Comprehensive Stool Analysis (CSA) from Doctor's Data
The CSA (Comprehensive Stool Analysis), from Doctor's Data Laboratories, focuses on markers related to inflammation, indigestion, malabsorption, autoimmune diseases, and gastrointestinal problems.
It does NOT focus on as many parasites & pathogens.
The goal of this test is to understand causes of chronic gut symptoms (e.g., IBD-inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's or ulcerative colitis, IBS-irritable bowel syndrome, skin conditions such as Atopic Dermatitis, joint pains, food sensitivities, inflammation, or nutritional deficiencies).
It checks stool chemistries and key markers of indigestion (elastase, fat stain, carbohydrates), inflammation (lactoferrin, calprotectin, lysozyme), autoimmunity (sigA) and short-chain fatty acids (acetate, propionate, butyrate, valerate, total SCFA).
This test uses the gold standard PCR test and culture growth for detecting certain infectious pathogens (bacteria and yeast) as well as beneficial gut bacteria and those causing dysbiosis or imbalance (e.g., Clostridium species).
Additionally, sensitivity to natural and prescribed medicines is checked for your GI microbiome (e.g., against natural antibacterials such as Oregano, Olive leaf extract, caprylic acid, uva ursi, goldenseal, ionic silver, colloidal silver as well as against prescribed medicines such as ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim).
If you prefer more focus on parasites & some common GI markers, try the GI-MAP® from DSL.
Or to only check the microbiome, try the Gut Health Test.
The Comprehensive Stool Analysis Test is simple, reliable, and requires just a few steps:
Order Online.
Receive The GI-MAP Test Kit And Collect Sample At Home.
Ship It Back For FREE To the CLIA Lab (US only).
Receive Secure, Confidential, & Easy-To-Understand Report Within 10-12 Business Days For This Comprehensive Stool Test.
What is (CSA) Comprehensive Stool Analysis Test?
The CSA was developed by Doctor's Data Laboratories.
According to the lab, "CSA profile helps pinpoint the causes of gastrointestinal symptoms and chronic systemic conditions, and measures key markers of digestion, absorption and inflammation."
It's a popular stool test to understand causes of chronic intestinal health problems (e.g., for inflammation, autoimmunity) including:
Leaky gut and other common GI symptoms
Autoimmune diseases
Unexplained joint pain
IBD - inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's or ulcerative colitis
IBS - irritable bowel syndrome
Inflammation of the gut
Food sensitivities (IgG or IgA)
Nutritional deficiencies and malabsorption
Certain skin conditions (such as Atopic Dermatitis or itchy rashes)
What does a CSA Panel measure?
This test measures the following:
MARKERS OF CHEMISTRY:
Digestion or Absorption:
Elastase - for assessing pancreatic exocrine function and insufficiency.
Fat Stain - a qualitative procedure is utilized to assess fat absorption and to detect steatorrhea (i.e., excess fat in stool).
Carbohydrates - reducing substances in stool can indicate carbohydrate malabsorption.
Inflammation:
Lactoferrin - a reliable marker for differentiating organic inflammation (IBD) from function symptoms (IBS) and for managing IBD.
Calprotectin - another similar marker; fecal lactoferrin and calprotectin may be essential in determining the effectiveness of therapy, predicting IBD remission, and can indicate a low risk of relapse.
Lysozyme - an enzyme secreted at the site of inflammation in the GI tract and often elevated levels in IBD.
Immunology:
Short Chain Fatty Acids: SCFAs are the final product of bacterial fermentation of fiber, especially by the beneficial flora, and are important for GI health and for protecting against intestinal dysbiosis. Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria produce large amounts of SCFAs, which lowers intestine pH and therefore makes the environment unsuitable for pathogens, bacteria and yeast. SCFAs decrease inflammation, stimulate healing, and contribute to normal cell metabolism and differentiation.
BACTERIA CULTURE:
Expected/Beneficial Bacteria: for example:
Bacteroides family
Bifidobacterium family
Escherichia coli
Lactobacillus family
Enterococcus family
Clostridium family
Commensal (Imbalanced) flora: for example:
Kocuria rhizophila
Streptococcus anginosus
Dysbiotic flora: for example:
VIRUSES:
Adenovirus F40/41
Norovirus GI/GII
Rotavirus A
PATHOGENIC BACTERIA:
Campylobacter (C. jejuni, C. coli and C. lari)
Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile Toxin A/B)
Escherichia coli O157
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) lt/st
Salmonella species
Shiga-like toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) stx1/stx2
Shigella (S. boydii, S. sonnei, S. flexneri & S. dysenteriae)
Vibrio cholerae
OTHERS:
Occult blood in stool
pH of stool
Who should order a CSA Panel?
Anyone with the following symptoms of leaky gut:
Low gastric acid production
Chronic maldigestion
Food allergen impact on bowel absorptive surfaces
Bacterial overgrowth or imbalances (dysbiosis)
Pathogenic bacteria, yeast or parasites and related toxic irritants
The use of NSAIDs and antibiotics
How to test for gut health with a CSA Panel?
You can order the Comprehensive Stool Analysis kit online, collect a stool sample at home and mail it back to Doctor's Data Lab.
For orders within US, a prepaid return envelope is included. For orders outside US, we normally pay for shipping to your address and provide the paperwork for cross-border shipping back to the lab in US.
The kit will provide clear instructions and sample collection supplies that are easy to use (gloves, paper tray, sample collection tube, biohazard bag, return envelope).
The stool sample is valid for about 10-12 days during shipping, if both the sample & cold-pack are frozen for at least 6 hours before returning.
Once collected, it should be mailed immediately to avoid any delays. Store in a refrigerator until shipping (you can freeze this sample).
You will receive a lab report that you can share with your doctor. It will also include a few pages from the interpretation guide for most critical markers.
Be informed, read more...
Learn more about Leaky Gut from Harvard Health here.
The National Institute of Health suggests eating plenty of fruits and vegetables to keep gut health in check.
Q: Can I purchase the test across US?
A: Except New York, our tests are available in all 49 states and DC. State regulations in NY do not allow us to ship the test kits to their residents and the labs may not be able to test them.
See the note above for NY.
We also ship to Canada and rest of the world.
Q: What does the kit contain and how do I use it?
A: The Comprehensive Stool Analysis Test kit contains stool collection supplies (tubes, cold-pack, return envelope, etc.), instructions on how to collect the samples, and a form requesting basic information including date and time of collection. The directions are straightforward and easy to follow.
Q: How long does it take to receive the results?
A: In most cases USPS delivers the stool analysis kit within 3-5 business days. A prepaid return envelope in included for all orders within US. For faster shipping, you may choose USPS Priority Mail.
After you mail the sample and it is received by the lab, results are available in about 8-10 business days (this test takes longer due to a large number of markers tested using several different techniques over a few days).
For orders outside US, we provide the necessary paperwork for cross-border shipping but you will need to find a way to return it back to the lab.
Please note that turnaround times on results are an estimate and not guaranteed. The lab may need additional time due to holidays, confirmation or repeat testing.
Q: What do I expect from the CSA Test report?
A: The report with your test results & interpretation will be easy to understand and will have many necessary details. It will mark whether you are negative or positive for any of the bacteria, viruses, and what are their levels of different intestinal markers.
The report will also include several pages explaining the markers in an easy-to-read language. The detailed report and instructions is especially useful to learn how to test for leaky gut from home.
Q: Can I use my insurance to pay for the test?
A: You can use HSA (or FSA/MSA/HRA) accounts to pay for the tests since these are prescription tests (for further confirmation, please check the IRS publication#969). However, please ensure you are not going outside your specified max and min deductible limits. We do not have the capability to process the insurance claim. Since insurance plans vary for individuals we can not guarantee your HSA payment will always be processed by your plan. We suggest talking to your insurance provider if you have any questions.
Q: How reliable are my tests and how do I ensure my results are accurate?
A: Measuring leaky gut markers and microbiome is becoming very popular and several labs have developed unique test panels that either use FDA cleared tools or meet the strict CLIA certification requirements.
For example, this test uses the gold-standard PCR method (polymerase chain reaction) technique to detect various bacteria and molds, with an FDA-cleared multiplex PCR system.
PCR testing is much more sensitive than traditional techniques and allows detection of extremely low numbers of pathogens. However, PCR testing does not differentiate between viable and non-viable pathogens and should not be repeated until 21 days after completion of treatment or resolution to prevent false positives due to lingering traces of DNA. PCR testing can detect multiple pathogens in stool but does not differentiate the causative pathogen. All decisions regarding the need for treatment should take the patient’s complete clinical history and presentation into account.
This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Doctor's Data Laboratories in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved or cleared this test; however, FDA clearance is not currently required for clinical use. The results are not intended to be used as a sole means for clinical diagnosis or patient management decisions.
Q: Can you recommend a therapy if my numbers are high or low?
A: Unfortunately, no. As a lab test provider we can only test and report out data from your sample. We are not authorized to provide any medical recommendations. But we strongly encourage you to discuss the results with your doctor for next steps.
