How to get started

Get Started: Step 1

Take the Test
Use your Ixcela kit to do a simple pinprick blood test (about five drops of blood) and ship your sample to us with the prepaid envelope. We’ll post the results to your online account in about 10 days.

Get Started: Step 2

Meet With Your Dietitian
Review your customized plan, based on your test results, with a registered dietitian nutritionist. This 45-minute Zoom session is a great time to ask questions, discuss which recommendations to prioritize, and make tweaks to best suit your life.

Get Started: Step 3

Begin Your Plan
Put your program into action by following the plan you and your Ixcela dietitian discussed. If you need additional guidance, upgrade your program to include 90-day support and even another test.

How does Ixcela work?

Sarah Piampiano explains how the testing and dietitian support helped her to feel and perform at her absolute best.

What’s in a plan?

Internal Fitness Results

Internal Fitness Results:

Your dashboard of health summarizes how you scored in five categories: Gastrointestinal Fitness, Immuno Fitness, Emotional Balance, Cognitive Acuity, and Energetic Efficiency.

Profile History Tracker

Profile History Tracker:

Monitor your progress over time. Your results are tracked every time you take an Ixcela test so that you can see how the changes you’re implementing are affecting your internal health.

Metabolite Levels

Metabolite Levels:

Find out which gut health markers are above, below, and within the optimal range. This data triggers your personalized recommendations and provides clues on what may be contributing to your symptoms.

Nutrition Recommendations

Nutrition Recommendations:

Learn which foods your body needs to improve your health and optimize your metabolite levels. Your Ixcela registered dietitian will help you prioritize what to eat during your results review session.

Macronutrient Plan

90-Day Macronutrient Plan:

See how much protein, fat, low carbohydrates (non-starchy vegetables), and moderate and high carbohydrates (whole fruits, grains, starchy vegetables, and beans and other legumes) your body needs.

Recipe Library

Top 3 Recommended Recipes:

Get recipe ideas that are designed to support your lowest scores. Filter recipes based on food preferences and supported metabolites. Kickstart Assessment Program clients have 30-day access to 300+ recipes in Ixcela’s Recipe Library. 90-Day Ixcela program customers have access for the duration of their program.

Ixcela Supplement Recomemendations

Supplement Recommendations:

Supplement recommendations are based on test results. While we recommend using our high-quality, lab-tested Ixcela supplements, you can substitute them with supplements from your favorite brand.

Consult your doctor before taking supplements, especially if you are taking medication, have a chronic illness, are being treated for a chronic illness, or are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

Mindfulness Recommendations

Mindfulness Recommendations:

The gut and the brain are connected. Ixcela’s recommendations include ideas on improving gut health through recovery practices, sleep, and other lifestyle habits.

Top 3 Mindfulness Recommendations

Top 3 Mindfulness Resources:

Our Mindfulness Library features easy-to-follow videos and best practices to help you integrate wellness into your everyday routine. Kickstart Assessment Program clients have 30-day access. 90-Day Ixcela program customers have access for the duration of their program.

Fitness Recommendations

Fitness Recommendations:

Daily movement plays a key role in gut health. Ixcela’s recommendations include fitness ideas to support your metabolite levels and overall health.

Fitness Plan

90-Day Fitness Plan:

Olympic-caliber trainers designed 90-day fitness plans to accommodate beginner, intermediate, and advanced regimens. Our fitness plans include strength training, cardio, and restorative activities.

“Ixcela is like a CT scan that shows the dynamic interaction between my patient’s genes, environment, lifestyle, stressors, diet, and medication. It adds another dimension that helps me understand what’s happening with the biochemistry in my patient’s body so that we can better understand what we need to focus on.”

Dr. Travis Wilkes, MD


FAQ

Yes! Our team of registered dietitians nutritionists are licensed in all 50 states and have gone through rigorous training and credentialing.

No. While the Kickstart Assessment Program will show you recommended supplements based on your results, supplements are sold separately. Ixcela’s Complete Package Program and Personalized Accountability Program with Dedicated Ixcela Expert Support do include a 90-day supply of the recommended Ixcela supplements listed in the first results as part of the packaged price.

Assessing the functionality of your gut is the shortcut to finding out what are the most important nutrition and lifestyle habits to focus on right now. While it would be great if we could do all of the things for a healthy lifestyle, realistically most people can take on a few changes at a time. Ixcela testing with the guidance of an Ixcela registered dietitian helps to reveal which habits to prioritize to alleviate your symptoms and achieve your goals.

Your gut affects everything you do. When your gut health is out of balance, the effect is more than just a stomachache—it changes how you feel, how you sleep, how you recover, how you manage stress, how much energy you have, and even the types of foods you crave.

We test it. Ixcela’s test determines if an imbalance in the gut is the culprit behind your health challenges. Whether it’s GI distress, sluggish energy levels, sleep challenges, a weight-loss plateau, or simply wanting to feel better, this tool will help us pinpoint where to start.

The Ixcela test is a simple pinprick blood test that you can do at home. Our method is used by trusted physicians and researchers and is the latest in gut health technology.

Ixcela tests blood instead of stool because we’re assessing your gut’s functionality—not simply what bacteria is in your stool. This allows us to understand if the bacteria in your gut are doing their job to produce the things you need to feel and perform your best. Find out if your gut is imbalanced, if you’re missing key nutrients in your diet, or if stress is taking a toll on your internal health.

No. Ixcela is a non-diagnostic test. Please talk to your doctor if you have questions about FSA/HSA reimbursement eligibility.

Yes. Schedule a free 15-min consult with one of our registered dietitians. If you share your goals and symptoms, they will let you know whether or not Ixcela is a good fit for you.

More questions? Check out our complete FAQ list.