Vanilmandelate (VMA) is the primary metabolite of norepinephrine and epinephrine (adrenaline). The adrenal gland makes cortisol and DHEA (from the adrenal cortex) as well as norepinephrine and epinephrine (from the adrenal medulla).
→ When adrenal hormone output is low, Vanilmandelate (VMA) levels may be low.
→ If Homovanillate (HVA) levels are significantly higher than Vanilmandelate (VMA), there may be a conversion problem from dopamine to norepinephrine. This case can be caused by a copper or vitamin C deficiency.
→ The enzymes COMT (methylation of catechols) and MAO are needed to make HVA and VMA from dopamine and norepinephrine respectively. If these enzymes are not working properly, HVA and/or VMA may be low in urine, when circulating levels of dopamine and/or norepinephrine/epinephrine may not be low.
→ Low levels of norepinephrine/epinephrine are associated with addictions, cravings, fatigue, low blood pressure, low muscle tone, intolerance to exercise, depression, and loss of alertness.
→ High levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine are associated with feelings of stress, aggression, violence, impatience, anxiety, panic, excess worry/hypervigilance, insomnia, paranoia, increasing tingling/burning, loss of memory, pain sensitivity, high blood pressure and heart palpitations.
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If Homovanillate (HVA) is low at the same time:
In this case, checking the adrenal glands would be a good idea. Is the HPA axis overactive? Are cortisol levels too high, pushing epinephrine levels up? (and therefore increasing VMA levels)
Other potential causes:
Are you on stimulant medications?
- Amphetamines
- Amphetamine-like meds
- Appetite suppressants like phentermine
- Caffeine (pills or drinks)
- Ephedrine (Sudafed)
- ADHD meds
Are you on dopamine reuptake inhibitors? (risperidone)
Possible tumor of the adrenal medulla? (Pheochromocytoma)
Higher risk for myocardial injury/ dysfunction with elevated cardiac troponin I (Consider age and CVD risk).
If Homovanillate (HVA) is high at the same time:
Possible reasons for a high HVA and high VMA include:
- COMT or MAO mutations that increase dopamine, epinephrine, or norepinephrine levels.
- High levels of or taking Tyrosine, DLPA, Dopamine and/or Macuna supplements (= dopamine precursors)
- Non-selective alpha-blockers for blood pressure (phenoxybenzamine) can increase norepinephrine levels.
- SNRI Medication (Wellbutrin), Tricyclic Antidepressants (amitriptyline)
- Amphetamines/Amphetamine-like medications or drugs, Appetite suppressants (Phentermine), Caffeine (pills or drinks), Ephedrine (ie. Sudafed)
- Parkinson’s medications (Levodopa, carbidopa) will increase dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine synthesis.
- Opioids (VMA may be normal)
- Alcohol consumption (increases dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine levels.
- Elevated adrenal output (i.e. cortisol) address the stress
- Inflammation - inflammatory cytokines increase sympathetic output
- Neuroblastic Tumor
- Pheochromocytoma (very high levels of VMA, maybe HVA). Usually also linked to high blood pressure and excessive sweating.
- Neuroblastoma (cancer of the nervous system, often occurs in the adrenal glands).
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I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.
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Healthmatters Pro Member since 2024
As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!
Low levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine may be associated with addictions, cravings, fatigue, low blood pressure, low muscle tone, intolerance to exercise, depression, loss of alertness.
The enzymes COMT (methylation) and MAOA are needed to make VMA from norepinephrine. If these enzymes are not working properly, VMA may be low when circulating norepinephrine and/or epinephrine are not low.
If Homovanillate (HVA) is low at the same time:
This suggests that dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine levels are low.
It’s important to look at the cofactors for all of the involved reactions. Could they be low?
- Iron / BH4 / Vitamin B6 / Vitamin B2 / Magnesium / SAMe / Niacin (NAD) / Copper / Vitamin C
- Could there be MAO or COMT mutations that slow down these pathways?
- Low Tyrosine (ie. low protein diet or poor protein absorption)?
- Are your cortisol levels too low? Is your HPA axis “fatigued”?
- Oxidative stress (pushing PEA down other pathways)?
- Fungal/candida infections inhibit Tyrosinase activity (cannot make L-Dopa)
- Glyphosate blocking the Shikamate pathway and depleting/binding co-nutrients (ie. Tyrosine and Tryptophan)?
- Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) long term use? Possibly suppressive?
If Homovanillate (HVA) is high at the same time:
If dopamine is HIGH and epinephrine/norepinephrine are low or normal, there may be an issue in the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine.
Cofactors required for the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine:
- Copper
- Vitamin C
Low copper or vitamin C so DBH enzyme can’t move forward (VMA usually quite low)
- Clostridia difficile (inhibits DBH enzyme so cannlt make VMA)
- Bananas (contain high levels dopamine that doesn’t cross BBB – VMA likely normal)
- Quercetin supplements/foods – turn into HVA in the gut and can show up as artificial high HVA and normal VMA
- Check adrenals – low levels of cortisol too? Then VMA is usually low.
- Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) use – short term use raises dopamine (VMA may be normal)
- Opioids (VMA may be normal)
- DBH enzyme deficiency (VMA very low) = orthostatic hypotension, exercise intolerance, ptosis of eyelid, psychological/behavior disorders
- Neuroblastic tumor (if HVA are at very high levels)
- Eating a diet super rich in polyphenols (tomatoes, onions, tea) could raise HVA levels in some people.
- Did you eat velvet beans recently? They contain L-dopa and can raise dopamine levels.
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Anthony
Unlimited Plan Member since 2021
I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.
Karin
Advanced Plan Member since 2020
What fantastic service and great, easy-to-follow layouts! I love your website; it makes it so helpful to see patterns in my health data. It's truly a pleasure to use. I only wish the NHS was as organized and quick as Healthmatters.io. You've set a new standard for health tracking!
Paul
Healthmatters Pro Member since 2024
As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!
Healthmatters is a highly-personalized health dashboard.
Instead of searching for your lab results in different places or tracking them down from different providers, Healthmatters houses, organizes, and interprets them all in one central location.
With a Healthmatters account, you can dive into the details of each biomarker and gain insights into the meaning behind your medical test data, anytime, anywhere.
For our professional users, Healthmatters provides intuitive tools that not only streamline analysis but also save valuable time when delving into your client's lab report history.
Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:
You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.
If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.
While we work with many popular labs, we welcome reports from lots of other places too.
It's as simple as this: if you can get a test done, you can upload it to Healthmatters and we can interpret results from any lab out there. If laboratories can analyze it, we can interpret it.
If you’re on the hunt for a specific biomarker, contact us and we'll add it to our database. Anything from blood, urine, saliva, or stool can be uploaded, understood, and tracked with your Healthmatters account.
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For those who prefer assistance, we offer a "Data entry service" to help you input your data. Simply attach an image or file of your lab test results, and a qualified team member from our data entry team will add the results for you.
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You can always upgrade to a lifetime version with a prorated price from a monthly or yearly subscription.
Simply log in and navigate to your account settings to cancel your subscription. Scroll down to locate the 'Cancel' button at the bottom of the page. Ensure you cancel at least one day before the renewal date to prevent any charges. Once cancellation is requested, the subscription remains active until the conclusion of the current billing cycle.
Our goal has been to make your Healthmatters account as intuitive as possible.
We’ve crafted multiple ways for you to navigate your data, whether you're glancing at a single report or delving into your historical test reports.
1. Graph View:Dive into a visual journey with our biomarker graphs, showcasing over 40 data points. Combining years of results unveils trends, empowering you to make informed decisions. Our visualization tools make it a breeze to compare and understand changes over time, even if your results are from different labs. A search function and filters simplify the exploration of extensive data, allowing you to focus on what needs attention.
2. All Tests ViewExplore neatly organized reports on a timeline, highlighting crucial details like dates, critical results, and lab/panel names. Each report opens up to reveal in-depth descriptions and additional recommendations for each biomarker. The history of previous results is just a click away, and you can download a comprehensive report for deeper insights. Color-coded and user-friendly, it's designed for easy reading, understanding, and navigation.
3. Table View:For a holistic view of all biomarkers side by side, our table view is your go-to. Results are neatly displayed in a categorized and dated table, ideal for those with an extensive test history. Utilize sorting, filters, and color-coding to enhance your analysis and gain extra insights.
Yes, you can download information from your account. We can compile your labs into a CSV file. To download all your labs, you can go to Account Settings, and at the bottom of the page, you will find a link to download your information.
Yes, you can print your report. To do so, navigate to "All tests" and open the report you wish to print. You'll find a print button in the right corner of the report. Click on it, and your browser's print window will open. If you prefer to print in a bigger typeface, adjust the scale using the print window settings.
Yes, you can! We highly recommend activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your account. To do so, please navigate to the "Profile and Security" section of your account, where you will find instructions for activating 2FA.
Yes, you can. When entering values for the biomarker, you will see an "Edit Range" button. Click this button, and you'll have the option to enter a custom range.
A personal account is all about keeping your own lab test results in check. It's just for you and your personal use.
The professional account is designed for health professionals who wish to track and organize their clients' laboratory results.
To learn more about Healthmatters Pro, please refer to the professional page.
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8-OHdG (Waking) (Male), b-Hydroxyisovalerate, b-Hydroxyisovalerate (Male), Homovanillate (HVA) (Male), Indican, Indican (Male), Kynurenate (Dutch), Kynurenate (Male), Methylmalonate (MMA), Methylmalonate (MMA) (Male), Pyroglutamate, Pyroglutamate (Male), Quinolinate (Male), Vanilmandelate (VMA) (Male), Xanthurenate, Xanthurenate (Male)
