Pyroluria urine test UK and Europe
- Testing laboratory - Biolab Medical Unit London.
- Test preparations/instructions - A mid stream urine sample collected at random. At one time it was thought that as kryptopyrroles are produced in response to oxidative stress then samples collected later in the day are likely to have higher levels, but Biolab have conducted quite a large trial assessing any difference between early morning and late afternoon samples and found no statistically different results. Please also see info on freezing and zinc and B6 supplements below.
- Result turnaround time - 3 - 4 working days.
- Please note: Although Biolab have stated on their website that the sample needs to reach the laboratory within 48 hours, the sample is fine in transit for a maximum of 5 days. This has been confirmed by Biolab and this will suit test orders from outside of the UK and any delayed samples in transit within the UK.
- Freezing - Some laboratories and testing services for pyroluria advise that the sample must be sent frozen until it reaches the lab, this is not the case with Biolab - ''There’s no harm in freezing krypto-pyrrole samples if a patient prefers to do that, but we have looked at this closely and samples left on the lab bench at ambient temperature do not decrease their kryptopyrrole value over a period of 5-10 days. Sensitivity to light and adding ascorbic acid to the sample (covered if patients use our test kits) are more important in terms of kryptopyrrole preservation. Some people are so concerned about this they even send the samples on dry-ice to us from outside of the UK, but if we leave the samples at ambient temperature and re-test a week later the results are the same. Some other labs measure slightly different compounds (HPL etc) to diagnose pyroluria and it is possible that these compounds are more temperature sensitive.'' If you would still like to send the sample frozen and make your own personal arrangements then this is fine.
- Zinc and vitamin B6 supplements - Vitamin B6 and zinc supplements can lower kryptopyrrole urine levels in as little as 2 - 3 weeks and can give an untrue reading of natural urine levels (pyroluria induced or normal). If you are currently taking vitamin B6 and zinc supplements then you have two options. Option 1 - You can stop taking these supplements and achieve a more accurate result but you would need to wait at least 4 weeks before collecting the sample. You may experience mental and physical symptoms if you do stop supplement use so please bear this in mind. Option 2 - You can collect the sample whilst taking zinc and vitamin B6 but you may not get a true reading of the level of kryptopyrroles that your body produces. Kryptopyrrole urine levels can still show up above the reference range whilst taking zinc and vitamin B6 and positive results can be produced but there is still the potential for untrue readings. Please note: Biolab have stated on their website that it is not necessary to stop any form of supplements before collecting the sample. This is because it would take a considerable amount of time (at least 4 weeks or so) for any kind of response to happen in kryptopyrrole urine levels and there is the risk of experiencing mental and physical health symptoms (this is why mindovermetal have stated this with regards to option one). Mindovermetal have had previous patients test positive for pyroluria but then test negative 3 - 4 weeks later after starting a zinc and vitamin B6 supplement regime, this is why mindovermetal want people to achieve the most accurate result possible.
- Kryptopyrrole or HPL/HPU - There is some confusion about wherever or not Kryptopyrroles or HPL/HPU should be measured to diagnose pyroluria. More info about this can be found in the downloadable info document below. If you have any questions then please contact mindovermetal.
| Kryptopyrroles urine test info |
- Support and treatment programme - Email support is included in the price of the test and also a treatment programme if one is required.
- Example report:
| Kryptopyrrole urine test example |
