Nutrients and nutrition

How well you are supplied is shown by a measurement — not by a feeling. This page holds tests of nutrient supply, tests for individual food reactions, and the supplements in our range.

The order is deliberate: measure first, then decide. What a value means, and whether a supplement suits you, is something to discuss with a practitioner.

When you're not sure Not sure which test? Health quiz, a few questions, no sign-up Quiz What does each value mean? Markers and reference ranges in the reference guide Biomarker Prefer to speak to someone? Free initial consultation, 10 minutes Termin

All Nutrient tests Food reactions Supplements

15 products · €15.90 to €385

Umfang

What is measured in this area

Each test covers part of it. Every product page lists which values are included.

Look up biomarkers

Vitamins and minerals Vitamin D, vitamin B12 and iron, among others.

Amino acids Protein supply, essential and non-essential.

Omega-3 fatty acids The omega-3 level and the spread of fatty acids.

Food reactions Reactions to individual foods, as additional information.

Absorption How well nutrients are taken up in the gut.

Cell metabolism Markers for ATP formation and the cell's energy metabolism.

Nutrient analyses

Measure first: your nutrient status

Five analyses of differing scope, from a mineral measurement to the organic acids profile. Sample taken at home, evaluation at the partner laboratory in Germany.

5 Analysen

Einstieg

VollblutmineralanalyseMinerals and trace elements in whole blood, that is, measured inside the cell.

Whole bloodMinerals

€75,00 Ansehen

Vitamincheck BasisThe key vitamins at a glance, including vitamin D and B12.

BloodVitamins

€98,50 Ansehen

OM Vital blood testA broader measurement across vitamins, minerals and fatty acids.

BloodBroad panel

€205,00 Ansehen

Organic acidsOrganic acids profile in urine, with pointers to cell metabolism.

UrineMetabolism

€205,00 Ansehen

Umfassend

Prevent 360The most comprehensive version: 75 values from 120 µl of capillary blood — minerals, vitamins, amino acids, fatty acids and metabolic markers in one run.

75 values120 µl capillary blood

€325,00 Ansehen

Takes 7–21 days from arrival of the sample at the laboratory, not from the order. Every analysis includes a free results consultation.

More analyses, sorted by sample type and scope.See all analyses

Lebensmittelreaktionen

When particular foods are under suspicion

Four analyses covering fructose, lactose, food antibodies and gluten. They add pointers and are no substitute for a medical diagnosis.

4 Tests

Fructose Absorption Analysis – Breath Test Parameters

Fruktose-AtemtestExamines how fructose is processed in the gut, using several breath samples after a fructose solution is taken.

Breathat home

€65,00 Ansehen

Laktose-AtemtestExamines how lactose is processed in the gut, likewise using breath samples.

Breathat home

€65,00 Ansehen

IgG-LebensmitteltestAnalyses IgG antibody responses to 270 selected foods from capillary blood.

Capillary blood270 foods

€385,00 Ansehen

Gliadin and Transglutaminase Antibodies (TG2) Test in Stool

Gliadin and transglutaminase antibodies in stoolExamines antibodies that may be linked to an immune reaction to gluten.

StoolGluten

€95,00 Ansehen

These tests are extra information for looking at diet, not allergy diagnostics. An intolerance or allergy is for a doctor to assess.

Abdominal symptoms, bloating or intolerances?Overview: gut and digestion

Preparations

Then top up what the lab report shows

Seven preparations from this area. Which one suits you and at what dose is something you discuss with a practitioner after the lab report.

7 Präparate

SelenCapsules with selenium, a trace element.

Kapseln

€15,90 Ansehen

Vitamin C + Zinc PlusNatural vitamin C combined with zinc.

Kapseln

€24,90 Ansehen

Omega 3 veganAlgae oil with DHA and EPA, with no fish ingredients.

60 capsules

€29,50 Ansehen

Essential Amino AcidsCapsules with essential amino acids.

Kapseln

€29,50 Ansehen

Herbal Extract Bitter HerbsA plant extract from bitter herbs.

Tropfen

€29,90 Ansehen

Flora PlusBacterial cultures for the gut flora.

Kapseln

€49,50 Ansehen

Enzyme ComplexEnzymes to take with meals.

Kapseln

€49,50 Ansehen

Food supplements are not a substitute for a balanced and varied diet and a healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the recommended daily intake.

Several preparations on one theme, 5 % cheaper than singly.View bundles

Questions and answers

Common questions

Free initial consultationHilfecenter

Do I have to see a doctor to have the test done?

No. We send you the test kit, or you collect it at the practice. The test is one you do yourself at home.

If you are not sure which kit is the right one, we will advise you.

Does the test replace a visit to the doctor?

No. If you have symptoms, acute or chronic, it makes sense to see a doctor and have them looked into.

The results can be a useful pointer for further investigation.

Anything I need to watch out for?

Yes. Every test kit has a product description setting out the conditions and requirements. Read the instructions carefully.

With breath tests and urine samples, the preparation is part of the result. The full instructions are at kit.ory-berlin.de.

How long does it take until I get the results?

Evaluation takes 7 to 21 days from the arrival of the sample at the laboratory — not from your order. How long exactly depends on the method: sequencing the gut flora takes longer than measuring capillary blood.

The clock starts when the sample reaches the lab, not when you order.

Can I order the test for someone else?

Yes. What matters is that the details of the person being tested are on the request form: name, date of birth and telephone number.

If we have already filled something in, please correct it on the request form.

Do I get help understanding my results?

Yes. Every test includes a free results consultation, by phone or at the practice.

Arrange an appointment by phone or email.

Datenlage

How common supply gaps are in Germany

Figures from two nationwide surveys. They describe the population, not you — only a measurement shows where you yourself stand.

Sources at the bottom of this page

Intake below the recommendationShare of adults not reaching the recommended daily intake. Nationale Verzehrsstudie II, Max Rubner-Institut.

Vitamin D, women 91 %

Do not reach the recommended intake. Men: 82 %.

Iron, women up to 50 75 %

Fall below the recommended intake.

Calcium, adults over 50 %

Men and women together, especially young adults and older people.

Vitamin E, adults 48 to 49 %

Men 48 %, women 49 %.

Zinc, men 32 %

Women 21 %. From 65, 44 % of men do not reach the recommendation.

Vitamin D over the yearSchematic. The 25-OH-D level follows sunlight, with the minimum from December to February.

Amino acids For individual amino acids there is no population-wide German survey we could cite here. That is why no figure appears at this point. Individual status can be measured.

Selen Soils in Europe, and with them most plant foods, are low in selenium. According to EFSA data, average adult intake is 31 to 66 µg a day; the estimated adequate intake is 60 µg for women and 70 µg for men. Even so, selenium deficiency from low intake is rare in Germany — because feed is fortified, animal foods are the more reliable source here. How you yourself are supplied is shown by a blood measurement: selenium in serum or whole blood, and more precisely via the transporter selenoprotein P. There is no current German consumption survey for selenium.

What a deficiency means in the bodyEvery nutrient has a job. If it is missing for a long time, that contribution drops away — and the consequences usually show late and vaguely.

01 Intake stays below requirement Over weeks or months the body takes in less than it uses — through diet, a higher requirement, or disturbed uptake in the gut.

02 The stores empty As long as reserves are there, the blood value stays stable. A normal value therefore does not rule out an empty reserve.

03 The nutrient's contribution drops away Every nutrient has fixed jobs in metabolism. If it is missing, that contribution is gone everywhere at once.

04 Non-specific symptoms What shows is rarely clear-cut: tiredness, concentration, muscles, skin. Only a measurement narrows down what might be behind it.

Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bonesVitamin D and zinc contribute to the normal function of the immune systemMagnesium supports normal muscle functionMagnesium contributes to the reduction of tirednessZinc contributes to normal acid-base metabolismIron contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body

These statements describe authorised functions of the nutrients. They are not a statement about your case and do not replace medical assessment.

QuellenRobert Koch Institute, Journal of Health Monitoring 2/2016, fact sheet “Vitamin-D-Status in Deutschland”, data from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1, 2008–2011).Max Rubner Institute, Nationale Verzehrsstudie II, report of results 2008, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection.The statements on the functions of the nutrients follow the list of authorised health claims under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.German Nutrition Society, FAQ on selenium, dge.de — selenium-poor soils in Europe, estimated values of 60 µg (women) and 70 µg (men) per day, EFSA intake data 31 to 66 µg, “Selenium deficiency due to low intake is rare”.Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin, press release of 26 August 2016 on the analysis of the EPIC cohort (477,000 participants, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2016): in the lowest third of selenium supply, a five- to tenfold higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Study leader Prof. Lutz Schomburg on this: “Our study does not directly show that supplementation with selenium protects against liver cancer.”

Hintergrund

Tryptophan, inflammation and NAD⁺

Tryptophan is the starting material for serotonin and for NAD⁺, the cofactor of energy production in the mitochondria. Which route it takes depends, among other things, on inflammatory signals: with chronic inflammation, IDO activity rises, tryptophan breakdown shifts towards the kynurenine pathway, and the formation of NAD⁺ for the cell's energy metabolism can be limited at the final step.

Tryptophan metabolismKynurenine pathwayIDO activityKynurenine-to-tryptophan ratioQuinolinic acidQPRTNAD⁺ de novoMitochondria and ATPSilent inflammationSerotonin and melatonin

Schematic diagram, not a statement about individual cases

Trigger

Chronic inflammationInterferon-γ and other cytokinesObesity and metabolic syndromeChronic infectionAgeing

Starting material Tryptophan Essential amino acid, available only through food

Enzyme · IFN-γ ↑ IDO1 Upregulated by pro-inflammatory cytokines

Metabolite Kynurenine The ratio to tryptophan shows IDO activity

Intermediates 3-HK · 3-HAA Further breakdown via KMO and kynureninase

Precursor Quinolinic acid Substrate of NAD⁺ synthesis, builds up at a bottleneck

Bottleneck · QPRT NAD⁺ Under immune stimulus the final step becomes limiting

Serotonin branch Over 95 % of available tryptophan is broken down via the kynurenine pathway. If IDO activity rises, less tryptophan is left for serotonin and melatonin.

NAD⁺ branch In macrophages under immune stimulus, more kynurenine metabolites appear, but NAD⁺ formation stays throttled — ageing macrophages show the same pattern.

Ratio Kynurenine to tryptophan Shows IDO activity, measurable in serum.

Metabolite Quinolinic acid Builds up when the final step to NAD⁺ formation becomes limiting.

Cell energy ATP formation There are indications that a high kynurenine-to-tryptophan ratio goes with lower ATP formation.

These values are part of the tryptophan and neurotransmitter testing.View tryptophan metabolism test

QuellenMinhas PS et al., Macrophage de novo NAD⁺ synthesis specifies immune function in aging and inflammation, Nature Immunology 20:50–63 (2019).Chen Y, Guillemin GJ, Kynurenine pathway metabolites in humans: disease and healthy states, Int J Tryptophan Res 2:1–19 (2009).biovis Diagnostik, technical information 6/2018 “Der Tryptophanstoffwechsel” · IMD Berlin, diagnostic information 266 “IDO-Aktivität”.

Takeaway

What to take away

01 Measure first, then supplement Without a lab report you do not know what you are short of — or whether you are short of anything. The order on this page is deliberate.
02 A normal value does not rule out empty reserves While stores last, the blood value stays stable. So a single value does not tell you everything.
03 Population figures tell you nothing about you That many people are low in vitamin D does not mean you are. Only a measurement on you shows that.
04 Symptoms are rarely clear-cut Tiredness, concentration, muscles, skin — none of these tell you which nutrient is missing.
05 Supplements do not replace food Nor a medical assessment. Whether a product suits you, and in what amount, you discuss with a practitioner.
06 Every analysis comes with a conversation The results consultation is free. Reading a lab report on your own gets you little.

Your Partner in Health

Food supplements are no substitute for a balanced, varied diet and a healthy lifestyle.