Putting the jigsaw puzzle together.
Conventional vs Functional Testing
Conventional lab testing is lab testing you’d receive if it were ordered by a medical doctor—focused on identifying full-blown disease or the progressed form of a health condition.
Conventional tests may include blood work, stool or urine samples, breath tests, imaging and scans, and are great for diagnosing you with a specific ICD-10 diagnostic code the doctor is looking for—like GERD (acid reflux), cancer, E. coli, or heart disease.
Functional lab testing can also help you identify health imbalances in your body. However, unlike conventional lab testing that often looks for a specific issue, functional lab testing is typically more focused on prevention—identifying the patterns and health trends that may collectively lead to disease, or may be the cause behind unsolved, non-specific symptoms.
When many people embark on their healing journey, they find it difficult (especially if feeling very unwell) to be able to know where to start or which direction they should go to find answers to their health challenges.
Sensible, guided testing is an investment which can save a lot of guess work and money in the long term.
Depending on what the presenting problems are, depends on which test would be advised. If someone is having clear gut issues, a GI Map and OAT test might be beneficial.
If someone is showing signs of adrenal / thyroid dysfunction, not sleeping and having a lot of anxiety, a Dutch Plus would be beneficial in looking at sex hormones and cortisol levels in particular.
All these tests can be delivered to your own home and then collected by courier to be returned to the lab. Results take up to 21 days, and will come with a standard report. I will then interpret the report and give recommendations based upon the results.
Wide net testing
Conventional lab testing is more like using a fishing pole and specific bait (the test) to catch a specific fish (a condition)—such as a trout or shark—whereas functional lab testing is more like casting a wide net to see what fish (conditions) are present in the sea.
For example, your doctor may run a conventional stool test to specifically look for a pathogen like E. coli or C. diff in your body. A functional stool test might instead assess over 40,000 microbes and yeasts present in your colon and determine if conditions like dysbiosis, insufficiency dysbiosis (low growth of healthy bacteria), candida, or an unknown pathogen is present.
Both conventional and functional lab tests can be helpful, but since functional testing tends to look at the big picture, it is often most useful for determining seemingly mysterious symptoms that your doctor apparently cannot solve.
Some of the most common functional lab tests may include:
Comprehensive stool analysis (GI Map)
Organic acids urine testing
Salivary and urine cortisol testing (DUTCH Plus)
SIBO breath testing
Heavy metals testing (Hair Elements)
Mold and mycotoxin testing
Food intolerance testing
Genetics, DNA, and nutrigenomics testing
Example of Functional Lab Tests available:
Further lab testing is available on request such as thyroid panel, genetic testing etc.
GI Map plus Zonulin
GI Map
http://www.nordiclabs.com/EDetail.aspx?id=3827
The GI-MAP was designed to detect microbes that may be disturbing normal microbial balance or contributing to illness as well as indicators of digestion, absorption, inflammation, and immune function.
Includes 60 minute appointment to discuss findings, written report and suggestions of interventions/ supplements which may be beneficial.
Your gut health plays an enormous role in your health. It is more than just digestion. Your gut is connected to everything. Your microbiome health is connected to your immune system, metabolism, mental health, and other areas. Imbalance in your microbiome and various pathogen overgrowth may contribute to the development of chronic symptoms, autoimmune, and other chronic health issues. This is the best and most comprehensive gut test I have found. It helps to identify bacterial pathogens, parasitic pathogens, viral pathogens, normal flora, dysbiotic flora, potential autoimmune triggers, and all intestinal health markers. Price includes a 60 minute appointment to discuss GI Map results and suggestions for treatment.
475.00€
Dutch Test Plus
Dutch Plus
http://nordiclabs.com/EDetail.aspx?id=3988
The DUTCH Plus™ takes hormone testing to a whole new level. In addition to sex hormones and their metabolites, the DUTCH Complete™ looks at the overall diurnal pattern of free cortisol, and the total and distribution of cortisol metabolites. The DUTCH Plus™ adds the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) to bring another important piece of the HPA axis into focus.
The DUTCH Plus test is the most comprehensive way to measure levels of sex and stress hormones. It uses a combination of urine and saliva samples collected through the day to assess hormone levels, metabolites and organic acids to give a complete overview of hormonal health.
Includes 60 minute appointment to discuss findings, written report and suggestions of interventions/ supplements which may be beneficial.
485.00€
Hair Mineral Elements
Hair Elements
http://nordiclabs.fi/EDetail.aspx?id=989
Hair Elements analysis provides information regarding recent and ongoing exposure to potentially toxic metals, and time-averaged status of specific nutrient elements
Includes 60 minute appointment to discuss findings, written report and suggestions of interventions/ supplements which may be beneficial.
Hair Elements analysis provides information regarding recent and ongoing exposure to potentially toxic metals, and time-averaged status of specific nutrient elements.
240.00€
Organic Acid Test (OAT)
Organic Acid Test (OAT)
http://nordiclabs.com/EDetail.aspx?id=1062
The Organic Acids Test (OAT) provides a comprehensive nutritional and metabolic snapshot of an individual’s overall health. The OAT measures 76 organic acids from one easy to collect urine sample.
Includes 60 minute appointment to discuss findings, written report and suggestions of interventions/ supplements which may be beneficial.
400.00€
Metabolomix
Metabolomix
http://nordiclabs.com/EDetail.aspx?id=3504
The Metabolomix+ is a unique combination of nutritional tests that provides an analysis of key nutritional biomarkers. Metabolomix+ nutritional test is a non-invasive, patient-friendly way to assess the functional need for antioxidants, B-vitamins, minerals, digestive support, amino acids urine elements (add-on) and fatty acids (add-on).
Includes 60 minute appointment to discuss findings, written report and suggestions of interventions/ supplements which may be beneficial.
550.00€