InstalabOrganix
Should you take a Organix test?
This test is most useful if any of these apply to you.
49 Biomarkers Included
- Metabolic1
- 3-Hydroxybutyric AcidA ketone your body makes when it shifts toward burning fat for fuel.High levels often reflect fasting, low-carbohydrate eating, or a fat-burning metabolic state.
- Liver3
- 2-Hydroxybutyric AcidA byproduct of amino acid breakdown and antioxidant demand that has been linked to early insulin resistance.Rising levels may be an early signal of metabolic and oxidative stress.
- Pyroglutamic AcidA marker tied to the cycle that makes glutathione, the body's main internal antioxidant.Elevations may hint at glutathione demand or oxidative stress.
- Orotic AcidA urea-cycle intermediate that rises when the body struggles to clear ammonia from protein breakdown.High orotic acid can flag a urea-cycle bottleneck and warrants clinical follow-up.
- Kidney3
- Glyceric AcidAn intermediate that feeds into the pathways producing oxalate.Elevations can be part of a picture of increased oxalate formation.
- Glycolic AcidA precursor that the body can convert into oxalate.High levels with oxalic acid may point toward an oxalate-handling issue.
- Oxalic AcidThe end product of several pathways and a component of the most common kidney stones.Elevated oxalate can matter for kidney stone risk, though diet heavily influences it.
- Nutrients14
- Adipic AcidA product of an alternative fat-burning route that can increase when the main mitochondrial fat-burning pathway is impaired.Elevated adipic acid may flag stressed fat metabolism, but diet and certain foods also raise it.
- Suberic AcidFrom the same alternative fat-oxidation family as adipic acid, reflecting how efficiently cells burn fat.Rises alongside adipic acid can strengthen a picture of impaired fat metabolism.
- Ethylmalonic AcidReflects how well short-chain fats are being oxidized inside mitochondria.Elevations point toward a bottleneck in short-chain fat breakdown.
- Xanthurenic AcidA tryptophan-pathway marker often raised when functional vitamin B6 is low.Elevated xanthurenic acid is a classic prompt to check vitamin B6 sufficiency.
- Alpha-Ketoadipic AcidAn intermediate in the breakdown of lysine and tryptophan.Marked elevations can reflect a specific amino acid metabolism variant worth investigating.
- 2-Oxoisovaleric AcidA breakdown product of the branched-chain amino acid valine, tied to vitamin B1 function.Elevations of branched-chain ketoacids together can point to B1 need or protein-handling strain.
- 2-Oxoisocaproic AcidA breakdown product of the branched-chain amino acid leucine.Read with the other branched-chain ketoacids to assess amino acid processing.
- 3-Methyl-2-oxovaleric AcidA breakdown product of the branched-chain amino acid isoleucine.Elevated with its sibling ketoacids, it points to strained branched-chain amino acid metabolism.
- Glutaric AcidA lysine breakdown product and a recognized marker for the rare inherited disorder glutaric acidemia type I.A clear elevation with related acids is highly suggestive of a specific inborn error.
- IsovalerylglycineA leucine-breakdown marker used to detect the inherited disorder isovaleric acidemia.Persistent elevation is a recognized signal of a specific organic acid disorder.
- 3-Hydroxyisovaleric AcidOften used as a functional marker of biotin (a B vitamin) sufficiency.Elevations can suggest reduced biotin function, though this needs confirmation.
- Formiminoglutamic Acid (FIGlu)Builds up when folate-dependent processing of the amino acid histidine is impaired, pointing toward strain on folate metabolism.Elevated alongside methylmalonic acid suggests combined folate and B12 pressure rather than a single isolated deficiency.
- Methylmalonic AcidRises when the vitamin B12-dependent step that clears certain fats and proteins slows down, making it a functional read on B12 status.A high level with normal blood B12 can signal a functional B12 shortfall, though kidney issues and gut bacteria also raise it.
- 3-Hydroxypropionic AcidComes from propionate handling, linking vitamin B12 status with gut bacterial activity.Rises alongside methylmalonic acid can support a B12 or propionate-pathway story.
- Toxins3
- Alpha-Ketophenylacetic AcidReflects how the amino acid phenylalanine is being processed.Elevations join the amino acid pattern rather than indicating one condition alone.
- Alpha-Hydroxyisobutyric AcidA byproduct that can arise from both microbial activity and outside chemical exposure.Nonspecific, so it is best interpreted alongside clearer markers.
- 8-Hydroxy-2-Deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)A marker of oxidative damage to DNA rather than a pathway intermediate, giving a rough gauge of oxidative wear.Higher levels suggest greater oxidative stress; smoking and sample method affect the reading.
- Neurological6
- Kynurenic AcidAnother tryptophan breakdown product influenced by vitamin B6 status and immune activity.Shifts help show whether tryptophan is being routed toward inflammatory pathways.
- Quinolinic AcidA tryptophan breakdown product on the route that depends on vitamin B6 and responds to inflammation.High levels can reflect inflammation-driven tryptophan metabolism, not simply a vitamin gap.
- Homovanillic Acid (HVA)The main breakdown product of dopamine, reflecting how this signaling chemical is being turned over.Unusual levels reflect dopamine turnover, but diet and stress strongly influence the reading.
- Vanillylmandelic Acid (VMA)A breakdown product of adrenaline and noradrenaline, reflecting stress-hormone turnover.Elevations can reflect catecholamine activity, though foods and medications commonly interfere.
- 3-Methyl-4-HydroxyphenylglycolA metabolite of noradrenaline that adds detail to how the body processes stress chemicals.Read with the other neurotransmitter markers, not as a stand-alone mood indicator.
- 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid (5-HIAA)The main breakdown product of serotonin, reflecting turnover of this mood-related chemical.Levels are strongly affected by diet, so extremes warrant confirmation before conclusions.
- Microbiome10
- 3-Indoleacetic AcidMade when gut bacteria break down the amino acid tryptophan in the intestine.Reflects gut microbial activity on protein, one facet of the microbial marker group.
- Phenylacetic AcidA product of gut bacteria acting on the amino acid phenylalanine.Contributes to the gut microbial picture rather than standing alone.
- DHPPAPromoted as a marker of beneficial gut bacteria, though the supporting human evidence is limited.Best read as a rough gut-activity signal, not proof of a specific bacterial population.
- 3-Hydroxyphenylacetic AcidA product of gut bacterial metabolism of dietary compounds and amino acids.Part of the microbial marker group, strongly shaped by diet.
- 4-Hydroxyphenylacetic AcidA gut bacterial product that can also appear in certain metabolic conditions.Marked elevations occasionally point beyond gut activity and warrant follow-up.
- Benzoic AcidA compound from food preservatives and gut bacteria that the body converts into hippuric acid.Elevations usually reflect diet or microbial input rather than a metabolic problem.
- Hippuric AcidA microbial and dietary product formed when the liver processes benzoate from gut bacteria and food.Sits at the crossroads of diet, gut microbes, and liver function, so it needs the broader pattern.
- Citramalic AcidAn acid associated with certain gut bacteria and yeast activity.Nonspecific and diet-sensitive, so interpret cautiously within the microbial pattern.
- Tartaric AcidFrequently promoted as a yeast marker, but it comes largely from food and lacks strong organism-specific evidence.An isolated elevation is a prompt to investigate, not a diagnosis of yeast overgrowth.
- D-ArabinitolMarketed as a signal of Candida yeast, though human validation for routine use is weak.Read as exploratory; confirm any yeast concern with more direct testing.
- Mitochondrial9
- Pyruvic AcidAn early product of burning sugar for fuel that backs up when cells struggle to feed energy into the Krebs cycle.High pyruvate can reflect energy-pathway strain or an insulin-resistant metabolic pattern.
- Lactic AcidForms when cells make energy without enough oxygen or when the energy cycle stalls.Elevated lactate points toward energy-production stress, though recent exercise and sample handling can raise it.
- 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaric AcidSits at the junction of ketone production and the pathway that makes the energy compound CoQ10.Elevations can hint at strain in ketone or CoQ10-related metabolism.
- Citric AcidA core Krebs cycle intermediate whose level helps show how smoothly the energy loop is turning.Unusual levels contribute to an overall energy-metabolism signature rather than a stand-alone diagnosis.
- Aconitic AcidAnother step in the Krebs cycle, produced as citric acid is converted along the energy loop.Elevations join other Krebs markers to suggest strain in cellular energy production.
- Isocitric AcidA Krebs cycle intermediate sitting between aconitic and 2-oxoglutaric acid in the energy loop.Read as part of the cluster, it helps map where the energy cycle may be slowing.
- 2-Oxoglutaric AcidA midpoint of the Krebs cycle that also links energy production to amino acid handling.Shifts here reflect both energy-cycle activity and how nitrogen from proteins is being processed.
- Succinic AcidA Krebs cycle intermediate that can also come from gut bacteria, tying energy metabolism to microbial activity.Elevations may reflect mitochondrial energy strain, microbial input, or both, so context matters.
- Malic AcidA later Krebs cycle step; in one citrin deficiency study it distinguished cases from controls with an accuracy score of 0.820.Contributes to the energy-metabolism pattern and, in rare disorders, to differential diagnosis.
About Organix
Every cell in your body runs thousands of small chemical reactions each second to make energy, build proteins, and clear waste. The scraps left over from those reactions, called organic acids, spill into your urine, where they can be measured. This panel reads that chemical trail.
Instead of measuring one nutrient or one hormone, it looks at how dozens of metabolic pathways are behaving at the same time. It is used mainly in research and functional medicine settings to explore where your metabolism may be under strain. Standardized frameworks for interpreting the full panel in healthy adults do not yet exist, so results are best read as patterns rather than diagnoses.
What This Panel Reveals
The story here is about pathways, not individual chemicals. One large group of markers tracks how your cells produce energy. These include the intermediates of the Krebs cycle (your cells' main energy loop, running through compounds like citric, succinic, and malic acid) plus byproducts of burning fat, such as adipic and suberic acid. When these back up together, it can point to strain in how efficiently your cells turn fuel into usable energy.
A second group reflects your gut bacteria. Many urine organic acids, including hippuric acid and several phenyl-containing compounds, come largely from microbes fermenting food in your intestine, though the liver and diet also contribute, rather than from your own cells. A few markers, such as tartaric acid and D-arabinitol, are often promoted as signals of yeast overgrowth, but the human evidence tying them to specific organisms is thin and heavily influenced by diet.
A third group works as functional read-outs of B vitamins and amino acid handling. Methylmalonic acid rises when the vitamin B12-dependent machinery slows, and formiminoglutamic acid rises when folate-dependent steps stall. Tryptophan breakdown products such as quinolinic and kynurenic acid sit at the crossroads of vitamin B6 status and inflammation. Markers of dopamine, adrenaline, and serotonin turnover round out a picture of how your body is processing these building blocks.
Finally, the panel includes 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a marker of oxidative damage to your DNA rather than a pathway intermediate. In healthy adults, a review of 84 studies found a typical urinary level around 3.9 nanograms per milligram of creatinine, with higher levels in smokers. Read alongside the energy and nutrient markers, it adds a rough gauge of oxidative wear and tear.
How to Read Your Results Together
The value of this panel is in combinations, because most single markers are nonspecific. The same urine acid can rise from a nutrient gap, a burst of gut microbial activity, reduced kidney clearance, or simply what you ate yesterday. Reading marker groups together helps separate those possibilities.
| Pattern | What It May Suggest |
|---|---|
| Methylmalonic acid high with formiminoglutamic acid high | Combined pressure on vitamin B12 and folate pathways. Confirm with blood B12, folate, and homocysteine before acting. |
| Pyruvic acid, quinolinic acid, and formiminoglutamic acid high together | A metabolic pattern seen with metabolic syndrome rather than a simple vitamin gap. In Korean adults this cluster carried 1.9 to 2.8 times higher odds of metabolic syndrome. |
| Krebs cycle acids broadly elevated | An energy-metabolism stress signature. Common in both acquired and inherited conditions, so it needs context, not a mitochondrial label on its own. |
| Tartaric acid or D-arabinitol high in isolation | Often read as yeast overgrowth, but the evidence is weak and diet-driven. Treat as a prompt to investigate, not a diagnosis. |
Two anchoring facts keep interpretation honest. Methylmalonic acid depends on more than B12: one large population study found that B12, kidney function, age, and sex together explained only 22% of its variation. And a urine ratio of methylmalonic acid to creatinine correctly identified 87.9% of people who did not have a B12 deficiency, while unlike blood versions of the test it was not thrown off by reduced kidney function.
What to Do with Your Results
Treat this panel as a map that points toward questions, then answer them with more specific tests. If B vitamin markers look off, blood B12, folate, homocysteine, and serum methylmalonic acid measure your actual status directly. If the energy and metabolic markers cluster, fasting insulin, glucose, and HbA1c (a measure of average blood sugar) tell you whether insulin resistance is the driver. If gut markers dominate, a stool microbiome analysis characterizes your gut ecosystem far better than urine can.
Because urinary organic acids shift with diet, hydration, and daily activity, a single sample captures a moment, not a stable long-term average. If you are tracking a change you made, retest after roughly three months and compare the direction of movement rather than reading one value in isolation. This is an area where working with a clinician who can integrate the pattern with your symptoms and standard labs matters more than the printout itself.
When Results Can Be Misleading
Several factors move many markers at once. Recent meals, especially fruit, can raise diet-derived acids like tartaric and hippuric acid. Dehydration concentrates the whole sample, which is why results are corrected against creatinine. Reduced kidney function changes how acids are cleared, distorting several readings together. Even with precise laboratory methods, many urine metabolites repeat only modestly between samples (though some, like 8-OHdG, are more stable), so one out-of-range value is a signal to look closer, not a verdict.