BIA Testing: What is it and How Can it Help You?

Reviewed By: Dr. Buonassisi

BIA Testing is something we’ve been talking more of lately, as we completed the Metagenics 10 Day Cleanse, but what exactly is it and how can it help you?  This invaluable tool for assessing your body’s physiology, and a test that is also used by NASA to monitor the body composition of astronauts in flight, is the ideal starting point for your next big health change or assessment.

What is BIA Testing?

Bio-electrical Impedance Analysis or Bioimpedance Analysis (also known as simply BIA) is a simple test that assesses your body composition, measuring your body fat to lean body mass. BIA takes an internal snapshot of your cellular health to communicate how quickly or slowly your body is ageing on the inside. This simple, quick test is a wonderful part of health and nutrition assessment, and we recommend BIA Testing prior to the start of a major cleanse or body transformation. 

How Does BIA Testing Work?

The BIA Test itself takes no more than five minutes, but there is several protocol points that require attention within the 24 hours preceding the test.

When you arrive at our offices, Katie, our in-house ROHP, will bring you into the treatment room, where you will be required to remove your right sock. She will have you lay on the treatment and will place two electrodes on your right hand and right foot. She then simply runs the Biomarkers 2000 Body Scan Analyzer which takes no more than 5 seconds. An accurate, direct readout of the impedance of your body, which estimates your mass distribution and body water compartments, then prints out from the machine.

BIA Testing Parameters

• Phase Angle: the quantity and quality of active tissue, which is the key bio-marker of healthy ageing
• Active Tissue Mass: the amount of metabolically active tissue including the organs, nervous tissue, visceral and skeletal muscle
• Fat Mass: the total mass of adipose tissue, which is used for storing fat in the body, both in the internal organs and subcutaneous deposits
• Intracellular Water: all of the water contained in the active cells
• Extracellular Water: all of the body water that is not found in the active cells, such as water in the plasma, tissue spaces and lymph

The Benefits of BIA Testing

• Early detection of an improper balance in your body composition, allowing for intervention and prevention of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and more
• Provides an accurate measurement of fluid and body mass to assess your current state of health and change habits if necessary
• The assessment of body composition allows for nutritional guidance
• Providing a measurement for athletic performance, BIA testing will show an increase in lean body mass, body cell mass, and phase angle along with increasing physical performance.

BIA Testing is offered at 8 West Cosmetic for free until Jan. 29th, 2017 and you can also get 15% off a Metagenics Clear Change 10 Day Cleanse. Click here to schedule your complimentary BIA Testing with our in-house Registered Orthomolecular Health Practitioner, Katie.