Darmcheck Total – comprehensive intestinal testing
Original price was: € 700,00.€ 550,00Current price is: € 550,00.
Have you been dealing with intestinal complaints for months or years and want the most comprehensive possible investigation of what is happening in your intestines?
With Darmcheck Total, you choose the most comprehensive testing package from Darmklachten.nl. All unique tests in our current range are brought together in one package. You do not have to compare or combine dozens of individual tests yourself.
From digestion to gut flora and other gut-related values: one package for the broadest testing in our range.
For people who have had intestinal complaints for a long time and want the most complete possible overview of the available measurements, without this automatically establishing the cause of the symptoms.
Original price was: € 700,00.€ 550,00Current price is: € 550,00.
Description
Our most comprehensive testing package
Darmcheck Total – comprehensive intestinal testing
Have you been long-term abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, or recurrent intestinal complaints? Perhaps you have already tried many things and want to better understand which aspects of your digestion can be investigated. With Darmcheck Total you bring together the different intestinal tests in the Darmklachten.nl range in one comprehensive package. This means you do not have to choose from dozens of individual tests yourself.
From food digestion and intestinal bacteria to inflammation markers, yeasts, parasites, worms, and a stomach bacterium: this is our broadest combination. It also includes microbiome testing and a DNA test for inherited predisposition to lactose digestion. Each test answers a different question. More tests do not automatically mean that the cause of your symptoms will be found. The package does not replace examination or assessment by a doctor.
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Read what the package includes and what the different results can and cannot tell you.
Who is Darmcheck Total intended for?
For people with long-term symptoms who deliberately choose a very broad overview of the available tests.
You may have had fluctuating intestinal complaints for months or years. On some days you have abdominal pain; on others, diarrhea, constipation, or a lot of gas. It can be difficult to determine which individual test best fits your questions.
Darmcheck Total is our most comprehensive option. The package combines different types of laboratory testing so that you can see exactly what has been investigated in each area. It may be suitable if:
- You have long-term or recurrent intestinal and digestive complaints and want to investigate several specific questions.
- You want digestion, intestinal bacteria, and inflammation and immune markers measured.
- In addition to bacteria, you want testing for yeasts, single-celled intestinal parasites, and worms.
- You are interested in your intestinal microbiome: the overview of bacteria and their relative proportions.
- You also want additional information about the stomach bacterium Helicobacter pylori and your inherited predisposition to digest milk sugar.
- You prefer a broad package rather than putting together separate tests, while understanding that not every test is necessary for every symptom.
Important with long-term symptoms: a large number of stool tests cannot detect every cause of intestinal complaints. Examples include celiac disease, pelvic floor problems, or conditions requiring blood tests, a physical examination, or an endoscopic examination. Discuss persistent symptoms with your treating physician. If you have blood in the stool, black stools, dehydration, unexplained weight loss, fever, or severe abdominal pain, medical assessment takes priority.
Which tests are included in Darmcheck Total?
An overview of all unique areas of testing in the current range, without counting the same measurement twice.
The tests below are grouped by what they measure. Some examine the composition of stool, others bacteria or parasites, and one examines an inherited DNA trait. Not everything is tested using the same sample.
1. Food digestion
pH (acidity), fat, starch, plant fibers, stool color, and consistency.
2. Bile acids
An additional measurement of bile acids, substances that help digest fat.
3. Pancreas
Pancreatic elastase: a marker that provides information about the pancreas’s production of digestive enzymes.
4. Gut flora panel 1
Four selected bacterial groups: Enterobacteriaceae/E. coli, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
5. Gut flora panel 2
Two specific intestinal bacteria: Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii.
6. Intestinal microbiome
A broader profile of bacterial DNA: species or groups, their relative proportions, and the diversity in the sample.
7. Yeasts and fungi
Culture of living yeasts and fungi, including identifiable Candidaspecies.
8. Gluten markers and sIgA
Secretory IgA, anti-gliadin sIgA, and antibodies against tissue transglutaminase in stool.
9. Histamine
The amount of histamine in stool, with this individual test performed according to the prescribed preparation.
10. Intestinal barrier marker
A zonulin-related value; this is not a direct measurement of a ‘leaky gut’.
11. EDN
Eosinophil-derived neurotoxin: an additional value associated with the activity of a particular type of immune cell.
12. Calprotectin
A commonly used stool marker to assess whether there are indications of inflammatory activity.
13. Beta-defensin-2
An additional protein involved in immune defense in the intestinal mucosa.
14. Lactoferrin
A protein that can increase when certain immune cells are active during inflammation.
15. Transferrin
A blood component that can be detected in stool.
16. Stomach bacterium
Helicobacter pylori: targeted testing for a bacterium that can occur in the stomach.
17. Nine intestinal parasites
Dientamoeba fragilis, Blastocystis hominis, Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium spp., Entamoeba histolytica, Cyclospora cayetanensis, Entamoeba dispar, Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis.
18. Worm testing
Testing for pinworm, tapeworms, hookworms, roundworms, threadworms, and whipworm, plus microsporidia. The existing worm panel includes ten testing targets; some microsporidia overlap with the parasite panel.
19. Bacterial intestinal infections
Testing for bacteria that can cause intestinal infections, including Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia and Clostridioides difficile.
20. Lactose and inherited predisposition
A DNA test for the LCT -13910C>T (rs4988235) variant, which is associated with production of the lactase enzyme after childhood.
Broad testing does not mean that everything is automatically necessary. This package combines areas of testing that are also offered separately or in smaller packages. The parasite panels covering two, six, and nine species overlap: in the total package, we do not count the nine organisms tested again in the smaller panels. Some microsporidia are also included in the worm test. The results provide information about specific measurements, not an overall ‘health score’ for your intestines.
What can such comprehensive testing tell you?
Not one all-explaining number, but different answers to different questions.
Your intestines perform many functions at once. They move food, help absorb nutrients, and contain large numbers of microorganisms. The intestinal wall and immune system are constantly working together. This is why two people with similar abdominal complaints can still have very different test results.
With Darmcheck Total, you can see, for example:
- What can be measured in stool: including fat, starch, and other characteristics after digestion.
- What certain digestive markers show: such as pancreatic elastase and a bile acid value.
- Which intestinal bacteria were detected: both a number of specifically tested bacteria and a broader bacterial microbiome profile.
- Whether certain yeasts, parasites, worms, or pathogenic bacteria were detected: the significance differs by organism.
- Which inflammation and immune markers were measured: including calprotectin, lactoferrin, EDN, and other additional markers.
- Whether the stomach bacterium Helicobacter pylori is detectable.
- What inherited predisposition you have for lactase production: a DNA result that does not change with diet or age.
The results can make a follow-up discussion with your treating physician more focused. An abnormal result does not automatically show what is causing your symptoms. And if everything falls within the reference ranges used, that does not mean there cannot still be a problem.
Why not just one individual test? An individual test answers one specific question. Darmcheck Total brings many questions together in one order. This provides a broad overview, but it is not necessarily a better medical choice than targeted testing. If you have already had tests done or have only one question to investigate, a smaller package may be more appropriate.
Explanation of all values tested
In plain language: what does each test measure, why does the measurement exist, and what can’t it tell you?
A laboratory measures what is present in a sample. It cannot automatically determine why you have abdominal complaints. Below, we explain each component. Some tests are commonly used in targeted medical diagnostics; others mainly provide additional information whose value in chronic intestinal complaints is still uncertain.
Food digestion
When you eat, your body breaks down food. In stool, the laboratory can examine, among other things, fat, starch, plant fibers, acidity (pH), color, and consistency. These measurements describe what remains in the sample after digestion.
An unusual fat value, for example, may be a reason to investigate fat digestion further. What you have eaten and how quickly food moves through the intestine affect the result. These measurements do not prove what is causing your symptoms.
Bile acids
Bile acids are substances that help your body process fat from food. Problems with bile acid metabolism can, in some people, be associated with watery diarrhea.
This package includes an additional bile acid measurement in stool. Its significance depends on the laboratory method used and the available reference values. An abnormal stool value alone does not establish that you have a bile acid disorder.
Pancreatic elastase
The pancreas produces substances that help digest your food. Pancreatic elastase is a protein that can be measured in stool. The result provides information about the production of digestive enzymes.
A low value may require targeted follow-up testing. Very watery stools can make the result artificially low, because the sample is diluted. One result is therefore not automatically a diagnosis.
Gut flora panel 1
Your intestines contain very large numbers of bacteria. This panel measures four selected groups: Enterobacteriaceae/E. coli, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
It shows how much of these groups is measured using the method applied. This is not a complete overview of all intestinal bacteria. A higher or lower value does not prove that a bacterium is harmful or causing your abdominal complaints.
Gut flora panel 2
This panel examines two other bacterial species: Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. These are widely studied because of their role in the intestinal environment, mucus layer, and nutrient processing.
It is an additional measurement of two species, not a diagnosis of intestinal disease. There is no generally accepted ideal quantity that applies to everyone.
The intestinal microbiome
Your microbiome is the collection of microorganisms that live in your intestine. Microbiome testing examines bacterial DNA in stool. The report describes which bacterial groups are recognized, their relative proportions, and how diverse the profile is.
This provides a broader bacterial overview than the two individual gut flora panels. It does not directly measure what all bacteria do and does not provide a reliable diagnosis of the cause of abdominal pain, diarrhea, or constipation. There is also no universal ‘perfect microbiome’.
Yeasts and fungi, including Candida
In addition to bacteria, yeasts can also occur in the intestine. In this test, the sample is cultured on a growth medium to see whether living yeasts and fungi grow under laboratory conditions.
Identifiable Candidaspecies may be found. Candida can also be present without symptoms. A positive culture does not prove a Candida infection or that Candida is causing your symptoms.
Secretory IgA
Your intestine has its own immune defenses. Secretory IgA is an antibody that helps protect the intestinal mucosa. The laboratory measures the amount in stool.
This result can provide additional information about local immune defense, but a low value does not automatically mean that you have reduced immunity. The test does not establish the cause of intestinal complaints.
Gluten-related antibodies
Gluten consists of proteins found in foods such as wheat, rye, and barley. In this package, stool is tested for anti-gliadin sIgA and antibodies against tissue transglutaminase.
These stool tests cannot diagnose or rule out celiac disease. If your doctor suspects celiac disease, standard blood testing is required, generally while you are still eating gluten. An abnormal result does not automatically mean that you should avoid gluten.
Histamine
Histamine is a substance that occurs naturally in the body and is also present in certain foods. The laboratory measures the amount of histamine in stool. The individual histamine test requires specific preparation, because foods can affect the measurement.
The result does not show how much of the DAO-degrading enzyme you have. An abnormal value does not prove histamine intolerance or food allergy. Do not perform a food challenge if it could be unsafe for you; discuss the preparation with your doctor first.
Zonulin-related marker
The intestinal wall allows some substances to pass through and keeps others out. A zonulin-related measurement is sometimes used as additional information for questions about this intestinal barrier.
Important: this test does not directly measure the permeability of the intestinal wall. An elevated value therefore does not prove a ‘leaky gut’. The significance of commercial zonulin tests is also only partially established.
EDN: immune-cell activity
Some white blood cells help your body with immune responses. One type is called eosinophils. When they become active, they can release the protein EDN, among other substances. This protein is measured in stool.
The test does not show which food or substance caused the response. An elevated EDN value is not a diagnosis of food allergy and does not independently explain chronic intestinal complaints.
Calprotectin: inflammatory activity
Calprotectin is a protein that can increase when there is inflammatory activity in the intestine. This value is used in standard healthcare when assessing whether further investigation for intestinal inflammation is needed.
An elevated value can have various causes, including infections and certain medications. The result does not tell you which condition you have. A normal value does not rule out every intestinal disease.
Beta-defensin-2: local immune defense
This is a protein involved in protecting the intestinal mucosa. The test measures how much is present in your stool.
An abnormal result may be associated with activity of the local immune response. Its significance is less well established than that of calprotectin; it is not a test that identifies which part of the intestine is affected by disease.
Lactoferrin: additional inflammation marker
Lactoferrin is a protein found, among other places, in white blood cells. The amount in stool can increase when there is inflammatory activity.
This is a different inflammation marker from calprotectin. The two values can be assessed together, but they do not independently diagnose conditions such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
Transferrin: a blood component
Transferrin is a protein normally present in blood. The laboratory can test whether this blood component is detectable in stool.
A positive result may be a reason to have possible blood loss medically assessed. The test does not show where the blood comes from. A negative result does not completely rule out blood loss.
Helicobacter pylori: stomach bacterium
Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that can live in the stomach. In some people, it is involved in inflammation of the stomach lining or a stomach ulcer. The stool test looks for a component of this bacterium.
A positive result does not automatically mean that you have a stomach ulcer. Certain acid-suppressing medications and antibiotics can affect the result. Discuss a positive result and any necessary preparation with your treating physician.
Nine single-celled intestinal parasites
This test specifically looks for DNA from nine small intestinal organisms: Dientamoeba fragilis, Blastocystis hominis, Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium spp., Entamoeba histolytica, Cyclospora cayetanensis, Entamoeba dispar, Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis.
A positive test means DNA was found. For every species, this does not necessarily mean that the parasite is causing your symptoms. Dientamoeba and Blastocystis can also occur without symptoms; Entamoeba dispar is generally not considered pathogenic. Other species, such as Giardia and Entamoeba histolytica, warrant medical assessment when the result is positive.
Worms and microsporidia
Worms are larger parasites than the single-celled organisms listed above. The panel includes, among others, pinworm (Enterobius), tapeworms (Hymenolepis and Taenia), hookworms (Ancylostoma and Necator), roundworms (Ascaris), threadworms (Strongyloides) and whipworm (Trichuris).
The existing panel also examines Enterocytozoon and Encephalitozoon: very small intestinal parasites that are not worms. These partly overlap with the nine-species panel. For symptoms such as nighttime itching around the anus, a separate adhesive-tape test may sometimes be more suitable for pinworm. Not all worm infections can be ruled out with a single stool test.
Bacteria that can cause intestinal infections
This component looks for bacteria that can be transmitted through contaminated food or water, among other routes. The current range includes Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia enterocolitica and Clostridioides difficile.
This test is particularly relevant when the question is whether a bacterial infection is contributing, often in cases of sudden-onset diarrhea. It does not detect every cause of food poisoning. A positive C. difficileDNA test, for example, does not automatically prove that this bacterium is causing the symptoms or requires treatment.
Lactose DNA test: is it in your genes?
Lactose is the milk sugar in dairy products. Your body uses the enzyme lactase to digest this sugar. In some people, lactase production decreases after childhood. This can be related to inherited predisposition.
This DNA test examines the variant LCT -13910C>T and produces a result such as CC, CT, or TT. The test looks at inherited predisposition, not whether you are currently lactose intolerant. The predisposition does not change, but the amount of lactose you tolerate can vary. Separate suitable DNA material is required for this test.
Not all tests have the same significance. Calprotectin, pancreatic elastase, and targeted testing for certain infections can, with appropriate symptoms, help answer standard diagnostic questions. Microbiome profiles and some additional gut flora, gluten, histamine, or immune values have more limited or not yet sufficiently established clinical value. A larger number of measurements therefore does not automatically mean greater medical certainty.
How does Darmcheck Total work?
One combined package with different tests and possibly different types of collection material.
- You order the package. You receive information about the components and the required collection materials.
- You follow the collection schedule. The different stool tests may require separate tubes, preservatives, fresh samples, or multiple collection days.
- You collect the DNA material or have it collected. The test for inherited lactose predisposition uses a separate suitable DNA sample and has its own instructions.
- You send the samples according to the instructions provided. The microbiome test may have a separate collection and reporting process.
- The laboratories perform the tests. The results may become available at different times.
- You receive the reports. For each measurement, they state whether a value was measured and, where relevant, whether a bacterium, parasite, or other testing target was detected.
Good to know: ‘one package’ means one combined order, not one tube, one measurement method, or necessarily one common result date. The exact collection, shipping, and preparation instructions supplied with your package take precedence. Do not perform a food challenge or change medication on your own initiative if this could pose risks for you; consult your doctor if necessary.
Understanding your results: what is the next step?
The value lies in knowing what was actually tested and which findings may require medical attention.
With this package, you receive many different types of results. Some results are numbers; others indicate whether DNA or a component of an organism was detected. It is sensible not to consider one striking value in isolation, but also to take into account your symptoms, medications, diet, previous testing, and the quality of the samples.
An elevated calprotectin may, for example, be a reason for further investigation of inflammatory activity. A low pancreatic elastase may, with a compatible symptom pattern, raise a question about the pancreas. And a positive test for a pathogenic parasite may be a reason to discuss possible treatment with a doctor.
Other results, such as certain gut flora values, a zonulin-related marker, or a microbiome profile, cannot be used as a diagnosis in the same way. Even a combination of abnormal results does not automatically prove what is causing your symptoms.
Discuss relevant abnormalities with your treating physician or another licensed physician. This certainly applies to suspected blood loss, clearly abnormal inflammation markers, or infectious findings. With chronic symptoms, standard blood testing or other medical investigation may also be needed, even if this comprehensive package does not show a clear abnormality.
Do not wait for this package if you have warning symptoms. If you have blood in the stool or black stools, dehydration, unexplained weight loss, persistent fever, severe abdominal pain, fainting, or rapidly worsening symptoms, contact your primary care doctor or out-of-hours medical service.
Frequently asked questions about Darmcheck Total
The main questions about the contents, the results, and choosing between a smaller or larger package.
This package has been put together as the broadest combination of unique tests in the current range. It includes the standard intestinal modules as well as additional components such as microbiome testing, bacterial infections, comprehensive parasite and worm testing, and the lactose DNA test. This does not mean that all possible medical tests for intestinal complaints are included in this package.
The package can detect abnormal values or certain microorganisms that raise a specific follow-up question. It does not guarantee that the cause of your symptoms will be found. Some causes, such as celiac disease, a pelvic floor problem, or certain stomach and intestinal conditions, require other testing through a doctor.
The two gut flora panels look specifically at a small number of bacteria. Microbiome testing creates a broader profile of bacterial DNA and mainly shows relative proportions. They are therefore different types of measurements. Neither can, on its own, prove which bacteria are causing your symptoms or what your ideal gut flora would be.
The panels covering two, six, and nine single-celled parasites partly contain the same organisms. For Darmcheck Total, the nine-species test is therefore the starting point, rather than testing the same thing three times. The worm panel additionally examines different groups of worms. Some microsporidia occur in both comprehensive panels. The final laboratory order should avoid duplicate tests.
This test examines whether you have an inherited predisposition to produce less of the lactase enzyme after childhood. This enzyme helps digest milk sugar. The test is therefore about what is in your genes, not whether you are currently lactose intolerant. Separate DNA material is required.
No. A large package is not automatically better than a smaller, targeted test. If your question is only about a stomach bacterium or a particular inflammation marker, an individual test may be more appropriate. Darmcheck Total is intended for people who deliberately want several areas investigated at the same time and understand that not every result has the same medical significance.
No, you should not assume that. Some analyses require different types of tubes or more than one collection day. The microbiome test may also have its own sample pathway. The lactose DNA test is a different type of test requiring separate suitable DNA material. The final instructions supplied with your package determine exactly what you need to do.
Questions about Darmcheck Total?
We help you understand which tests are included and whether a smaller package may be more suitable.
Would you like to know which components are included in Darmcheck Total, which samples are required, or how it differs from a targeted individual test? Contact Darmklachten.nl. We are happy to explain the options. For medical assessment of your symptoms and results, we refer you to your treating physician.
Order Darmcheck Total
The broadest package in the current Darmklachten.nl range, with a wide variety of intestinal and digestive tests.
Would you like a comprehensive overview of the areas of testing offered by Darmklachten.nl? Darmcheck Total combines measurements of digestion and gut flora with testing for inflammation markers, yeasts, parasites, worms, bacterial intestinal infections, the stomach bacterium, the microbiome, and inherited predisposition to lactose digestion.
You can order Darmcheck Total at the top of this page once this combined package is available.
