NutraNourish

Is your sleep recharging you?

Is Leaky Gut the Cause of Your Symptoms?

At-Home Organic Acid Test (OAT) for Metabolic & Gut Health in India

Understanding what’s happening inside the body can be challenging, especially when we don’t know the reason behind our symptoms.

The Urinary Organic Acid Test (OAT) is a urine-based non-invasive laboratory test used to gain insights into exploring the body’s metabolic system, gut health, and nutritional balance. This test, rather than diagnosing disease, OAT reveals the metabolic root cause behind your symptoms and gives Dr. Menka Gupta a clear, data-backed map for building your personalised plan.

Find the metabolic root cause behind your symptoms.

76 metabolic markers from a single urine sample interpreted by Dr. Menka Gupta and turned into a personalised plan that targets the cause, not just the symptom.

Meet Your Practitioner

Get To Know Dr Menka

Dr. Menka Gupta* has been practicing functional medicine since 2012 and is the first Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner (IFMCP) in South Asia. She has helped more than 5000 patients with complex and chronic health issues related to Digestive disorders, Anxiety, Depression, Chronic fatigue, Thyroid, Autoimmunity, Eczema, Autism. She has more than 25 years of experience in the health and wellness field in London and Singapore.

12,000+
Patients Helped
25+
Years Experience
1st
IFMCP in South Asia

Dr. Menka Gupta*, MBBS, MSc, FMCP-M

IFM-Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner • 25+ Years Experience

✓ Medically Reviewed • 

What is the Organic Acid Test (OAT)?

The Organic Acids Test (OAT), also known as the urinary organic acid test, provides an initial step in assessing the body’s metabolic health through a simple urine sample. It focuses on organic acids, which are naturally occurring compounds produced during everyday processes such as energy production, gut microbial activity, nutrient metabolism, and detoxification.

It focuses on organic acids, which are naturally occurring compounds formed during everyday processes. These organic acids are produced by human cells and by gut bacteria as well as fungi, and are normally removed from our body through urine.

These reflect key processes such as energy production, gut microbial activity, nutrient metabolism, detoxification, and neurotransmitter balance.

When these processes are working efficiently, organic acids are produced and easily excreted from the body. However, if certain processes become less efficient, it may be due to altered enzyme activity, toxin exposure, changes in gut microbial balance, or nutrient deficiency, then these organic acid may build and appear in higher amounts in our urine.

The Organic Acid Tests offer a broad view of metabolic and nutritional function by measuring 76 organic acid markers, just from a single, easy-to-collect urine sample. The OAT helps identify functional imbalances related to metabolic disorders, microbial overgrowth, or nutritional deficiencies.

This at-home test is commonly used to support the evaluation of concerns such as neurological or behavioural issues, unexplained digestive woes, mental health, chronic fatigue, and metabolic disturbances.

Who Should Take an Organic Acid Test (OAT)?

The Organic Acid Test is often used as part of a broader functional assessment for individuals whose standard blood tests look normal but who continue to struggle with unexplained fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, sleep issues, bloating, and other persistent symptoms.

 

Individuals who can benefit from OAT include those experiencing:

  • ✓Persistent fatigue or chronic fatigue
  • ✓Fibromyalgia
  • ✓Mitochondrial dysfunction
  • ✓Fatty acid metabolism

 

  • ✓Nutritional deficiencies
  • ✓Brain fog
  • ✓Poor concentration
  • ✓Memory issues

 

  • ✓Anxiety and depression
  • ✓Disturbed sleep cycle
  • ✓Digestive woes like bloating, pain in the abdomen, and diarrhoea; it may indicate gut dysbiosis, i.e., yeast, fungal, or bacterial overgrowth.
  • ✓Skin problems like acne or eczema

 

  • ✓Autism spectrum disorders
  • ✓Disturbed sleep cycle
  • ✓Diabetes and insulin resistance
  • ✓Neurological disorders like ADHD or Parkinsonism

 

  • ✓Obesity and metabolic concerns
  • ✓Cardiovascular Diseases
  • ✓Toxic exposures (Environmental, Metals, Lyme, Mycotoxins, and Tickborne)

If you're nodding your head “YES” to any of these, this is for YOU.

Stop chasing symptoms with blind supplements. Stop hearing “your bloodwork is fine” while you still feel terrible. Get the metabolic data, get a plan, and start fixing what’s actually driving your symptoms.

Benefits of the Organic Acid Test

76 markers from one urine sample

OAT measures 76 organic acid markers across mitochondrial function, neurotransmitters, nutrients, gut microbes, and detoxification far more comprehensive than a standard blood panel.

Non-invasive and convenient

No blood draw, no clinic visit. A single first-morning urine sample collected at home.

Find what blood tests miss

Standard blood tests often look normal even when symptoms are real. OAT reveals what's happening at a functional, metabolic level the layer routine bloodwork doesn't measure.

Pinpoint the root cause

OAT doesn't just confirm what's wrong it shows why. Whether it's energy production, gut imbalance, nutrient deficiency, or toxic burden, the data points directly to where to intervene.

Targeted, personalised plan

Your results feed directly into a customised nutrition, supplement, and lifestyle plan from Dr. Menka built around your specific markers, not a generic protocol.

No more guesswork with supplements

Skip the trial-and-error. OAT tells you exactly which nutrients, microbial issues, or metabolic processes need support so you stop spending on supplements that may not be doing anything.

Conditions Addressed

Which Health Issues Does Organic Acid Test (OAT) Help?

The Organic Acid Test (OAT) can help identify metabolic and microbial root causes behind a wide range of conditions, including:

  • Chronic fatigue and low energy
  • Mitochondrial dysfunction and poor cellular energy production
  • Brain fog, poor concentration, and cognitive issues
  • Yeast and Candida overgrowth
  • Bacterial dysbiosis (including Clostridia overgrowth)
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and behavioural symptoms in children
  • ADHD and attention difficulties
  • Mood disorders (anxiety, depression, irritability)
  • Sleep disturbances and insomnia
  • Headaches, migraines, and recurring head pain
  • Detoxification issues and impaired toxin clearance
  • Methylation imbalance and B-vitamin metabolism issues
  • Neurotransmitter imbalances (serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine)
  • Oxalate-related conditions (kidney stones, joint pain, vulvodynia)

Step-by-Step Process

Organic Acid Test Procedure

The OAT is a simple, non-invasive at-home test that uses a single first-morning urine sample. There are some specific prep steps required to ensure accurate results so please follow the instructions below carefully.

The Urinary Organic Acids Test is a simple, non-invasive test performed at home. It includes:

How It Works

01

Before Collection
Collect your first morning urine sample

02

Collecting the Sample
Collect the urine sample using the container provided in OAT kit

03

After Collection
Freeze urine specimens for at least 4 hours before shipping. Keep in the freezer until ready to ship.

04

What Happens Next
Ship the sample to the labs
Labs analyzes the samples for organic acid markers
Results typically take 1 month

Your Complete Report

What Will An Organic Acid Test Tell Me?

OAT measures 76 organic acid markers grouped across six key clinical categories. Together, they give a clear picture of how efficiently your body is producing energy, balancing gut microbes, using nutrients, processing neurotransmitters, and clearing waste.

✓
Neurotransmitter balance — dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin metabolites
✓
Mitochondrial and energy metabolism How efficiently your cells are producing ATP.
✓
Nutritional status — functional markers for B12, B6, B2, and other key vitamins
✓
Yeast and fungal activity in the gut Including Candida overgrowth markers.
✓
Bacterial dysbiosis Gut bacterial imbalance and toxin accumulation.
✓
Oxalate metabolism Microbial and dietary contributors to oxalate burden.
✓
Detoxification capacity Markers of how well your body is clearing waste.
✓
Fatty acid metabolism Carnitine and related markers.
✓
Personalised action plan These markers are then translated by Dr. Menka into a clear, actionable plan targeting nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle around your specific imbalances.

Key Insights From The Organic Acid Test

The Organic Acid test provides insight into different clinical categories. It enables practitioners to quickly identify patterns of fluctuating metabolic pathways.

The table below highlights key marker groups assessed in the Organic Acid Test and explains what changes in these markers may suggest about overall body function.

CategoryMarkersWhat higher levels may indicate
Mitochondrial HealthCitric, α-Ketoglutaric, SuccinicThe body may not be producing energy efficiently
Neurotransmitter MetabolitesHVA / VMA (dopamine / norepinephrine), 5HIAA (serotonin)Represents imbalances that may affect stress, mood, or focus
Nutritional MarkersMethylmalonate (B12), Xanthurenic (B6), Glutaric (B2)Possible vitamin or nutrient deficiencies
Yeast / Fungal MarkersArabinose, Tartaric, CitramalicIncreased yeast or fungal activity in the gut
Oxalate MarkersOxalic, GlycericMicrobial or dietary imbalances
Bacterial MarkersHippuric, Phenylacetate, TricarballylicGut bacterial imbalance or toxin accumulation

Program Inclusions

What You Get / Kit Inclusions with the Organic Acid Test

✓

Comprehensive Organic Acid Test (OAT) 76 metabolic markers from a single urine sample

✓Full Support and Clear Instructions on the Lab Test Process

✓1-hour Dedicated Consultation with Renowned Functional Medicine Expert Dr. Menka Gupta to Interpret Your Test Results

✓Personalised Plan Based on Your Results Nutrition, Supplements, and Lifestyle Strategies

✓Preferential Access to Premium Pharmaceutical Grade Supplements

✓Hassle-Free Kit Delivery & Complimentary Express Shipping directly to the Lab in the US

✓Discounted Access to NutraNourish Health Programs

✓Detailed Guidance and Support in Sample Collection & Shipping

Nutra Nourish's Organic Acid Test Kit

Nutra Nourish OAT kit is thoughtfully prepared to make the testing process simple and stress-free for you. Inside the kit, you’ll find everything you need to collect and send your sample safely and accurately.

Urine collection kit

Contains a cup, a tube, and gloves for safe and hygienic sample collection

Step-by-step instructions

Clear step-by-step instructions to guide you through the sample collection process, so you don't feel confused

Secure packaging

Secure packaging shipping support to protect your sample

Pre-arranged shipping

Pre-arranged shipping support to ensure your sample reaches the laboratory safely

Why Choose NutraNourish for Your Organic Acid Test?

Stop Chasing Symptoms. Start Fixing the Cause.

If standard tests keep coming back normal but you still don’t feel right, the answer is at the metabolic level and OAT is built to find it. With 76 markers from a single urine sample and Dr. Menka Gupta*’s expert interpretation, you finally get the clarity you’ve been missing and a clear, root-cause plan to act on.

What Our Customers Say

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The Urinary Organic Acid Test is a simple urine-based test. It doesn’t require blood collection.

You don’t need any complex preparation, but there are a few important steps: avoid sweeteners, fruits like apples and cranberries, and certain supplements (arabinogalactan, reishi mushrooms, echinacea, ribose) for a short period before the test. Full instructions are provided with your kit.

Yes  antibiotics, antifungals, probiotics, and digestive enzymes can affect OAT results because they alter your gut microbial activity. If you’ve recently taken any of these, please inform your practitioner before testing.

Yes. After collecting the urine sample, freeze it immediately for a minimum of 4 hours before it’s shipped out. This helps preserve sample integrity until it reaches the laboratory.

Yes. NutraNourish’s Organic Acid Test kit is designed for convenient at-home urine collection, with clear step-by-step instructions to guide you through the process.

Once the lab receives your sample, results are typically available within 1 month, though timelines may vary slightly depending on your location.

Test frequency depends on your health goals and your practitioner’s recommendation. Some people repeat the test every 3–6 months for regular monitoring; others retest once a year.

Yes, and this is one of the most valuable uses of OAT for Indian vegetarians. Standard serum B12 tests in India often show “normal” levels even when functional deficiency exists, because they measure circulating B12 rather than how your cells actually use it. The OAT measures methylmalonate (a functional B12 marker), xanthurenate (B6), and glutarate (B2), revealing whether your body is genuinely getting the benefit of these vitamins. This is especially important for Indians on largely vegetarian or vegan diets, where 60-80 percent show some level of B12 inadequacy.

📚 References (20 sources)

  1. 1Tebani A, Abily-Donval L, Afonso C, Marret S, Bekri S. Clinical metabolomics: the new metabolic window for inborn errors of metabolism investigations in the post-genomic era. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2016;17(7):1167. View source
  2. 2Kumps A, Duez P, Mardens Y. Metabolic, nutritional, iatrogenic, and artifactual sources of urinary organic acids: a comprehensive table. Clinical Chemistry. 2002;48(5):708-717. View source
  3. 3Lord RS, Bralley JA. Clinical applications of urinary organic acids. Part 1. Detoxification markers. Alternative Medicine Review. 2008;13(3):205-215. View source
  4. 4Lord RS, Bralley JA. Clinical applications of urinary organic acids. Part 2. Dysbiosis markers. Alternative Medicine Review. 2008;13(4):292-306. View source
  5. 5Stabler SP. Vitamin B12 deficiency. New England Journal of Medicine. 2013;368(2):149-160. View source
  1. 6Green R, Allen LH, Bjørke-Monsen AL, et al. Vitamin B12 deficiency. Nature Reviews Disease Primers. 2017;3:17040. View source
  2. 7Hannibal L, Lysne V, Bjørke-Monsen AL, et al. Biomarkers and algorithms for the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences. 2016;3:27. View source
  3. 8Lonsdale D. A review of the biochemistry, metabolism and clinical benefits of thiamin(e) and its derivatives. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2006;3(1):49-59. View source
  4. 9Picard M, McEwen BS, Epel ES, Sandi C. An energetic view of stress: focus on mitochondria. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology. 2018;49:72-85. View source
  5. 10Want EJ, Wilson ID, Gika H, et al. Global metabolic profiling procedures for urine using UPLC-MS. Nature Protocols. 2010;5(6):1005-1018. View source
  6. 11Eisenhofer G, Kopin IJ, Goldstein DS. Catecholamine metabolism: a contemporary view with implications for physiology and medicine. Pharmacological Reviews. 2004;56(3):331-349. View source
  7. 12Yano JM, Yu K, Donaldson GP, et al. Indigenous bacteria from the gut microbiota regulate host serotonin biosynthesis. Cell. 2015;161(2):264-276. View source
  8. 13Sasse SK, Greenwood BN, Masini CV, et al. Chronic voluntary wheel running facilitates corticosterone response habituation to repeated audiogenic stress exposure in male rats. (See also: Miller AW, Dale C, Dearing MD. Microbiota diversification and crash induced by dietary oxalate in the mammalian herbivore Neotoma albigula. mSphere. 2017;2(5):e00428-17.) Stress. 2008;11(6):425-437. View source
  9. 14Kumamoto CA. Inflammation and gastrointestinal Candida colonization. Current Opinion in Microbiology. 2011;14(4):386-391. View source
  10. 15Shaw W, Kassen E, Chaves E. Increased urinary excretion of analogs of Krebs cycle metabolites and arabinose in two brothers with autistic features. Clinical Chemistry. 1995;41(8):1094-1104. View source
  11. 16Bell DSH. Metformin-induced vitamin B12 deficiency presenting as a peripheral neuropathy. (See also: Carmel R. Diagnosis and management of clinical and subclinical cobalamin deficiencies: why controversies persist in the age of sensitive metabolic testing. Biochimie. 2013;95(5):1047-1055.) Southern Medical Journal. 2010;103(3):265-267. View source
  12. 17Picard M, Wallace DC, Burelle Y. The rise of mitochondrial DNA mutations and human ageing. (See also: Picard M, Wallace DC, Burelle Y. The rise of mitochondria as therapeutic targets. Mitochondrion. 2016;30:105-116.) Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 2016;73(11-12):2189-2206. View source
  13. 18Mu Q, Kirby J, Reilly CM, Luo XM. Leaky gut as a danger signal for autoimmune diseases. Frontiers in Immunology. 2017;8:598. View source
  14. 19Cryan JF, O’Riordan KJ, Cowan CSM, et al. The microbiota-gut-brain axis. Physiological Reviews. 2019;99(4):1877-2013. View source
  15. 20Wishart DS, Guo A, Oler E, et al. HMDB 5.0: the Human Metabolome Database for 2022. Nucleic Acids Research. 2022;50(D1):D622-D631. View source

Book a Organic Acid Test consultation

Name