Organic Acid Test (OAT)

Hi all

Thank you for all your replies - and the very detailed ones.  Very interesting and thought provoking to say the least.

I'm not here to persuade or try and influence anyone, I just wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts or personal experience as this is a big unknown for me and like you have said.. is costly.

There are a few things I have read up on and wanted to share.

University of Birmingham in the UK done the studies in the 1990s testing the urine and exploring the theory of leaky gut amongst other things (diary and gluten).  The book below was a great read for me and talks positively about it.  It does seem like this "idea" has been around for a significant amount of time.  And therefore you will naturally get others trying to make money by interpreting the results wrongly...but wonder whether there is credibility in the tests themselves if interrupted correctly.

https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9781885477446?gC=5a105e8b&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw5m3yKvF4AIVWYXVCh2oFQ7-EAkYAiABEgL8nvD_BwE

I also then saw a clip from great plain lab which linked yeast to stimming with sensory challengers. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3TAvjdKSeY

But what keeps getting me, is that no physical tests at all seem to be carried out in the UK.  We look at speech and language, occupational therapy, educational therapists plus more which I really value but no where along the line has any of these professionals ever mentioned to me to even look at diet, or to look at probiotics (which many of us seem to believe can help).  I have been on this journey for over a couple of years now as my 2 children are going through the system and being diagnosed.  I just feel there is a massive gap between the two approaches - here in the UK, and other countries. 

I spent some time finding a nutritionist (we dont have one available on the NHS) who could interpret the OAT results.  Every nutritionist I spoke to briefly on the phone to find a suitable one would say something along the lines of "its all about the gut"... and their frustrations were that this wasn't a common thought of approach (yes they were private and therefore paid)..

My son's OAT test has come back that he has an infection in the gut.  He has no "physical symptoms" and would not get tested on the nhs for this.  However, he is non verbal, has sensory challengers, and can stim all day.  He is autistic.

I completely understand the comments to be careful - much appreciated and will bear that in mind every step of the way.

Just to be clear the OAT isn't just genetic testing, but it gives recommendations of quantities of probiotics I need to give (which is significantly more than Ive been currently giving), immune system, infections and much more.

If anyone has gone on a similar journey, or about to start please get in touch.  Thanks again.

NAS51214 said:

Every nutritionist I spoke to briefly on the phone to find a suitable one would say something along the lines of "its all about the gut"... and their frustrations were that this wasn't a common thought of approach (yes they were private and therefore paid)..

"It's all about the gut" seems like something very unprofessional to be frank. Their frustrations probably lie in the fact that this wouldn't be enough to justify funding, to be even more frank.

NAS51214 said:

My son's OAT test has come back that he has an infection in the gut.

This doesn't surprise me. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't specify the name of the "infection in the gut" either.

NAS51214 said:

He has no "physical symptoms" and would not get tested on the nhs for this.

There's a reason for that. I'd imagine that results that are as vague as "an infection in the gut", and a basis in giving information such as "it's all about the gut", are pretty unprofessional.

NAS51214 said:

However, he is non verbal, has sensory challengers, and can stim all day.  He is autistic.

This is my main concern, as your son is non-verbal, there is a barrier in feedback from the child.

Also stims aren't necessarily bad, sometimes it's a way of relieving what an autitic person is feeling inside. Stimming can be theraputic, and a form of relief for sensory challenges. Sometimes stimming can help solve a lot of problems with tension, and help sensory problems.

NAS51214 said:

Just to be clear the OAT isn't just genetic testing, but it gives recommendations of quantities of probiotics I need to give (which is significantly more than Ive been currently giving), immune system, infections and much more.

I'd imagine the people giving these tests, also market the probiotics, and tell you how much you need to use. It's a pretty good "business model".

NAS51214 said:

I also then saw a clip from great plain lab which linked yeast to stimming with sensory challengers. 

Like I said previously Great Plain Labs pretty much hold a monopoly on this. It's a cynical advert, using emotional blackmail, uncited information, and confusing "medical" jargon to draw people in. Here is a link from a reputable website. It also states the loops that companies such as Great Plains Labs, use so that they can operate in the US, luckily the NHS is a little wiser.

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/new-fda-regulatory-role-threatens-bogus-diagnostic-tests/

Funnily enough, Great Plains Labs have made the links to their criticised tests unaccessible. If they had nothing to hide, I'd imagine they'd have just left them up.

I also provided a link to peer reviewed information on this issue.

I suggest anyone reading to be aware that OAT testing is a scam.

Sorry to be as blunt as I've been, but allowing people such as this to scam the Autistic Community, isn't something I'm comfortable with. Reading that list in the link that I provided last night seems a lot of people, with a lot of conditions are marks too, I'm not comfortable with that either. They are preying on the vulnerable, and desperate.

Again all the best, and I hope you find a way for you all to manage.

Cloudy

NAS51214 said:

Every nutritionist I spoke to briefly on the phone to find a suitable one would say something along the lines of "its all about the gut"... and their frustrations were that this wasn't a common thought of approach (yes they were private and therefore paid)..

"It's all about the gut" seems like something very unprofessional to be frank. Their frustrations probably lie in the fact that this wouldn't be enough to justify funding, to be even more frank.

NAS51214 said:

My son's OAT test has come back that he has an infection in the gut.

This doesn't surprise me. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't specify the name of the "infection in the gut" either.

NAS51214 said:

He has no "physical symptoms" and would not get tested on the nhs for this.

There's a reason for that. I'd imagine that results that are as vague as "an infection in the gut", and a basis in giving information such as "it's all about the gut", are pretty unprofessional.

NAS51214 said:

However, he is non verbal, has sensory challengers, and can stim all day.  He is autistic.

This is my main concern, as your son is non-verbal, there is a barrier in feedback from the child.

Also stims aren't necessarily bad, sometimes it's a way of relieving what an autitic person is feeling inside. Stimming can be theraputic, and a form of relief for sensory challenges. Sometimes stimming can help solve a lot of problems with tension, and help sensory problems.

NAS51214 said:

Just to be clear the OAT isn't just genetic testing, but it gives recommendations of quantities of probiotics I need to give (which is significantly more than Ive been currently giving), immune system, infections and much more.

I'd imagine the people giving these tests, also market the probiotics, and tell you how much you need to use. It's a pretty good "business model".

NAS51214 said:

I also then saw a clip from great plain lab which linked yeast to stimming with sensory challengers. 

Like I said previously Great Plain Labs pretty much hold a monopoly on this. It's a cynical advert, using emotional blackmail, uncited information, and confusing "medical" jargon to draw people in. Here is a link from a reputable website. It also states the loops that companies such as Great Plains Labs, use so that they can operate in the US, luckily the NHS is a little wiser.

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/new-fda-regulatory-role-threatens-bogus-diagnostic-tests/

Funnily enough, Great Plains Labs have made the links to their criticised tests unaccessible. If they had nothing to hide, I'd imagine they'd have just left them up.

I also provided a link to peer reviewed information on this issue.

I suggest anyone reading to be aware that OAT testing is a scam.

Sorry to be as blunt as I've been, but allowing people such as this to scam the Autistic Community, isn't something I'm comfortable with. Reading that list in the link that I provided last night seems a lot of people, with a lot of conditions are marks too, I'm not comfortable with that either. They are preying on the vulnerable, and desperate.

Again all the best, and I hope you find a way for you all to manage.

Cloudy