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.
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
- Metabolic concerns — weight, blood sugar, cholesterol, cardiometabolic risk
Panels We Commonly Use
Gut & Microbiome
- Comprehensive stool analysis (GI-MAP, GI-Effects)
- SIBO breath testing (lactulose / glucose)
- Intestinal permeability ("leaky gut") markers
- H. pylori, parasites, and dysbiosis screens
Hormones & Adrenals
- DUTCH complete & cycle-mapping hormone testing
- Salivary cortisol & DHEA (adrenal rhythm)
- Full female & male sex hormone panels
- Perimenopause, menopause, and andropause workups
Thyroid
- Full panel: TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3
- Thyroid antibodies (TPO, TgAb) for Hashimoto's patterns
- Iodine, selenium, and conversion-cofactor status
Food Sensitivities & Nutrition
- IgG/IgA food sensitivity panels
- Celiac & gluten-reactivity screening
- Micronutrient and antioxidant status
- Organic acids (energy production, neurotransmitters, detoxification)
Metabolic & Cardiovascular
- Advanced lipid (NMR particle) and ApoB testing
- Fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, HbA1c
- Inflammation markers (hs-CRP, homocysteine, ferritin)
Genetics & Methylation
- MTHFR & methylation pathway analysis
- Detoxification SNPs
- Nutrigenomic considerations to personalize protocols
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) | 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 |
| Full Thyroid Panel | Serum (blood draw) | TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3, TPO and TgAb antibodies | Fatigue, weight changes, hair loss, brain fog, suspected Hashimoto's, subclinical hypothyroid | 3–7 days |
| Micronutrient Panel | Serum + intracellular | Vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, fatty acids | Persistent fatigue, restrictive diet, post-illness recovery, athletic performance | 2–3 weeks |
| Advanced Cardiometabolic | Serum (blood draw) | NMR lipid particles, ApoB, Lp(a), hs-CRP, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, HbA1c, homocysteine | Family history of heart disease, metabolic syndrome, elevated LDL, prediabetes | 1–2 weeks |
| Food Sensitivity (IgG/IgA) | Serum or dried blood spot | Delayed-response antibody reactivity to 90–200+ foods | Persistent GI symptoms, skin flares, headaches after eating, elimination-diet guidance | 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 collection. Many panels are at-home (saliva, urine, stool, finger-stick). Blood draws are coordinated locally.
- 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.