How to Read Your MRT Results

How to Read Your MRT Results: A Complete Interpretation Guide

You’ve completed your MRT 176 Panel blood test and received your results. This guide explains exactly how to read your report, understand the color classifications, and use the data to start your LEAP elimination diet.

Understanding the Color System

Your MRT report classifies each of the 176 tested substances into a color-coded bar chart:

🟢 Green — Non-Reactive

• What it means: Your white blood cells showed minimal mediator release when exposed to this substance
• What to do: These are your safest foods. During ImmunoCalm (Phase 1), you eat exclusively from this list
• Typical count: Most patients have 100-140 Green-rated substances

🟡 Yellow — Moderate Reactivity

• What it means: Your cells showed a borderline inflammatory response — not as strong as Red, but measurably above baseline
• What to do: Eliminated during Phase 1, then carefully reintroduced one at a time during Phase 2 (every 72 hours)
• Typical count: Most patients have 15-30 Yellow-rated substances

🔴 Red — Reactive

• What it means: Your cells released a significant volume of inflammatory mediators when exposed to this substance
• What to do: Eliminate completely for a minimum of 3-6 months. Some practitioners recommend re-testing after 6-12 months, as sensitivities can change
• Typical count: Most patients have 15-35 Red-rated substances

Reading the Bar Chart

Your results are displayed as a horizontal bar chart for each substance. The bar length represents the degree of mediator release:

• Short bar (Green zone) — Low mediator release, considered safe
• Medium bar (Yellow zone) — Moderate mediator release, borderline reactivity
• Long bar (Red zone) — High mediator release, significant reactivity

The cutoff thresholds between Green, Yellow, and Red are standardized by Oxford Biomedical Technologies based on clinical validation data.

What the Results DON’T Tell You

Important limitations to understand:

• MRT is not an allergy test. It does not measure IgE-mediated allergies (immediate reactions like anaphylaxis). If you have known food allergies, continue avoiding those foods regardless of MRT results
• Green doesn’t mean “healthy.” A food being Green-rated means your immune system doesn’t react to it — it doesn’t speak to the food’s nutritional value
• Results are a snapshot. Your immune reactivity can change over time. A food that’s Red today may become tolerable after months of avoidance and gut healing
• Severity ≠ symptom intensity. A strongly Red-rated food doesn’t necessarily cause worse symptoms than a mildly Red one. The relationship between mediator volume and symptom severity is complex

Identifying Patterns in Your Results

Your CLT will look for these common patterns:

Chemical Cluster Pattern

If you react to multiple food chemicals (citric acid, FD&C dyes, MSG), your symptom triggers may be hidden in processed foods you’d never suspect. This pattern often explains why patients feel better eating “clean” without knowing exactly why.

Food Family Pattern

Reactivity sometimes clusters within botanical or zoological families. For example, if you react to wheat, you may also react to barley and rye (all grains in the grass family). Your CLT will note these clusters when planning reintroduction.

High Reactivity Count Pattern

If you have an unusually high number of Red/Yellow items (40+), this may indicate increased intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”) or systemic immune activation. Your CLT may recommend additional gut-healing protocols alongside the LEAP diet.

Next Steps After Receiving Results

1. Review with your CLT — A Certified LEAP Therapist will walk through your results, identify patterns, and create your personalized Phase 1 meal plan
2. Start your food journal — Begin tracking symptoms daily before starting Phase 1 to establish your pre-LEAP baseline
3. Check your groceries — Use our product assessment database to search for any food product and see which MRT-tested substances it contains
4. Begin ImmunoCalm — Follow your CLT’s plan to start the first 14 days of the LEAP protocol

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is the MRT test?

Split-sample reproducibility studies have shown greater than 90% consistency when the same blood sample is tested twice. The MRT captures mediator release across all immune pathways (Type I, III, and IV hypersensitivity), making it the most comprehensive food sensitivity test available. See our test comparison guide for more details.

Can MRT results change over time?

Yes. After 6-12 months of avoidance and gut healing, some previously reactive foods may become tolerable. Some practitioners recommend re-testing annually to update your food plan.

What if I react to a Green-rated food?

Rare, but possible. MRT measures immune-mediated reactions — other mechanisms (enzyme deficiencies, FODMAP intolerance, histamine sensitivity) can cause symptoms independently. Report any suspected reactions to your CLT for investigation.