Functional Testing
WHAT IS A FUNCTIONAL TESTING
Functional medicine uses lab tests because they are extremely effective in pinpointing specific problems. The body is an interconnected system, so this approach may seem counterintuitive to the functional medicine approach. Quite the opposite. Often times small imbalances or dysfunctions build up and have a multiplier effect in the body. They surface as various symptoms or interact with one another and act as a cause for a symptom that appears to be something completely different. The specific information provided by lab tests allows functional medicine practitioners to get the big picture of your body’s ecosystem, as well as tipping them off to what further questions to ask about other factors that influence your wellness.
Micronutrient
Blood testing is typically the first step to understand and determine your health. Our functional test measures 35 different nutritional compounds to give you a better understanding of your overall health. We measure vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids, metabolites, carbohydrate metabolism, minerals and fatty acids, all performed in one simple test.
MTHFR
MTHFR is an enzyme responsible for converting the toxic amino acid homocysteine to methionine which is a useful amino acid. Testing can detect and potentially determine the cause of low levels of this enzyme which result in high levels of homocysteine and a higher increase of developing illness/complications such as stroke, cardiovascular disease, as well as venous/arterial thrombosis.
Telomere
A telomere test can measure the difference between your cellular and chronological age. What this means is it can indicate how fast you age. Low levels can be indicative of inability to handle stress or even the progression of chronic illnesses as well as metabolic abnormalities. Testing telomere is recommended to evaluate you aging rate and lead to recommendations on diet and lifestyle changes to combat this.