Brain Food and Nutrition Clinic

07/08/2026

07/08/2026

Had normal bloodwork but still don't feel right?

Or supporting a child whose focus, mood, or behaviour doesn't fit a tidy label?

The Organic Acid Test looks at what standard bloods miss entirely, from gut bacteria and yeast overgrowth to how efficiently your cells are actually producing energy.

One urine sample, dozens of answers. Read on (link in comments) to see which markers matter most and why.

30/06/2026

Birmingham-based neurodivergent young adults and parents. We need you!

We're gathering evidence to build something new in Birmingham and we need your help
We’re hoping to set up a new organisation creating real, paid work opportunities for neurodivergent young people through community projects here in Birmingham.

I want to make sure what we build is based on real experiences so I've put together two short surveys (anonymous, ~10 minutes):

🔹 For neurodivergent young adults - about your own experience of looking for work, applying for jobs, and how that's affected you - https://forms.gle/mJhg6HSRuCBktthL7

🔹 For parents/carers of a neurodivergent child, teen, or young adult - about what you've seen them go through, or what worries you about their future.�https://forms.gle/JKD67XTf8qrutBQW8

If either applies to you, I'd be grateful if you could fill it in and if you know someone else this might apply to, please share this with them too. The more people who respond, the stronger the case we can make for making this happen.

Thank you 💛

Help us understand your child's journey. We want to set up a new organisation in Birmingham that creates real, paid work experience opportunities for neurodivergent young adults through community projects. As a parent or carer, you see the day-to-day reality of what your child faces — whether that...

07/05/2026

*FREELY AVAILABLE* - Why are omega-3 (and omega-6) fats so vital for brain development - and what happens when they're lacking in pregnancy and early life?

Many thanks to Dr Simon Dyall for this expert presentation, to The Waterloo Foundation and YPMH: The Foundation For Young People's Mental Health for organising and hosting it, and to all of them for allowing us to share this recording via FAB's YouTube Channel.

⚠️ PLEASE WATCH - and SHARE, to help this important information reach the widest possible audience.

Dr Dyall explains clearly the critical roles of long-chain omega-3 (DHA and EPA) and omega-6 (arachidonic and adrenic acid) in shaping the developing brain and nervous system

- and how dietary intakes in pregnancy and infancy shape children's lifelong behavioural and mental - as well as physical - health outcomes.

He summarises:

🧠 How these fats help create brain cells, synapses, and myelin

🤰 Why the placenta actively concentrates these vital nutrients to get them to the unborn baby

⚠️ How preterm birth interrupts this supply during a critical developmental window

📊 The highest-level evidence, showing higher omega-3 intake in pregnancy reduces risks for preterm birth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WeeKTN-Wo0

07/05/2026

You can choose a convenient date and time and request an appointment online or in-person using this form. In-person consultations take place at Moseley Golf Club, Kings Heath. After submitting your request we will get back to you to confirm the appointment date and time. If you have any questions pl...

24/04/2026

In addition to a cognitive function test, which can pick up subtle changes in cognition many decades before a dementia diagnosis, there is value in having a blood biomarker test that can do something similar.

The perfect blood biomarkers to test for are those that, the changing of which, leads to less risk and actual benefit in those with cognitive decline. This is called a dynamic biomarker.

A recently published study in China - https://bit.ly/4mGmNji - looked at whether a person’s homocysteine level predicted their risk and degree of cognitive decline. They did this by taking Alzheimer’s disease patients classified as mild, moderate or severe on a cognitive test (MMSE) and compared them to healthy people of the same age.

As severity of Alzheimer’s went up, so did homocysteine. Those classified as mild had an average level of 16.8mcmol/l, those classified as moderate had a level of 21 and those classified as severe had a level of 26.

The authors conclude “These results demonstrate that serum Homocysteine level is a promising biomarker for assessing Alzheimer’s disease severity, offering significant potential for predictive assessment and monitoring in clinical practice.

The researchers gave all Alzheimer’s disease patients a standardized B vitamin intervention regimen for six months.

At the end of six months there had been a significant decrease in homocysteine levels in all three severity groups and their cognitive function, as measured on the MMSE scale, had improved. Also, their level of homocysteine at the start of the study correlated with their degree of improvement.

The authors conclude “This finding further supports the potential utility of serum Homocysteine as a dynamic monitoring indicator for tracking disease progression and treatment response in Alzheimer’s.” So, homocysteine is both a predictive biomarker and a dynamic biomarker in that lowering it results in cognitive and clinical improvement.

I sincerely hope that the growing and consistent evidence for homocysteine as a biomarker, and lowering it with B vitamins as a treatment, will be adopted by health care providers around the world.

Meanwhile, it is up to individuals to both test their cognitive function at https://bit.ly/40bnRma and also homocysteine level through a home-test kit, then take an appropriately dosed B vitamin supplement, such as Connect - https://www.holfordnutrition.com/product/patrick-holford-connect-60-capsules/



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22/04/2026

If you’re considering functional testing, you’ve probably come across names like GI360, DUTCH, Organic Acids (OAT) and SIBO.

These advanced tests can provide insights that routine bloodwork often misses, but how do you know which one is right for you?

This guide breaks down what each test does, who it’s most useful for and how they fit together.

GI360 Stool Test

Best for:

Persistent bloating, IBS, IBD, diarrhoea/constipation, food sensitivities, post-antibiotic gut issues.

What it shows:

Gut microbiome balance, digestive function, inflammation, pathogens (bacteria, parasites, yeast).
Why choose it: Ideal if you want a comprehensive view of gut health and digestion.

DUTCH Complete Hormone Test

Best for:

Perimenopause, menopause, PMS, fatigue, mood changes, sleep issues, HRT monitoring.

What it shows:

Oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol rhythm, melatonin, hormone metabolism and neurotransmitter metabolites.

Why choose it:

Perfect for hormone balance questions and understanding how stress affects your health and hormones.

Organic Acids Test (OAT)

Best for:

Fatigue, brain fog, low mood, ADHD/autism support, neurological issues, yeast or bacterial overgrowth.

What it shows:

Energy production pathways, nutrient metabolism, detoxification markers, oxalate levels, neurotransmitter metabolites, microbial by-products.

Why choose it:

Excellent for exploring gut–brain connections and hidden nutrient needs. A good functional lab test for children as it gives a broad overview with just one urine sample.

SIBO Breath Test

Best for:

Daily bloating, excessive gas, IBS symptoms (diarrhoea, constipation, or alternating), poor response to elimination diets.
What it shows: Hydrogen and methane gas patterns produced by bacteria in the small intestine.

Why choose it:

Focused, non-invasive way to check for bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.

Other Tests to Consider

Kryptopyrrole (Pyroluria) Test:

Can help explain anxiety, addiction issues, mood disorders, poor stress tolerance or focus issues linked to zinc/B6 imbalances.

Food Intolerance Testing:

Highlights IgG food reactions that can contribute to bloating, fatigue, mood or skin issues.

How to Choose the Right Test

Start with your main symptoms: gut, hormones, brain/mood, or metabolism.

Consider whether you need a broad overview (GI360 or OAT) or a focused test (SIBO, DUTCH).

Remember: sometimes a combination of tests gives the clearest picture.

For example:
GI360 + SIBO = full gut overview
DUTCH + OAT = hormones + energy/metabolism
GI360 + Food Sensitivity = digestion + potential triggers