Lisa Makeeva, Registered Dietitian 
Master of Applied Nutrition

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The most complete blood test for food sensitivities.

Food sensitivities can be incredibly difficult to pinpoint, and can manifest as various chronic health conditions.  Mediator release testing (MRT)  is the most superior method for detecting food sensitivities, offered through Oxford Biomedical Lab.  MRT measures changes in the ratio of liquids to solids after blood is exposed to various food substances. Sound confusing? Read on...

So picture this: you have a bunch of white blood cells floating around in your blood stream, and each white blood cell contains mediators such as histamine, prostaglandins, and cytokines. When you ingest a food particle (or food antigen) that is not agreeable with your immune system, your white blood cells release a bunch of mediators in order to put out the fire. The more inflammatory a given food is, the more mediators are needed to cool this fire, HENCE the greater the mediator release, the more your white blood cell shrinks in size, and the greater degree of sensitivity to that particular food.

So in a nutshell, this change in solid (white blood cell) to liquid (blood) ratio, is what is being measured through the MRT. The more you release these mediators in response to a food antigen, the greater your symptoms of headache, chronic fatigue, skin issue, diarrhea (the list goes on...) may manifest post-meal.
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How does the MRT work?

This is a blood test that you do not have to fast for. The lab doing your blood draw will likely charge a draw fee.

  1. I will order the MRT test kit straight to your home in 5-7 business days.
  2. Arrive at the lab in the morning before 12pm. This ensures the blood will be viable when Oxford lab receives it the following morning and will be ready for FedEx by their last pick-up time.
  3. At the lab, find out if they will call FedEx to have your kit picked up, or if they have a daily scheduled pick-up time.
  4. The instructions for the phlebotomist are on a card inside the kit.
  5. The kit must be sent out the same day the blood is drawn, and be received the following day. Inside the kit is a prepaid FedEx overnight shipping bag. The lab should be willing to either:
    • Pack the kit up for you and call FedEx to ask for a special pick-up
    • Add your kit to the other items waiting to go out in an already scheduled FedEx pick-up time
    • Pack the kit up for you to take it to a FedEx drop-off location yourself
  6. Your results will be e-mailed to me within 5-7 business days. We will schedule a consultation and interpret what your results actually mean, including design of a protocol, meal plan, and recipes based on your specific results.

What are the strengths of the MRT?

  • Tests for 29 different food chemicals AND 141 different foods
  • Excellent accuracy (sensitivity 94.5%, specificity 91.7%)
  • Excellent reliability (split sample reproducibility >90%)
  • Can test food AND chemical reactions such as caffeine, lecithin, and salicylic acid
  • Quantifies magnitude of each reaction to guide dietary recommendations
  • Your results are based on your unique immune response

What can adverse food reactions be responsible for?

- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
- Celiac Disease
- Migraine
- Fibromyalgia
- Arthritis
- Heartburn/GERD
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Eczema/other skin issues
- Chronic sinusitis/ear infection
Book a free discovery call to learn more
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© 2024 Lisa Makeeva, RD. All rights reserved.
College of Dietitians of Ontario Registration #14884