The Month We Were Sick and the Shocking Results of my CM&V Test
Not well.
Hey friends,
How is everyone doing? Our little family got hit hard the past three weeks with what seems like every possible illness that has been going around. It seems to pass from one family member to another on repeat. I’m optimistic that we’re on the other side of it now but wow did it knock us down.
In an unrelated effort, I completed a Candida, Metabolic and Vitamins Test (previously known as the Organic Acids Test) last month, and I am shocked by my results. I felt like I was doing all the right things—eating well, working out, taking my supplements even meditating when life allowed—but I was still exhausted and overwhelmed all the time. To be honest, I blamed simply being a working mom of three with a one year old that doesn’t like to sleep on her own. I thought this was how I was supposed to feel. This is just being a mom, right? Wrong. The Candida, Metabolic, and Vitamins Test was an eye opener to say the least.
For those that don’t know, the CM&V Test assesses how well your digestive system is functioning, along with your energy and mood metabolites. Plus, it reveals if you’re truly getting all the vitamins you need from your current nutrition giving a clear picture of digestive and metabolic health and how to support any imbalances. With over 75 biomarkers, the CM&V Test will show you exactly what your deficiencies are in terms of vitamins, energy mitochondrial producers, neurotransmitter metabolites, and detoxifiers.
Spoiler alert: I thought I was doing pretty good in terms of my health. I was wrong. Here's what I found:
Yeast & Fungal Overgrowth:
Two biomarkers came back very high for environmental mold. This is so concerning considering I have four other humans living in my house that may also be exposed to mold. I have long suspected we have mold in our home. The results of this test are the trigger I need to take action to detox my body from the mold and work on removing it from our environment.
Mold exposure triggers inflammation, immune dysfunction, and oxidative stress, leading to a wide range of symptoms from respiratory issues, digestive issues like bloating and leaky gut, skin problems, hormonal imbalances, irregular menstrual cycles, difficulty losing weight, chronic fatigue and muscle weakness. In additon to that, there can be neurological impacts like brain fog, anxiety, panic atacks, mood swings, insomnia and more. This is what is really alarming to me as I thought all of what I was feeling was just part of being a mom to three and keeping it all together.
Additionally, my levels of Tartaric Acid and Arabinose were off the charts. Translation? I’ve got some unwelcome gut guests. This kind of overgrowth can lead to brain fog, bloating, and yep—that crushing fatigue I’ve been dragging around.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction (aka Energy Crisis):
High Succinic and Malic Acid levels mean my mitochondria (the little power plants in our cells) are basically waving a white flag. This can result from a deficiency in Vitamin B2, B3, CoQ10 intake or even a chemical toxicity. No wonder I’ve been feeling like my energy tank is always on E.
Neurotransmitter Imbalances:
Low dopamine and norepinephrine markers? Yep, that tracks with my mood swings and feeling overwhelmed for no reason. It's not all in my head.
Nutrient Deficiencies:
My B vitamins were hanging on by a thread, and my Glutathione levels (key for detox) were like, “Help us, we’re dying here.”
Detox Pathway Drama:
My body’s not detoxing like it should. It’s like trying to clean a house with a broken vacuum—the mess just piles up.
Okay, So Now What?
Good thing being an Integrative Health Practitioner, I know what to do. First I have to clear my detox pathways. I'm completing a 21-day functional medicine detox to prime my body for future protocols and focusing on lymphatic drainage, rebounding, etc. to clean my pathways so that the protocols I'll discuss later will have optimal chance to work.
After I complete the functional medicine detox, I’m going to complete a Candida and Bacterial Optmizer (CBO) protocol. The CBO protocol is a three-month protocol to rebalance the gut and slowly reintroduce beneficial microbes. This comprehensive protocol is designed to slowly alter the state of the microbiome, remove unwanted microbes, and slowly reintroduce beneficial probiotic strains.
Following that I’ll do a Mold Detox protocol. The Mold Detox protocol has been specifically designed with ingredients that seek out mycotoxins and mold spores and break them down, so that they can be pushed to the liver and safely removed – all while boosting the body's natural immune response.
Finally, I’m going to adjust my supplement routine to incude more mood boosting and stress reducing supplements like B vitamins, CoQ10 and magnesium and focus on reducing external stress as much as I can.
I’ll retest in 3-6 months to see what’s working and what needs tweaking. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
The Takeaway
Honestly, this test was a reality check. My fatigue, overwhelm, and exhaustion weren’t just “part of being busy”—they were red flags from my body. If you’re feeling wiped out no matter what you do, an OAT could be the missing puzzle piece.
If you are also feeling run down, overwhelmed or exhausted or you suspect you may have mold exposure, yeast overgrowth, or bacterial imbalances, the best thing you can do is start by testing—not guessing. Functional medicine lab testing, like the Candida, Metabolic & Vitamins Test, can give you a clear picture of what's happening in your body and provide a roadmap for healing. From there, addressing detox pathways, balancing the gut, and supporting your body with the right nutrients can make a world of difference. If you're ready to take control of your health but don’t know where to start, I’d love to help guide you through the process. You don’t have to navigate this alone—let’s get to the root cause together!
