Intracellular Function of Essential Nutrients

Nutrient deficiencies may be induced by a variety of conditions. With a functional deficiency, a nutrient may be present, but it may not be properly activated, it may not be appropriately localized, or it may not have sufficient cofactors to function at a normal level of activity. Underlying reasons for a functional nutrient deficiency include inefficiencies or deficiencies in the following:

• absorption by the gastrointestinal tract - intracellular activation
• transport to the appropriate tissue - storage
• transport through the cell membrane - concentration or activity of cofactors
• presence of intracellular inhibitors - tissues with increased metabolic needs

Thus, a functional deficiency includes anything that may reduce the concentration or the efficacy of a nutrient. No matter what the underlying cause, the result will be a defect in the biochemical pathways that depend upon the optimal function of that nutrient. A deficient or defective pathway may operate at a sub-optimal level for many months or even years before a clinical symptom may become apparent.

Because SpectraCell's FIA™ evaluates the function of a nutrient rather than just the concentration present in blood or tissue, the clinical consequences of any of the problems listed above will be more likely to be detected by SpectraCell's FIA™, than by conventional serum concentration measurements.

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