Who is This Test For?
It’s no secret that stress increases the effect of the key stress hormone, cortisol. When chronic, stress has been known to reveal itself in such telltale signs as low energy, chronic aches and pains, as well as insomnia or sleepiness and difficulty getting up, among others. When left unchecked, chronic stress may lead to a series of metabolic dysfunctions that we know collectively as ‘metabolic syndrome’, including the development of insulin resistance.
FLUIDS iQ’s salivary Stress and Metabolic Profile combines our flagship analytical stress test – the Adrenal Check, featuring Diurnal Cortisol and DHEA-S – with a measurement of both Secretory IgA (SIgA) and Insulin (fasting and non-fasting), each a key marker of stress and metabolic dysfunction.
Stress and Metabolic Profile (SMP)
Know your fasting and non- fasting Insulin
Fasting insulin is used chiefly to measure levels related to diabetes and insulin resistance, a condition related to when the body doesn’t respond well to the effects of insulin. Non- fasting insulin is checked in blood using the A1C test, which measures average blood sugar over a period of months. In saliva, insulin levels vary with type of meal and sample collection time. These levels may be elevated in cases of insulin resistance and have been found to be an accurate screening tool for identifying youth at risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease later in life. FLUIDS iQ’s SMP test measures both fasting and non- fasting insulin levels.
About Insulin
Stress metabolic dysfunction insulin
Insulin is a hormone created by the Langerhans β-cells of the pancreas, that controls the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. Insulin also helps store glucose in the liver, fat, and muscles. It regulates the body’s metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Obesity is a major risk factor for a large number of conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. A key factor in minimizing the impact of obesity involves reducing the prevalence of childhood obesity and monitoring overweight and at-risk individuals early on in the disease progression.About Secretory IgA (SIgA)
Secretory IgA (SIgA) reflects the resilience of the immune response and the effect of stress on the immune system. SIgA is a product of activated B cells lying in intimate contact with mucosal membranes in the nasal passages, oral cavity, the lacrimal glands, the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, as well as the genitourinary tract. All these mucosal surfaces are exposed to the external environment, and SIgA is an important part of the first line of immune defense against pathogens that cause infection. It binds to these infectious pathogens and prevents their adhesion and penetration into the body.