Functional Medicine Tests for OCD: Can Lab Tests Reveal Root Causes?
- Christine Boudreau, LPC, AFMCP
- Sep 19, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 7
Functional Medicine Tests for OCD: Which Lab Tests Reveal Root Causes of OCD?
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a complex mental health condition that often requires a multifaceted approach to treatment. While traditional treatments focus on managing symptoms, functional medicine digs deeper, exploring underlying biochemical and physiological imbalances that may contribute to OCD. Functional medicine combined with psychotherapy is a powerful force that finally breaks the cycle of OCD.
I personally experienced the power of combining functional medicine with psychotherapy because I have lived with OCD for decades, and this approach finally quieted my OCD for good. I was my first patient. I've helped many people, including family members, tame their OCD and regain control of their lives.
Are you like me and suffer with OCD? Have you tried all of the traditional treatments for OCD, like exposure response therapy (ERP), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)? And yet nothing works? You feel frustrated and hopeless. I want you to know that you're not alone. And more importantly, there is hope. You can calm your OCD. You can break the OCD cycle. I can help. You no longer need to feel isolated and ashamed. I can show you how to recover from OCD. Togther, we can create permanent, lasting change.
One way we create permanent, lasting change is via functional lab tests. Functional lab tests can uncover root causes of OCD, like neurotransmitter dysregulation, nutrient deficiencies, hormone imbalances, and gut dysfunction—all of which are critical to understanding and treating OCD. In this post, we’ll dive into functional medicine lab tests for OCD, explaining how each one can reveal key insights to guide your treatment plan.
Why Functional Medicine Lab Tests for OCD?
OCD symptoms are often the result of imbalances in the body’s biochemistry and gut-brain axis. Functional medicine testing helps us identify what’s happening beneath the surface, offering a more personalized and holistic approach to treatment.
By understanding the underlying causes of OCD, such as oxidative stress, gut dysbiosis, or neurotransmitter imbalances, we can design a targeted treatment plan to address these root causes, ultimately helping to reduce symptoms.
Best Functional Medicine Lab Tests for OCD
Functional medicine labs are beneficial because they give you control over your health by offering insight unavailable through traditional medicine. These tests enable a more targeted and personalized approach to treatment, addressing the foundational issues that traditional tests might overlook. This comprehensive analysis can lead to more effective, holistic management of conditions like OCD, improving overall well-being and quality of life.
Furthermore, most of these labs are conveniently shipped to your home, providing you the utmost privacy. The kits provide everything you need to collect samples. Just follow the simple step-by-step instructions, and mail the sample to the lab for results.
Here are five lab tests that we might use to help identify the root causes of OCD.
1. Organic Acids Labs for OCD
Organic acids labs are a powerful tool for assessing a wide range of metabolic functions in the body, many of which are directly linked to mental health. They provides a comprehensive analysis of metabolic markers, including gut health, neurotransmitter function, and nutrient levels. By measuring organic acids in a urine sample, this test is a non-invasive way to assess underlying imbalances that may contribute to conditions like OCD.
How Organic Acids Labs Help Determine OCD Root Causes
Detects Candida and fungal overgrowth. Elevated markers for candida and other fungal overgrowth can produce toxins that interfere with brain function, worsening OCD symptoms.
Detects Clostridia bacteria overgrowth. High levels of metabolites like HPHPA and DHPPA indicate an overgrowth of Clostridia bacteria, which affects dopamine metabolism. This can lead to elevated dopamine levels, a factor linked to compulsive behaviors in OCD.
Identifies neurotransmitter metabolism. Organic acids tests measure metabolites related to serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. For those with OCD, disruptions in these neurotransmitter pathways can explain anxiety and obsessive thoughts. An imbalanced HVA/VMA ratio is often seen in OCD, indicating dysregulation in dopamine and norepinephrine pathways.
2. Comprehensive Gut Health Lab for OCD
A comprehensive gut health test is a stool test that examines the balance of bacteria and pathogens in the gut, which is crucial given the strong connection between gut health and mental health. This test is particularly useful for uncovering gut-related root causes of OCD.
How a Comprehensive Gut Health Lab Helps Determine OCD Root Causes
Detects dysbiosis (imbalanced gut microbiome). An unhealthy gut microbiome can disrupt serotonin production, as most of the body's serotonin is produced in the gut. A comprehensive gut health test identifies overgrowth of bad bacteria, which are associated with OCD-like behaviors.
Detects leaky gut (intestinal permeability). A comprehensive gut health lab can detect markers of leaky gut, which allows inflammatory substances to enter the bloodstream, contributing to neuroinflammation and exacerbating OCD.
Detects dangerous pathogens. Overgrowth of harmful bacteria and pathogens can lead to inflammation and immune dysregulation, which often manifest as psychiatric symptoms, including anxiety and OCD.
3. Advanced Nutrition Evaluation for OCD
An advanced nutritional evaluation, which evaluates vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acid levels — critical biomarkers for brain function and mental health — helps identify OCD root cause.
How Advanced Nutrition Evaluation Helps Determine OCD Root Causes
Identifies nutrient deficiencies. Deficiencies in magnesium, vitamin B6, or zinc can cause neurotransmitter imbalances that worsen OCD symptoms. An advanced nutrition evaluation helps identify these deficiencies so you can address them through diet or supplementation.
Identifies oxidative stress. High oxidative stress can damage brain cells and contribute to neuroinflammation, which is a known trigger for mental health conditions like OCD.
Assesses mitochondrial function. Mitochondria produce energy for the brain. When they’re not functioning properly, brain fog, mood issues, and compulsions can worsen. This lab evaluates mitochondrial health and whether energy production is contributing to OCD symptoms.
Assesses detox pathways. Impaired detoxification can lead to a buildup of toxins that interfere with brain function. An advanced nutrition evaluation lab helps assess how well your body is detoxifying, which can play a role in mental health disorders like OCD.
4. Functional Hormones Lab for OCD
A functional hormone lab provides a detailed picture of hormone levels and adrenal function, both of which can influence mental health. Hormonal imbalances are often overlooked as a root cause of OCD but can play a significant role in triggering symptoms.
How Functional Hormone Labs Help Determine OCD Root Causes
Cortisol Imbalances: Chronic stress leads to cortisol dysregulation, which can intensify OCD symptoms. High or low cortisol can affect neurotransmitter balance, contributing to anxiety, compulsions, and mood swings.
Estrogen and Progesterone Balance: Hormonal fluctuations, particularly estrogen dominance or low progesterone, can trigger anxiety and OCD symptoms, especially in women. This lab test helps identify hormonal imbalances so they can be corrected.
Melatonin: Poor sleep is common in people with OCD, and melatonin levels can give insight into sleep quality. Balancing melatonin helps improve sleep, which can reduce anxiety and compulsive behaviors.
5. Food Sensitivity Lab for OCD
Food sensitivities can cause systemic inflammation and exacerbate mental health symptoms, including OCD. By identifying and removing inflammatory foods from the diet, many people see improvements in both physical and mental health. Some food sensitivity labs are a simple finger-stick test that can be completed in minutes at home.
How a Food Sensitivity Lab Helps Determine OCD Root Causes
Identifies foods that cause inflammation. Chronic inflammation is linked to neuroinflammation, which can aggravate OCD symptoms. This lab identifies foods that trigger immune responses, helping you reduce overall inflammation.
Gut-Brain Connection: Food sensitivities can damage the gut lining, contributing to leaky gut, which allows inflammatory compounds to affect the brain. Removing trigger foods can heal the gut and improve mental clarity.
Conclusion
OCD is a multi-faceted condition with complex root causes that go beyond the mind. Functional medicine lab testing offers a comprehensive look at what's happening in the body, revealing biochemical imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, and gut health issues that contribute to OCD.
By using labs that test for organic acids, gut health, nutrition biomarkers, functional hormones, and food sensitivities, we can uncover the underlying causes of OCD and create a personalized treatment plan aimed at addressing those imbalances.
If you are struggling with OCD and want to uncover your hidden root causes, these labs will provide essential clues that will enable you to take action — and ultimately heal the underlying factors and drastically reduce your OCD.
I would be honored to help you on your journey to OCD recovery. I'm Christine Boudreau, and I heal root cause of OCD. I'm the rare blend of both a functional medicine practitioner and psychotherapist and an OCDer. Learn more about me here. My unique approach to treating OCD is like nothing you've tried before. Learn about my approach here. If you've tried CBT, ERP, and other psychotherapeutic tools but have not had much success, let's talk. I offer a free 15-minute introductory call to explore if we're a good fit, which you can book here.
FAQs about Lab Tests for OCD
1. How can gut health affect OCD?
Gut health is closely linked to brain function. Imbalances in gut bacteria, inflammation, and leaky gut can disrupt neurotransmitter production and lead to increased anxiety, obsessive thoughts, and compulsive behaviors.
2. Can nutrient deficiencies really cause OCD symptoms?
Yes. Deficiencies in key nutrients, like magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins, can interfere with neurotransmitter production, leading to mental health symptoms including anxiety, depression, and OCD.
3. What is the connection between hormone imbalances and OCD?
Hormonal imbalances, particularly cortisol, estrogen, and progesterone, can trigger mood swings and anxiety, which can worsen OCD symptoms. Balancing hormones can help reduce the intensity of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
4. Are there any traditional lab tests that help identify root causes of OCD?
Yes, traditional lab tests can also provide valuable insights into the root causes of OCD. Thyroid function tests, like TSH, T3, and T4, help determine if thyroid imbalances are contributing to anxiety or compulsive behaviors. Blood sugar testing (fasting glucose and HbA1c) can reveal dysregulated blood sugar levels, which are known to affect mood and mental clarity. Additionally, vitamin and mineral panels, such as B12 and folate, can identify deficiencies that impact neurotransmitter production and contribute to OCD symptoms. Testing for inflammatory markers, like CRP or homocysteine, is also beneficial as chronic inflammation is linked to neuroinflammation, which can worsen OCD.
5. Where can I learn more about treating OCD and tests for OCD?
As a fellow sufferer of OCD, I personally know how challenging OCD can be. I practice what I preach and have experienced the powerful combination of functional medicine and psychotherapy to calm OCD. Book your 360° Deep Dive today here and find out how to finally break free from OCD.
