Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT)
The Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) on the Gut Zoomer panel by Vibrant Wellness measures hidden (occult) human blood in stool. This test helps identify microscopic gastrointestinal bleeding, which can be an early indicator of inflammation, ulcers, polyps, or more serious conditions affecting the digestive tract.
FIT is highly specific for human hemoglobin, meaning it detects blood from the lower gastrointestinal tract (colon and rectum), not from dietary sources or the upper digestive system. Elevated levels signal that the digestive lining may be irritated, damaged, or actively bleeding.
Why This Marker Matters
Detecting microscopic blood in stool is important because it may reveal issues before noticeable symptoms develop. FIT is often used in colon cancer screening programs, but in functional and integrative medicine it also provides insight into gut inflammation and mucosal integrity.
A positive FIT may reflect:
• Intestinal inflammation
• Hemorrhoids or anal fissures
• Polyps in the colon
• Colorectal cancer risk
• Ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease
• Diverticulitis
• Intestinal ulcerations
A negative FIT suggests no detectable lower-GI bleeding, although it cannot rule out all digestive conditions.
Symptoms That May Be Associated With a Positive Result
• Unexplained fatigue or weakness
• Changes in bowel habits
• Abdominal pain or cramping
• Persistent bloating or discomfort
• Visible mucus or blood in stool
Many individuals with gut bleeding have no symptoms, which is why FIT is a valuable early-detection tool.
What to Do if Your FIT is Positive
• Speak with your healthcare provider for follow-up evaluation
• Depending on results and symptoms, your clinician may recommend:
– Colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy
– Imaging studies
– Repeat FIT testing
– Stool inflammatory markers (e.g., calprotectin, lactoferrin)
– Comprehensive gut health support
This marker requires medical evaluation, especially if combined with gastrointestinal symptoms or risk factors.
What does it mean if your Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) result is too high?
An elevated or positive Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) indicates the presence of human hemoglobin (blood) in the stool. This finding suggests active bleeding somewhere in the lower gastrointestinal tract, most commonly originating from the colon or rectum.
Unlike older stool blood tests, FIT is highly specific to human blood and is not affected by dietary factors, making an elevated result clinically meaningful and not a false positive from food sources.
What an Elevated FIT May Indicate
A positive FIT result can be associated with:
-
Colonic inflammation or irritation
-
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease
-
Colorectal polyps
-
Colorectal cancer (especially when persistent or unexplained)
-
Hemorrhoids or anal fissures
-
Severe gut dysbiosis with mucosal damage
-
Chronic intestinal permeability and barrier breakdown
Importantly, FIT does not diagnose a specific condition on its own. Instead, it signals that further clinical evaluation is necessary to determine the source and cause of bleeding.
Why FIT Matters on Functional Gut Panels
On advanced panels like the Gut Zoomer, an elevated FIT provides critical context for inflammation and gut barrier integrity. When combined with findings such as:
-
Elevated inflammatory markers
-
Immune activation (e.g., ASCA, tTG, DGP)
-
Dysbiotic or pathogenic bacteria
-
Reduced microbial diversity
…it strengthens the case for active mucosal injury or inflammatory disease rather than functional symptoms alone.
FIT helps differentiate inflammatory or structural gut issues from non-inflammatory conditions such as functional IBS.
Symptoms Commonly Associated with an Elevated FIT
Some individuals with a positive FIT may experience:
-
Blood in stool (visible or microscopic)
-
Chronic diarrhea or constipation
-
Abdominal pain or cramping
-
Unexplained anemia or fatigue
-
Urgency or changes in bowel habits
-
Weight loss or appetite changes
However, symptoms may be mild or absent, which is why FIT is a valuable screening and risk-identification marker.
Clinical Next Steps After an Elevated FIT
An elevated FIT result typically warrants prompt follow-up with a healthcare provider. Depending on the clinical context, next steps may include:
-
Colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy
-
Repeat FIT testing
-
Evaluation for inflammatory bowel disease
-
Assessment for hemorrhoids or benign bleeding sources
-
Further imaging or laboratory testing
Early evaluation is essential, as identifying the source of bleeding allows for timely treatment and improved outcomes.
Key Takeaway
A positive Fecal Immunochemical Test indicates lower gastrointestinal bleeding and should always be taken seriously. On functional gut panels, it serves as a powerful marker of active mucosal injury, inflammation, or structural pathology, guiding clinicians toward appropriate diagnostic follow-up rather than symptom-only management.
All Your Lab Results.
One Simple Dashboard.
Import, Track, and Share Your Lab Results Easily
Import, Track, and Share Your Lab Results
Import lab results from multiple providers, track changes over time, customize your reference ranges, and get clear explanations for each result. Everything is stored securely, exportable in one organized file, and shareable with your doctor—or anyone you choose.
Cancel or upgrade anytime
Laboratories
Bring All Your Lab Results Together — In One Place
We accept reports from any lab, so you can easily collect and organize all your health information in one secure spot.
Pricing Table
Gather Your Lab History — and Finally Make Sense of It
Finally, Your Lab Results Organized and Clear
Personal plans
$79/ year
Advanced Plan
Access your lab reports, explanations, and tracking tools.
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track all results with visual tools
- Customize your reference ranges
- Export your full lab history anytime
- Share results securely with anyone
- Receive 5 reports entered for you
- Cancel or upgrade anytime
$250/ once
Unlimited Account
Pay once, access everything—no monthly fees, no limits.
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track all results with visual tools
- Customize your reference ranges
- Export your full lab history anytime
- Share results securely with anyone
- Receive 10 reports entered for you
- No subscriptions. No extra fees.
$45/ month
Pro Monthly
Designed for professionals managing their clients' lab reports
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track lab results for multiple clients
- Customize reference ranges per client
- Export lab histories and reports
- Begin with first report entered by us
- Cancel or upgrade anytime
About membership
What's included in a Healthmatters membership
Import Lab Results from Any Source
See Your Health Timeline
Understand What Your Results Mean
Visualize Your Results
Data Entry Service for Your Reports
Securely Share With Anyone You Trust
Let Your Lab Results Tell the Full Story
Once your results are in one place, see the bigger picture — track trends over time, compare data side by side, export your full history, and share securely with anyone you trust.
Bring all your results together to compare, track progress, export your history, and share securely.
What Healthmatters Members Are Saying
Frequently asked questions
Healthmatters is a personal health dashboard that helps you organize and understand your lab results. It collects and displays your medical test data from any lab in one secure, easy-to-use platform.
- Individuals who want to track and understand their health over time.
- Health professionals, such as doctors, nutritionists, and wellness coaches, need to manage and interpret lab data for their clients.
With a Healthmatters account, you can:
- Upload lab reports from any lab
- View your data in interactive graphs, tables, and timelines
- Track trends and monitor changes over time
- Customize your reference ranges
- Export and share your full lab history
- Access your results anytime, from any device
Professionals can also analyze client data more efficiently and save time managing lab reports.
Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 10000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:
- The GI Effects® Comprehensive Stool Profile,
- GI-MAP,
- The NutrEval FMV®,
- The ION Profile,
- Amino Acids Profile,
- Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH),
- Organic Acids Test,
- Organix Comprehensive Profile,
- Toxic Metals,
- Complete Blood Count (CBC),
- Metabolic panel,
- Thyroid panel,
- Lipid Panel,
- Urinalysis,
- And many, many more.
You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.
If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.
We implement proven measures to keep your data safe.
At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.