First things first – many labs can measure serotonin and dopamine in the urine (and/or metabolites of these neurotransmitters), but we have only found one lab – DBS Labs – that does so in a manner that allows us to fine tune amino acid dosing. Even though this test is often referred to as a “neurotransmitter test” the proper name for it is Monoamine Transporter Optimization (MTO) or Organic Cation Transporter Assay (OCT Assay).
When someone begins amino acid therapy, one of the first questions is usually “how many test will it take before I feel better?” According to research compiled by Marty Hinz, MD:
- 5% of people achieve relief of symptoms after one test
- Another 5% of people achieve relief of symptoms after two tests
- The average person needs 3 to 4 tests in order to achieve an optimization of symptoms
- Approximately 3% to 4% of people need more than eight tests
