenting gut. Genova describes it this way:
Beta-glucuronidase is an inducible enzyme, produced by E. coli and anaerobes Bacteroides and Clostridia. Its

activity reverses the detoxication of compounds processed in the hepatic Phase II glucuronidation pathway (including

many pharmaceuticals, carcinogens, bile acids, and estrogen). Elevated levels are associated with a higher risk of

colon cancer, as well as hyperestrogen conditions in the body. High fat and meat diets, as well as an alkaline fecal

pH, are associated with increased enzyme activity.

I dont eat meat or high fat diet.

Absorption - Cholesterol 4.0 ref range: 0.2-3.5. My doctor doesnt comment on this at all. Genova says

[QUOTE]

Cholesterol is increased in the stool. Elevated levels may reflect fat malabsorption (rule out bile salt insufficiency

or intestinal inflammation in the small intestine), dietary cholesterol and/or fiber, pancreatic insufficiency, or
increased intestinal epithelial cell turnover.

[/QUOTE]

Lactobacillus species
4+
Escherichia coli


4+
Bifidobacterium
4+
Additional bacteria found are alpha haemolytic streptococous
and
 

justy

Donate Advocate Demonstrate
Messages
5,524
Location
U.K
dont know what happened there - had to post it like that.
Contd:
Alpha haemolytic streptococcus 4+
and gamma haemolytic steptococus 4+
both described as non pathogenic.

Not sure what all this really means - even with my doctors write up.

No parasites found, no overgrowth of yeasts.
Everything else absolutely normal.

Thanks for reading.
Justy.x
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
dont know what happened there - had to post it like that.
Contd:
Alpha haemolytic streptococcus 4+
and gamma haemolytic steptococus 4+
both described as non pathogenic.

Not sure what all this really means - even with my doctors write up.

No parasites found, no overgrowth of yeasts.
Everything else absolutely normal.

Thanks for reading.
Justy.x

One thing to note is that Genova doesn't do stool tests anaerobically, so they may miss some anaerobic bacteria.

Sushi
 

snowathlete

Senior Member
Messages
5,374
Location
UK
Hi justy, I'm pleased you got your results and I totally understand the disappointment that you describe! It's normal because knowing there is something wrong that primes you to want a result that tells you some of the reason why.
Nevertheless, it is good that there is no terribly bad result and you do have some clues to go on that might lead somewhere.
My view is that if you can improve your overall health - even if not directly related to your ME/CFS then you improve your chances of getting better overall.

I don't know much about these but I expect someone here does. Are you going to see your doc to get more detail and a plan of action for more investigation / treatment?
 

Dreambirdie

work in progress
Messages
5,569
Location
N. California
Hi Justy--I had horrible gut issues and severe diarrhea one summer, which led me to get the CDSA from Genova. Like you I was really disappointed. It was pretty useless. Luckily I was working with a brilliant TCM guy at the time and he figured out and took care of the problem. I do not use that lab anymore. I get better info here on the forum, than I did from Genova.
 
Messages
88
Location
NJ
The silver lining is that now you know that your problem is not an aerobic bacteria. Could be anaerobic or deficincies in stomach acid or pancreatic enzymes or bicarbonate. Disappointing, but at least you're narrowing it down.
 

LaurieL

Senior Member
Messages
447
Location
Midwest
Well I finally got my Comprehensive digestive stool analysis with parasitology back. After hearing others talk on here, and having had many and varied stomach problems I have to say the results were dissapointing - in that not much came up at all.

Seems its the story of my life, that not much looks wrong. And it feels weird to be sad that there doesnt seem much wrong on tests.

Oh well. Here are the results - I would be very interested to hear others ideas about the areas where things were a bit off.

Digestion - Chmymotrypsin 2.6. Reference range: 0.9 - 26.8
My doctor describes this as very low despite being in range. She suggests in her report that this could be due to poor pancreatic function.

Metabolic Markers - Beta Glucuronidase 6,102. Reference range 337 - 4,433. This is described as markedly high - and due to upper fermenting gut.

Genova describes it this way:

Beta-glucuronidase is an inducible enzyme, produced by E. coli and anaerobes Bacteroides and Clostridia. Its activity reverses the detoxication of compounds processed in the hepatic Phase II glucuronidation pathway (including many pharmaceuticals, carcinogens, bile acids, and estrogen).

Elevated levels are associated with a higher risk of colon cancer, as well as hyperestrogen conditions in the body. High fat and meat diets, as well as an alkaline fecal pH, are associated with increased enzyme activity.


I dont eat meat or high fat diet.

Absorption - Cholesterol 4.0 Ref range: 0.2-3.5. My doctor doesnt comment on this at all.





Genova says:

Cholesterol is increased in the stool. Elevated levels may reflect fat malabsorption (rule out bile salt insufficiency
or intestinal inflammation in the small intestine), dietary cholesterol and/or fiber, pancreatic insufficiency, or increased intestinal epithelial cell turnover.

Lactobacillus species4+
Escherichia coli 4+
Bifidobacterium 4+

Additional bacteria found are alpha haemolytic streptococous
and Alpha haemolytic streptococcus 4+
and gamma haemolytic steptococus 4+
both described as non pathogenic.

Not sure what all this really means - even with my doctors write up.

No parasites found, no overgrowth of yeasts.
Everything else absolutely normal.

Thanks for reading.

Justy.x

Justy,

I don't think this is a disappointing result, and personally I think it has a lot of relevant information as to why you may be having so many problems. I am not an expert by any means, but I am interested in the digestive problems associated with us.

The chymotrypsin result:

Chymotrypsin is a digestive enzyme component of pancreatic juice acting in theduodenum where it performs the breakdown of proteins and polypeptides proteolysis.[2]Chymotrypsin preferentially cleaves peptide amide bonds where the carboxyl side of the amide bond (the P1 position) is a tyrosine, tryptophan, or phenylalanine....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chymotrypsin

Your result is low normal, and so the reason why colon cancer is predominant in this situation is that your ability to breakdown large proteins in compromised.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/195669-what-are-trypsin-chymotrypsin/

This result could be because fecal pH is low, and you will want to investigate why this would occur. I am not an expert. But decreased levels of chymotrypsin will mean a decreased availability of amino acids to the body resulting in deficiencies. The inability to break down large proteins into the smaller amino's that build them, can also lead to inflammation and autoimmunity, as the large proteins evoke an immune system response.

http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/trypsin/tab/test

The Beta-glucoronidase result:

If it interferes with Phase II glucoronidation, and reverses the work , then you have some toxic metabolites not being addressed in your digestive system. Glucoronidation is THE main detoxifier of over 200 pharmeceutical drugs, bile acids, billirubin, and estrogen. So that may explain a hyperestrogenic state.

Glucuronidation is the addition of glucuronic acid to a substrate. Glucuronidation is often involved in xenobiotic metabolism of substances such as drugs, pollutants, bilirubin, androgens, estrogens, mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, fatty acid derivatives,retinoids, and bile acids. These linkages involve glycosidic bonds.[1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucuronidation

The cholesterol could be elevated in your stool by the loss of glucoronidation. You don't have to eat meat or fat to have high cholesterol. Your body makes it as well, so perhaps yours is, but the loss of glucoronidation, will then show in your stool as high values.

The loss of metabolizing fatty acids is of concern to me as well. Are your stools watery, malodorous, float, or mucous filled? Color?

So even though this test didn't point the finger at any one bacteria or parasite being the culprit, you have a lot of information as to what might be going on with you.

One more point of interest, I have never known anything labeled as hemolytic to not be pathogenic. Hemolytic means the bacteria are pathogenic because it can break down the red blood cells, causing apoptosis. This would be a point of contention I would take up with my physician.

LaurieL
 

justy

Donate Advocate Demonstrate
Messages
5,524
Location
U.K
Justy,

I don't think this is a disappointing result, and personally I think it has a lot of relevant information as to why you may be having so many problems. I am not an expert by any means, but I am interested in the digestive problems associated with us.

The chymotrypsin result:

Chymotrypsin is a digestive enzyme component of pancreatic juice acting in theduodenum where it performs the breakdown of proteins and polypeptides proteolysis.[2]Chymotrypsin preferentially cleaves peptide amide bonds where the carboxyl side of the amide bond (the P1 position) is a tyrosine, tryptophan, or phenylalanine....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chymotrypsin

Your result is low normal, and so the reason why colon cancer is predominant in this situation is that your ability to breakdown large proteins in compromised.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/195669-what-are-trypsin-chymotrypsin/

This result could be because fecal pH is low, and you will want to investigate why this would occur. I am not an expert. But decreased levels of chymotrypsin will mean a decreased availability of amino acids to the body resulting in deficiencies. The inability to break down large proteins into the smaller amino's that build them, can also lead to inflammation and autoimmunity, as the large proteins evoke an immune system response.

http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/trypsin/tab/test

The Beta-glucoronidase result:

If it interferes with Phase II glucoronidation, and reverses the work , then you have some toxic metabolites not being addressed in your digestive system. Glucoronidation is THE main detoxifier of over 200 pharmeceutical drugs, bile acids, billirubin, and estrogen. So that may explain a hyperestrogenic state.

Glucuronidation is the addition of glucuronic acid to a substrate. Glucuronidation is often involved in xenobiotic metabolism of substances such as drugs, pollutants, bilirubin, androgens, estrogens, mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, fatty acid derivatives,retinoids, and bile acids. These linkages involve glycosidic bonds.[1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucuronidation

The cholesterol could be elevated in your stool by the loss of glucoronidation. You don't have to eat meat or fat to have high cholesterol. Your body makes it as well, so perhaps yours is, but the loss of glucoronidation, will then show in your stool as high values.

The loss of metabolizing fatty acids is of concern to me as well. Are your stools watery, malodorous, float, or mucous filled? Color?

So even though this test didn't point the finger at any one bacteria or parasite being the culprit, you have a lot of information as to what might be going on with you.

One more point of interest, I have never known anything labeled as hemolytic to not be pathogenic. Hemolytic means the bacteria are pathogenic because it can break down the red blood cells, causing apoptosis. This would be a point of contention I would take up with my physician.

LaurieL
Thank you Lauriel for such good information. A lot of it is still over my head - but you have given me something to start tring to understand. My Doctor DID think the bacteria could be a problem - she suggests antibiotics - but was pretty wooly about the details of this. Overall she recommends a non carb paleo diet with kefir and high dose vit c and Neem to sterilise the upper gut (she thinks i have a fermenting upper gut and hypochloridia)
I am currently trying to wean off off Omeprazole for gastritis 9unconfirmed by endoscopy still)
 

justy

Donate Advocate Demonstrate
Messages
5,524
Location
U.K
This is an easy to understand article on chymotrypsin.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/195669-what-are-trypsin-chymotrypsin/

It links low chy in stools with pancreatic disease, cistic fibrosis and probloems with extracting nutrition from food. My original mitochondrial profile tests showed 'very low nutritional status' i have a big problem with low iron and antioxidants, despite a healthy diet and supplements - it has semed for some while that i am not absorbing nutrients enough.

The article also describes a sitaution where low chy, causing malabsorption in turn causing inflammation, intestinal gas, bloating etc - which i definately suffer from. It suggests that supplements of Chymotrypsin can be taken.
 

LaurieL

Senior Member
Messages
447
Location
Midwest
I saw the suggestion on supplemental chymotrypsin. Wouldn't that be so great if it helped you!!

I am leary of antibiotics, as it changes the flora so radically and is so hard to turn around.

Your results are definitely a positive, in that it does identify a direction for you to proceed!

Most good wishes on your journey!!

Lauriel
 

adreno

PR activist
Messages
4,841
I do think you got some useful information. The chymotrypsin you can likely take care of by supplementing pancreatic enzymes. The cholesterol in the stool (from lack of bile) means you need to work on your liver (curcumin, NAC, taurine, milk thistle etc). Ironically, eating low fat will decrease your bile production. Finally:
Beta-glucuronidase is an inducible enzyme, produced by E. coli and anaerobes Bacteroides and Clostridia.
would point to some bacterial overgrowth produced too much of this enzyme. At least this is how I interpret it, I am also not an expert.
 

knackers323

Senior Member
Messages
1,625
dont know what happened there - had to post it like that.
Contd:
Alpha haemolytic streptococcus 4+
and gamma haemolytic steptococus 4+
both described as non pathogenic.

Not sure what all this really means - even with my doctors write up.

No parasites found, no overgrowth of yeasts.
Everything else absolutely normal.

Thanks for reading.
Justy.x

Hi justy
I had a similar test that showed yeast wasn't a problem. Do you think this test result is enough to rule it out?
I have heard people say that it can still be a problem even if tests say its ok