Organic Acids Test (The Great Plains Laboratory)

Organic acids are chemical compounds excreted in the urine of mammals that are products of metabolism. Metabolism is the sum of chemical reactions in living beings by which the body builds new molecules and breaks down molecules to eliminate waste products and produce energy. Organic acids are organic compounds that are acidic. Organic acids are substances in which carbon and hydrogen are always present but may also contain the elements of oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus.
The Organic Acids Test offers a comprehensive metabolic snapshot of a patient’s overall health with 75 markers. It provides an accurate evaluation of intestinal yeast and bacteria. Abnormally high levels of these microorganisms can cause or worsen behavior disorders, hyperactivity, movement disorders, fatigue, and immune function. Many people with chronic illnesses and neurological disorders often excrete several abnormal organic acids in their urine. The cause of these high levels could include oral antibiotic use, high sugar diets, immune deficiencies, acquired infections, and genetic factors.
2-Hydroxybutyric
Optimal range: 0.03 - 1.8 mmol/mol creatinine
2-Hydroxybutyric acid is a by-product of glutathione production. Levels of 2-Hydroxybutyric acid in the urine may reflect levels of glutathione production.
LEARN MORE2-Hydroxyhippuric
Optimal range: 0 - 1.3 mmol/mol creatinine
2-Hydroxyhippuric acid is a conjugate of hydroxybenzoic acid (salicylic acid) and glycine.
LEARN MORE2-Hydroxyisocaproic
Optimal range: 0 - 2 mmol/mol creatinine
2-Hydroxyisocaproic acid (aka Leucic acid / α-hydroxyisocaproic acid / HICA) is a metabolite of the branched-chain amino acid leucine.
LEARN MORE2-Hydroxyisovaleric
Optimal range: 0 - 0.42 mmol/mol creatinine
2-Hydroxyisovaleric acid (aka 2-Hydroxy-3-methylbutyric acid) is a branched-chain amino acid metabolite.
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Optimal range: 0.06 - 0.66 mmol/mol creatinine2-Oxo-4-methiolbutyric
Optimal range: 0 - 2 mmol/mol creatinine
2-Oxo-4-methylthiobutanoic acid, also known as 4-(methylsulfanyl)-2-oxobutanoate or 2-keto-4-methylthiobutyrate, belongs to the class of organic compounds known as thia fatty acids. Thia substituted fatty acids are saturated fatty acids which are modified by insertion of a sulfur atom at specific positions in the carbon backbone.
LEARN MORE2-Oxoglutaric
Optimal range: 0 - 35 mmol/mol creatinine
2-Oxoglutaric acid is an organic acid that is important for the proper metabolism of all essential amino acids. It is formed in the Krebs cycle, the energy-producing process that occurs in most body cells.
LEARN MORE2-Oxoisocaproic
Optimal range: 0 - 2 mmol/mol creatinine
2-Oxoisocaproic acid (also known as Ketoleucine) is an abnormal metabolite that arises from the incomplete breakdown of branched-chain amino acids.
2-Oxoisocaproic acid is both a neurotoxin and a metabotoxin.
LEARN MORE2-Oxoisovaleric
Optimal range: 0 - 2.1 mmol/mol creatinine
2-Oxoisovaleric acid is an abnormal metabolite that arises from the incomplete breakdown of branched-chain amino acids (=BCAA). 2-Oxoisovaleric acid is a neurotoxin, an acidogen, and a metabotoxin.
LEARN MORE3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaric (HMG)
Optimal range: 0.17 - 39 mmol/mol creatinine
- A precursor in the production of cholesterol in both humans and yeast.
- Elevated levels may also indicate decreased CoQ10 synthesis.
- Moderate increases are probably due to yeast overgrowth of the GI tract and might also implicate yeast overgrowth with elevated serum cholesterol.
- Very elevated levels may be due to HMG aciduria (=3-hydroxy-3-metylglutaric aciduria)
LEARN MORE3-Hydroxybutyric
Optimal range: 0 - 3.1 mmol/mol creatinine
3-Hydroxybutyric acid is a typical partial-degradation product of branched-chain amino acids (primarily valine) released from muscle for hepatic and renal gluconeogenesis. This acid is metabolized by 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase. The enzyme functions in nervous tissues and muscles, enabling the use of circulating hydroxybutyrate as a fuel.
LEARN MORE3-Hydroxyglutaric
Optimal range: 0 - 6.2 mmol/mol creatinine3-Indoleacetic
Optimal range: 0 - 11 mmol/mol creatinine
3-Indoleacetic is a Tryptophan byproduct of Clostria: C. stricklandii, C. litusburense, C. subterminale, and C. putrefaciens.
LEARN MORE3-Methyl-2-oxovaleric
Optimal range: 0 - 2 mmol/mol creatinine
3-Methyl-2-oxovaleric acid is an abnormal metabolite that arises from the incomplete breakdown of branched-chain amino acids.
Moderate increase may result from lactic acidosis, episodic ketosis, or thiamine/lipoic acid deficiency. Significant elevations are associated with genetic issues, MSUD, and pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency.
- Slight elevations may be due to deficiencies of the vitamins thiamine or lipoic acid.
- Elevated values are also associated with the genetic diseases maple syrup urine disease or pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency.
LEARN MORE3-Methylglutaconic
Optimal range: 0 - 4.5 mmol/mol creatinine
The marker, 3-methylglutaconic acid in high values indicates a reduced ability to metabolize the amino acid, leucine. This abnormality is found in the genetic disease, methylglutaconic aciduria and in mitochondrial disorders.
LEARN MORE3-Methylglutaric
Optimal range: 0 - 0.76 mmol/mol creatinine
3-methylglutaric acid is an organic acid classically associated with two distinct leucine pathway enzyme deficiencies.
LEARN MORE3-Oxoglutaric
Optimal range: 0 - 0.33 mmol/mol creatinine4-Cresol
Optimal range: 0 - 75 mmol/mol creatinine4-Hydroxybenzoic
Optimal range: 0 - 1.3 mmol/mol creatinine4-Hydroxybutyric
Optimal range: 0 - 4.8 mmol/mol creatinine
A moderate urinary increase in 4-hydroxybutyric acid may be due to intake of dietary supplements containing 4-hydroxybutyric acid, also known as gamma-hydroxybutyric acid. Very high levels may indicate the genetic disorder 3-methylglutaconic aciduria involving succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency.
LEARN MORE4-Hydroxyhippuric
Optimal range: 0.79 - 17 mmol/mol creatinine
4-Hydroxyhippuric is a glycine conjugate of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, the paraben metabolite.
LEARN MORE4-Hydroxyphenylacetic
Optimal range: 0 - 19 mmol/mol creatinine4-Hydroxyphenyllactic
Optimal range: 0 - 2 mmol/mol creatinine
4-hydroxyphenyllactate is present in relatively higher concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid and urine of patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) and tyrosinemia.
LEARN MORE5-Hydroxyindoleacetic (5-HIAA)
Optimal range: 0 - 4.3 mmol/mol creatinine
5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA) is a breakdown product of serotonin that is excreted in the urine. Serotonin is a hormone found at high levels in many body tissues. Serotonin and 5HIAA are produced in excess amounts by carcinoid tumors, and levels of these substances may be measured in the urine to test for carcinoid tumors.
LEARN MORE5-Hydroxymethyl-2-furoic
Optimal range: 0 - 14 mmol/mol creatinineAcetoacetic
Optimal range: 0 - 10 mmol/mol creatinine
Acetoacetic acid (=acetoacetate) is a ketone body and a weak Beta-keto acid produced from acetyl-CoA in the mitochondrial matrix of hepatocytes.
LEARN MOREAconitic
Optimal range: 6.8 - 28 mmol/mol creatinine
Elevated in mitochrondrial disorders. Aconitase metabolizes citric and aconitic acids, and is dependent on glutathione.
LEARN MOREAdipic
Optimal range: 0.04 - 3.8 mmol/mol creatinine
Adipic Acid, together with Suberate and Ethylmalonate are all functional markers for deficiency of carnitine.
LEARN MOREArabinose
Optimal range: 0 - 29 mmol/mol creatinineAscorbic
Optimal range: 10 - 200 mmol/mol creatinine
Ascorbic Acid is a natural water-soluble vitamin (Vitamin C). Ascorbic acid is a potent reducing and antioxidant agent that functions in fighting bacterial infections, in detoxifying reactions, and in the formation of collagen in fibrous tissue, teeth, bones, connective tissue, skin, and capillaries.
LEARN MORECarboxycitric
Optimal range: 0 - 29 mmol/mol creatinine
Carboxycitric is a metabolite of yeast/fungi and general indicator of gastrointestinal dysbiosis. Elevated yeast/fungal metabolites indicate overgrowth in the GI tract.
LEARN MORECitramalic
Optimal range: 0 - 3.6 mmol/mol creatinineCitric
Optimal range: 0 - 507 mmol/mol creatinine
Citric acid, cis-aconitic acid, and isocitric acid are the first three metabolites in the Krebs Citric Acid energy production cycle, which operates in the mitochondria of your cells.
LEARN MOREDHPPA (Beneficial Bacteria)
Optimal range: 0 - 0.38 mmol/mol creatinineDihydroxyphenylacetic (DOPAC)
Optimal range: 0 - 3.5 mmol/mol creatinineEthylmalonic
Optimal range: 0.44 - 2.8 mmol/mol creatinine
Ethylmalonate, together with Adipate and Suberate, gives information about your ability to process fatty acids.
LEARN MOREFumaric
Optimal range: 0 - 0.94 mmol/mol creatinine
Fumarate (together with Succinate and Malate) is used in the body’s metabolic pathway that generates cellular energy – the Citric Acid Cycle.
LEARN MOREFuran-2,5-dicarboxylic
Optimal range: 0 - 16 mmol/mol creatinineFurancarbonylglycine
Optimal range: 0 - 1.9 mmol/mol creatinine
Furancarbonylglycine is a metabolite produced by Aspergillus and possibly other fungal species in the GI tract.
LEARN MOREGlutaric
Optimal range: 0.04 - 0.36 mmol/mol creatinine
Glutaric acid is made from lysine & tryptophan via alphaketo-adipic acid.
- Elevated in the genetic diseases glutaric academia types I and II.
- Moderate increases may be due to deficiencies in riboflavin and coenzyme Q10, or celiac disease.
- Moderate increases are common in autism possibly due to defective vitamin absorption or microbial production in the GI tract.
Glyceric
Optimal range: 0.77 - 7 mmol/mol creatinineGlycolic
Optimal range: 16 - 117 mmol/mol creatinine
Indicator of genetic disease of oxalate metabolism called Hyperoxaluria type I due to a deficiency in the enzyme activity of alanine glyoxylate amino transferase (AGT).
LEARN MOREHippuric
Optimal range: 0 - 613 mmol/mol creatinine
Hippuric acid is a conjugate (=a compound formed by the joining of two or more compounds) of glycine and benzoic acid formed in the liver.
Most hippuric acid in urine is derived from microbial breakdown of chlorogenic acid to benzoic acid.
LEARN MOREHomogentisic
Optimal range: 0 - 2 mmol/mol creatinine
Homogentisic acid is a breakdown product of 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvic Acid (4-HPPA).
Elevated in the genetic disease homogentisic aciduria (alkaptonuria).
LEARN MOREHomovanillic (HVA)
Optimal range: 0.8 - 3.6 mmol/mol creatinine
Homovanillate (aka Homovanillic Acid) is a dopamine metabolite.
Homovanillate and Vanilmandelate are breakdown products from neurotransmitters involved in hormone and nerve impulse transmission, called catecholamines.
LEARN MOREHPHPA
Optimal range: 0 - 208 mmol/g creatinine
HPHPA is a clostridia metabolite and dysbiosis marker and stands for 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxypropionic acid.
LEARN MOREHVA / VMA Ratio
Optimal range: 0.16 - 1.8 Ratio
The Organic Acids Test measures levels of HVA (homovanillic acid) and VMA (vanillylmandelic acid), the metabolites of the neurotransmitters, dopamine and epinephrine/norepinephrine. It also measures the ratio of the two metabolites.
LEARN MOREHVA/ DOPAC Ratio
Optimal range: 0.17 - 1.6 mmol/mol creatinine
HVA and DOPAC are the major metabolites of dopamine. HVA stands for Homovanillic acid and DOPAC stands for Dihydroxyphenylacetic.
LEARN MOREKynurenic
Optimal range: 0.17 - 2.2 mmol/mol creatinine
Kynurenic Acid is product of the metabolism of L-Tryptophan and appears in urine in Vitamin B6 deficiencies. Your body needs vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) to utilize amino acids derived from dietary protein.
LEARN MORELactic
Optimal range: 0 - 48 mmol/mol creatinine
Formed from pyruvate in anaerobic or oxygen-starved (hypoxic) conditions to allow for ongoing production of ATP.
LEARN MOREMalic
Optimal range: 0.06 - 1.8 mmol/mol creatinine
Malic Acid is involved in the citric acid cycle (aka. Krebs cycle). The citric acid cycle is a series of reactions that occur in the mitochondrion to generate chemical energy that fuels the metabolism.
LEARN MOREMalonic
Optimal range: 0 - 9.7 mmol/mol creatinine
Malonic acid is found to be associated with malonyl-CoA decarboxylase deficiency, which is an inborn error of metabolism. The name “Malonic” originates from Latin malum, meaning apple. Malonic acid is the archetypal example of a competitive inhibitor: it acts against succinate dehydrogenase (complex II) in the respiratory electron transport chain.
LEARN MOREMandelic
Optimal range: 0 - 2 mmol/mol creatinine
Mandelic acid is the major metabolite of styrene. Styrene (vinylbenzene) is used as an intermediate in plastic synthesis. Values less than 5 mg/L are due to normal metabolism of phenylalanine or tyrosine.
LEARN MOREMethylcitric
Optimal range: 0.19 - 2.7 mmol/mol creatinineMethylmalonic
Optimal range: 0 - 2.3 mmol/mol creatinine
Methylmalonic acid (MMA) is a substance produced in very small amounts and is necessary for human metabolism and energy production.
LEARN MOREMethylsuccinic
Optimal range: 0.1 - 2.2 mmol/mol creatinineN-Acetylaspartic
Optimal range: 0 - 38 mmol/mol creatinineN-Acetylcysteine (NAC)
Optimal range: 0 - 0.28 mmol/mol creatinineOrotic
Optimal range: 0.06 - 0.54 mmol/mol creatinine
Orotic Acid is a sensitive marker of your liver’s capacity to convert toxic ammonia to non-toxic urea that you can excrete. That capacity can be increased by additional arginine. Ammonia toxicity can also be reduced by supplementation with α-ketoglutarate, magnesium, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid. Ammonia impairs brain function, causing difficulty with thinking, fatigue, headaches, and increased food sensitivities.
LEARN MOREOxalic
Optimal range: 6.8 - 101 mmol/mol creatinine
Oxalic acid may be associated with dysbiosis from Aspergillus, Penicillium, Candida, or high dose vitamin C. If yeast or fungal markers are elevated, antifungal therapy may reduces oxalates. Also associated with anti-freeze (ethylene glycol) poisoning.
LEARN MOREPantothenic (B5)
Optimal range: 0 - 10 mmol/mol creatinine
Pantothenic acid is an essential B vitamin (=Vitamin B5) that is converted to coenzyme A (unrelated to vitamin A). Coenzyme A is needed for the synthesis of fatty acids, cholesterol, and acetyl choline and is also needed for the Krebs cycle and fatty acid catabolism.
LEARN MOREPhenyllactic
Optimal range: 0 - 2 mmol/mol creatininePhenylpyruvic
Optimal range: 0 - 2 mmol/mol creatininePhosphoric
Optimal range: 1000 - 5000 mmol/mol creatininePyridoxic (B6)
Optimal range: 0 - 34 mmol/mol creatininePyroglutamic
Optimal range: 10 - 33 mmol/mol creatininePyruvic
Optimal range: 0 - 9.1 mmol/mol creatinine
Pyruvic Acid feeds into the citric acid cycle & converts into acetyl CoA. Pyruvate is formed from carbohydrate via glucose or glycogen & secondarily from fats (glycerol) & glycogenic amino acids.
LEARN MOREQuinolinic
Optimal range: 0.85 - 3.9 mmol/mol creatinine
Quinolinic acid is a neurotoxic substance produced by our own bodies and a metabolite of tryptophan.
LEARN MOREQuinolinic / 5-HIAA Ratio
Optimal range: 0.42 - 2 Ratio
A high ratio of quinolinic acid to the tryptophan metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, indicates excessive inflammation due to recurrent infections, excessive tryptophan intake, immune overstimulation, excessive adrenal production of cortisol, or excessive exposure to phthalates.
LEARN MORESebacic
Optimal range: 0 - 0.24 mmol/mol creatinine
Increased urinary products of the omega fatty acid metabolism pathway may be due to carnitine deficiency, fasting, or increased intake of triglycerides from coconut oil, or some infant formulas.
LEARN MORESuberic
Optimal range: 0.18 - 2.2 mmol/mol creatinine
Suberic Acid, Adipate, and Ethylmalonate elevations can indicate that you may need additional carnitine and/or vitamin B2 to assist your cells in converting fats into energy efficiently.
LEARN MORESuccinic
Optimal range: 0 - 9.3 mmol/mol creatinine
Succinate (or succinic acid) is an important metabolite that is involved in several chemical processes in the body.
LEARN MORETartaric
Optimal range: 0 - 4.5 mmol/mol creatinineThymine
Optimal range: 0 - 0.56 mmol/mol creatinineTricarballylic
Optimal range: 0 - 0.44 mmol/mol creatinineUracil
Optimal range: 0 - 9.7 mmol/mol creatinineVanillylmandelic (VMA)
Optimal range: 0.46 - 3.7 mmol/mol creatinine
Metabolite of epinephrine and norepinephrine. Often elevated due to stress induced catecholamine output or lead toxicity.
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