Many of our patients arrive after months — sometimes years — of standard lab work coming back "normal" while symptoms persist. Functional testing helps us look at the gradient between health and disease: how your hormones, gut, thyroid, adrenals, and metabolism are actually performing day to day.
We use testing strategically. Not every patient needs every panel. After a thorough intake, we recommend only the tests likely to change your plan — and we walk you through every result so you understand what it means and what we're going to do about it.
Please note: our office does not perform blood draws and does not order blood-based lab panels. All of the testing we use is non-invasive and collected at home — dried urine, saliva, stool, or breath. If your physician has already run blood work, we're happy to review those results with you, and we'll refer you back to your provider when blood testing is the right next step.
When Functional Testing Can Help
- Persistent fatigue, brain fog, or low energy despite normal labs
- Bloating, irregularity, reflux, or suspected food sensitivities
- Cycle irregularity, PMS, perimenopause, menopause, or andropause symptoms
- Thyroid symptoms with "borderline" or unclear conventional results
- Autoimmune or inflammatory patterns and unexplained flares
- Stress-response and sleep patterns that aren't recovering
Panels We Commonly Use
Gut & Microbiome
- Comprehensive DNA stool analysis (GI-MAP)
- SIBO breath testing (lactulose / glucose)
- Intestinal permeability ("leaky gut") stool markers
- H. pylori, parasites, and dysbiosis screens
Hormones & Adrenals
- DUTCH complete & cycle-mapping (dried urine)
- Salivary cortisol & DHEA (adrenal rhythm)
- Hormone metabolite pathways for female & male patients
- Perimenopause, menopause, and andropause workups
Cellular Energy & Metabolism
- Urinary organic acids (mitochondrial energy production)
- Neurotransmitter and detoxification metabolites
- Yeast and bacterial overgrowth markers
- Functional nutrient-need markers
Nutrition & Food Reactions
- Structured elimination and reintroduction protocols
- Symptom-and-food journaling with clinical review
- Food-first nutrition planning around identified triggers
- Review of outside labs you already have
Thyroid Support
- Clinical review of thyroid labs ordered by your physician
- Iodine, selenium, and conversion-cofactor considerations
- Symptom mapping alongside adrenal rhythm testing
Coordination With Your Physician
- We do not perform blood draws or order blood panels
- We interpret and integrate results your provider has already run
- Referral back to your PCP or specialist when blood work is warranted
Tests We Use, Compared
A quick reference to the specialty panels we order most often — what each one measures, when we reach for it, and roughly how long results take.
| Test | Sample type | What it measures | When we use it | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DUTCH Complete / Plus | Dried urine (4 samples over 24h, at-home) | Sex hormones + metabolites, cortisol rhythm, DHEA, melatonin, organic acids (Plus) | Perimenopause, PMS, PCOS, low libido, cortisol/adrenal rhythm workups | 3–4 weeks |
| GI-MAP (DNA stool) | Single stool sample (at-home) | Pathogens, H. pylori + virulence, opportunists, dysbiosis, parasites, calprotectin, secretory IgA, zonulin, elastase | Bloating, IBS, IBD workup, autoimmune, chronic skin, suspected dysbiosis | 2–3 weeks |
| SIBO Breath Test | Breath (lactulose or glucose, at-home) | Hydrogen and methane production in the small intestine | Bloating that worsens with fiber/probiotics, IBS-C or IBS-D, post-food-poisoning IBS | 2 weeks |
| Salivary Cortisol / Adrenal Rhythm | Saliva (multiple samples across the day, at-home) | Free cortisol curve and DHEA — the daily stress-response rhythm | Wired-and-tired patterns, afternoon crashes, poor sleep onset, burnout | 2–3 weeks |
| Urinary Organic Acids | First-morning urine (at-home) | Cellular energy production, neurotransmitter metabolites, detoxification, yeast/bacterial markers, nutrient need markers | Persistent fatigue, brain fog, mood changes, post-illness recovery | 2–3 weeks |
Turnaround windows are typical ranges from the lab; actual timing varies with shipping and lab volume.
How It Works
- Comprehensive intake. We review your history, symptoms, prior labs, and goals.
- Targeted testing. We recommend only panels likely to change your plan, with pricing discussed up front.
- Convenient at-home collection. Every panel we use is collected at home — saliva, dried urine, stool, or breath. We do not perform blood draws or order blood panels.
- Results review. A dedicated follow-up to interpret every marker and translate it into a clear plan.
- Personalized protocol. Food-first nutrition, targeted supplementation, and lifestyle medicine — adjusted over time as we re-test what matters.