Comprehensive Gastrointestinal Panel on Salt Spring Island

A comprehensive gastrointestinal panel is an advanced stool test that analyzes your gut bacteria, parasites, yeast, inflammation markers, digestive enzyme function, and immune activity. It provides a detailed map of your gut ecosystem that standard tests simply can't match.

The gut microbiome contains trillions of organisms that influence digestion, immunity, mood, metabolism, and inflammation throughout the body. Research published in Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology estimates that up to 70% of the immune system is housed in the gut, and disruptions to the microbiome have been linked to conditions ranging from IBS and autoimmune disease to depression and metabolic syndrome. Standard stool tests screen for a handful of pathogens, but comprehensive panels assess the entire ecosystem.

I use comprehensive GI panels to investigate chronic digestive symptoms, but also for conditions that seem unrelated to the gut (autoimmune flares, skin issues, mood disorders, and persistent fatigue). The test measures beneficial bacteria levels, identifies pathogenic bacteria and parasites, quantifies yeast overgrowth, assesses digestive enzyme output, and measures inflammation markers like calprotectin and secretory IgA.

Results guide a targeted gut restoration protocol: antimicrobial treatment for identified pathogens, prebiotic and probiotic strategies to restore beneficial flora, digestive enzyme support where needed, and dietary modifications to create an environment where healthy gut flora can thrive. I retest when clinically indicated to confirm the gut is healing and the microbiome is rebalancing.