The Functional Medicine Lab Tests You Need to Know About

Test, don’t guess!

I say it all the time because functional medicine lab testing truly is the best way to get reliable, accurate, and concrete information. It helps you nail down the problem when you otherwise might not be able to fit the pieces together. It’s no secret I’m a huge proponent of testing. 

While it often feels like an investment upfront, functional medicine lab testing provides clarity to ease the stress of trying to heal. Additionally, testing can save you from wasting a ton of money on supplements, protocols, and practices that aren’t really what you need. 

Healing naturally is possible, and Grace, the assistant to Primally Pure’s founder, is the beautiful poster child for this! In just five months after we ran her labs and identified the root cause of her acne and skin issues, she saw unbelievable results in her skin, energy, mood, confidence, overall inflammation and more. I’ll share more about our approach to help clear her skin in this article, but first, I want you to know these tests can be life-changing and healing from the inside out works!

In this article, I will share with you: the difference between functional medicine and conventional medicine lab testing, what lab tests I encourage you to consider based on your symptoms, and how you can access these tests.

Functional Medicine vs. Conventional Medicine Lab Tests

Have you ever gone to your doctor to get “annual labs,” and despite feeling less than your best, the doctor tells you everything is “normal” and you can be on your way?! So frustrating! I understand, because this was part of my story, too. 

If you’re feeling off, tired, foggy – or if you struggle with persistent weight you cannot lose or poor immunity – you should consider functional medicine lab testing. This is not to be confused with basic and incomplete lab testing you might receive from a conventional doctor. 

Functional medicine testing differs from conventional medicine testing in a few ways:

• Functional medicine testing is more comprehensive, offering a deeper and fuller look into possible causes (and solutions!) to health problems. For example, many conventional doctors will only test TSH when looking at possible thyroid problems, but a full thyroid panel (T3, T4, TSH, etc.) is actually necessary to understand the big picture of thyroid health. Your “annual lab work” from a conventional doctor is likely not enough – there will be too many holes in the data that you won’t be able to get a full and clear picture of your health. 
• Many conventional doctors won’t run these full functional medicine tests because they are not standard practices in their hospitals and clinics. Unfortunately, insurance often won’t cover them despite them being instrumental in identifying the root cause of symptoms.
• Functional medicine and conventional medicine differ in their desired ranges for most tests. “Normal” conventional ranges are often different from “optimal” functional medicine ranges. Have you ever had symptoms but doctors told you that your tests came back “normal?” This could account for the discrepancy between how you feel and tests that show “nothing’s wrong.” See how the insulin of 20.7 on the bottom is even in the green? But it’s not what many functional medicine practitioners would consider optimal. 

With a more comprehensive picture of health, functional medicine lab testing helps you and your healthcare practitioner know what to prioritize. By really pinpointing the root cause(s), it becomes easier to craft an effective, tailored, and strategic plan to improve your health. 

Which lab test is right for you?

The following lab tests are some of my favorite functional medicine lab tests that I have been ordering for years. They include gold standard tests within the functional medicine industry. These are lab tests that I have cherry picked from different companies based on 12 years in the functional medicine industry working with thousands of patients. In my eyes, they are truly the best of the best. 

These are the lab tests you may consider based on your symptoms. Results will help you discover the real root cause(s) behind symptoms. 

1. Stool Test

The stool test is my absolute favorite test to start with most of my clients. It offers specific and comprehensive information. 

It’s the first test I turn to for clients who are having gut issues like bloating, diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal discomfort. It’s also a test I turn to to address seemingly unrelated-to-gut (but actually very related!) issues like brain fog, acne, eczema, joint pain, or fatigue. 

Good health starts in the gut, and a stool test will give you a clear picture of what your gut health currently looks like. Ideally, you begin your health journey by healing your gut – and that has positive downstream effects on healing all sorts of “other” symptoms from there.

The GI MAP test is the one I’ve used on thousands of clients. It analyzes and detects the following markers and pathogens:

• Parasites
• Fungi/yeast, including candida overgrowth
• H. Pylori and Virulence factors
• H. Pylori Antibiotic Resistant Genes
• Good and bad gut bacteria
• Digestive enzymes
• Inflammation
• Gluten sensitivity marker
• Immune function

Through my TDW Community, you can get access to this stool test and my Get Your Gut Right program at a special price. This comprehensive gut reset program includes a stool test and self-paced, uniquely designed modules to dive into factors impacting your gut like nutrition, detox pathways, the nervous system, a clean environment, and more. NO invasive procedures, unrealistic diets, or overwhelming supplement protocols. 

After this program, you will know what caused your gut issues (via your personal stool test results!) and exactly what to do about them. With access to everything my program offers – personalized testing, detox protocols, recipes, trusted products, and much more – you can Get Your Gut Right once and for all! Plus all the other perks that come with being a TDW Community member!

2. Nutrient Test

This is another fabulous and comprehensive functional medicine test that I consider to be foundational to health and healing. A nutrient test tells you exactly what supplements and lifestyle changes your body needs. It offers insight into toxin markers as well as gut and digestion. 

A nutrient test will tell things like:

• If you need to filter your water (aka your toxin exposure is high)
• If your liver is working too hard (aka you’re low on antioxidants like glutathione)
• If you aren’t digesting food properly (aka you need digestive enzymes)
• If you’re getting enough protein (or not!)
• If your body is methylating and detoxing properly
• If you need to optimize nutrition during pregnancy or postpartum
• What vitamins/minerals are low and might be causing fatigue
• Exactly what supplements you can benefit from 

The Metabolomix+ Nutritional Test, which is the one I offer through my TDW Community, is a non-invasive way to assess your needs with more than 125 markers, including antioxidants, B vitamins, minerals, digestive support, fatty acids, and amino acids. It also reveals your body’s exposure and reaction to toxins.

It’s 125+ markers include:

• Antioxidants
• B vitamins
• Minerals
• Digestive support
• Fatty acids
• Amino acids

3. Food Sensitivity Test

Have you ever wondered if you actually have food sensitivities? Maybe you don’t want to do a 30-day elimination diet? This is the perfect test for those who struggle with fatigue, headaches, weight gain, brain fog, skin problems like eczema/acne, digestive issues like bloating or gas, and more. A food sensitivity is not an allergy so you don’t always have an immediate obvious reaction at the time of consuming the food, it could be delayed and can help you pinpoint what could be contributing to your symptoms or inflammation. 

MosaicDX’s IgG Food MAP test is what I ran on my private practice patients for years and now offer for clients through TDW Community. It is a broad food sensitivity test that measures antibodies to 190 common foods, herbs, and spices like dairy, grains, and even beans. It also includes results for both candida and yeast. This test is a dried blood spot serum test, which makes it easy and convenient to collect at home.

4. Total Tox Burden Test

Have you ever wondered what toxins you are being exposed to? Do you need to finally invest in that water filter or air filter? Do you suspect a high toxic burden in your body? 

Now, you can finally know what toxins are elevated in your body to remove them from your environment. Inevitably, we’re all exposed to toxins in today’s world, but it is important to know what toxins you are exposed to and lower your toxin load. Toxic buildup can be particularly hard on the liver. And when the liver is overburdened by these toxins, they can clog normal detox pathways and lead to a range of chronic inflammatory symptoms. Also, a toxic burden test helps you know how to support your body in getting rid of high toxins with specific detox protocols, including binders and drainage support. 

If you’re struggling to lose weight despite diet and exercise, have chronic fatigue or weakness, depression or anxiety, dizziness or headaches, these can all be symptoms of a high toxic burden.

The Vibrant Total Tox Burden Test detects your total toxic load via a urine sample, making it the perfect test for those experiencing symptoms of high toxic burden. Testing will arm you with the information necessary to develop an effective and personalized detoxification protocol. This test is what I used for years in my private practice and now offer through my TDW Community. 

The Total Tox Burden tests for:

• 39 environmental toxins, like glyphosate, BPA, and parabens
• 29 mycotoxins, like aflatoxin, Chaetoglobosin A (CHA), and Zearalenone (ZEN)
• 20 heavy metals, like lead, arsenic, and aluminum

5. Adrenal/Cortisol Stress Test

This is my go-to test for those who have:

• Wondered if stress is leading to unwanted health symptoms or experienced chronic stress
• Experienced trouble sleeping
• Wondered if their cortisol levels are typical throughout the day
• Experienced symptoms like a short fuse, mood swings, afternoon slump, or more

I used the DUTCH Adrenal Test in my private practice and now offer it through my TDW Community. The DUTCH Adrenal Test examines daily patterns of your stress hormones by testing your urine multiple times throughout the day – it’s the most accurate way to test cortisol.

In more scientific terms, when the body undergoes physical or psychological stress, the hypothalamus signals to the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). This, in turn, stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol (the stress hormone), Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). The DUTCH Adrenal Test looks at these hormones to identify your stress and hormone levels throughout a typical day. 

6. Complete Blood Work Panel

This is a lab I suggested to all my private practice clients to get every single year. 

Comprehensive blood work will give you a baseline indication on major health markers. This type of testing shows how organs are doing in the moment including the liver and kidneys. It sheds light on thyroid health, possible anemia, preconception/pregnancy/postpartum health (including iron levels, etc.), blood sugar management, inflammation, cardiovascular health, and more. 

The Vibrant Wellness Lab Test, which is what I use and now offer through TDW Community, indicates the following:

• CMP – This shows everything from liver to kidney function as well as electrolytes. Markers include glucose, sodium, potassium, chloride, carbon dioxide, BUN, creatinine, calcium, albumin, AST, ALT, ALP, total bilirubin, and total protein. 
• CBC – This checks for certain markers like white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets and can show or indicate things like infection, anemia, or more. Markers include WBC, RBC, platelet count, RDW, hematocrit, hemoglobin, MCV, MCH, MCHC, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes. 
• Lipid panel – This test measures the amount of cholesterol and other fats in your blood. Markers include total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides.
• Homocysteine – This is an amino acid marker that can show potential vitamin deficiencies as well as provide insight into methylation. 
• hsCRP – This is an inflammatory marker that can be elevated due to chronic, long-term, low-grade inflammation as well as acute illness.
• Insulin – This lab provides insight into insulin levels which is a hormone secreted by the pancreas to control blood sugar. 
• A1C – This lab gives an overall 3-month average of your blood sugar control. 
• Full thyroid panel – This panel gives us detailed insight into your thyroid function as well as antibodies to see if you could have autoimmune thyroid disease. Markers include TSH, FT4, FT3, RT3, TPO antibodies, and TG antibodies.
• Iron, TIBC, UIBC, and ferritin – These markers give a detailed view of iron levels in your body and also tell if you have iron reserves. 
• Vitamin D – Vitamin D is a hormone and measuring levels is important as it can affect everything from bone health to immunity and fertility. 
• ANA – ANA is looking for antibodies and certain patterns in cells that can be associated with autoimmune conditions. 
• Mag RBC – This marker measures the amount of magnesium stored in red blood cells, which is a more accurate picture of overall magnesium status.
• GGT – A marker that gives more detailed insight into liver function and liver health. 

Success Stories: Lab Work Transforming Real People’s Health

HOW GRACE OVERCAME ACNE

I linked arms with my friends at Primally Pure to heal Grace’s acne taking an inside-out and outside-in approach. Our first action was to have Grace undergo functional medicine lab testing including the GI Map stool test, MosaicDX’s IgG Food MAP test for food sensitivities, and Total Tox Burden Test. 

These tests uncovered the following issues: leaky gut, parasites, poor digestion and nutrient deficiencies, gluten sensitivities, bacterial overgrowth, a burdened immune system, congested liver pathways, and poor hormone detox. 

Armed with measurable and concrete information from her functional lab tests, we were able to tailor a plan uniquely to Grace’s needs. 

Some of Grace’s protocol included:

• Switching to a paleo diet
• Getting off antibiotics (which she took for her skin)
• Taking TDW gut supplements and other targeted supplements to address bacterial overgrowth and various issues made apparent from her stool test
• Minimize exposure to the toxins that showed up in her testing by doing things like swapping skincare products for Primally Pure, filtering water, dry brushing, detox baths, and more

It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t a quick fix. But her journey was an overwhelming success. Grace’s skin is as vibrant and clear as it has been in years. You can hear more about her journey on my Instagram. Thanks to functional medicine lab testing, we knew exactly where Grace’s needs fell. 

HOW BECCA GOT HER GUT RIGHT

When Becca came to me and my team, she struggled with reflux, nausea, skin rashes, and stomach pain. Through the GI Map stool test, we uncovered the root causes of her symptoms: Becca’s gut had low levels of good bacteria and was overrun with bag bugs, specifically staph, strep, and a form of E. coli. We also learned she was highly sensitive to gluten. All these issues were keeping Becca from achieving optimal health. 

Armed with that information, here’s what we did: 

• Removed gluten from the diet
• Incorporated prebiotic and probiotic foods and supplements 
• Used antimicrobial herbs to target bacteria overgrowth
• Worked on decreasing stress and improving stomach acid production 

Becca diligently followed this protocol, and when we re-tested her gut a year later to check her progress, we saw amazing improvement in her markers. No more reflux! No more rashes! No more stomach pain or nausea! Thanks to functional medicine lab testing, we had a clear direction for a plan and a uniquely tailored protocol that finally brought Becca relief.

How to Get Access to These Tests

As I mentioned earlier, these types of comprehensive functional medicine lab tests are likely only possible if you are working with a functional medicine provider. Ask your provider about which test(s) might benefit you! 

If you’re not currently working with a healthcare practitioner who can order these tests, the TDW Community is the place for you! I offer each of these tests as an option to TDW Community members, and me and my team can even help guide you on which test(s) is best for you based on your symptoms. The membership is $39/month – no strings attached, and cancel anytime with no penalties! Of course, I hope you love TDW Community and benefit from its offerings that you want to stay forever. This membership packs a ton of value including monthly Q&A’s with me, all sorts of guides on deep dives into specific health topics, a digital library full of exclusive content and much more. I hope you’ll join us!

If you want insight into the lab test costs or have any questions, please email me and my team at support@taylordukeswellness.com.

How to Optimize Your Health According to Your Lab Results

The real magic of functional medicine testing comes when you bring those results to a trusted functional medicine health practitioner and use them to craft a tailored protocol and plan. 

If this is a missing piece in your health journey, we offer 1:1 consultations as an option to TDW Community members. A trusted nurse practitioner and/or nutritional therapy practitioner on my TDW team will review your results, answer your questions, discuss nutrition and lifestyle changes, and free medicine. It’s not all about supplements and gadgets you need! The best part is that you’ll come out of your meeting with clarity and a plan to move forward to your best health. Or, if you’re feeling overwhelmed with adopting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and want judgment-free guidance, we offer personalized health coaching. This can be a great resource post-consult or even if you have a healthcare provider to optimize your lifestyle habits, nutrition, and more. 

Connect with us at support@taylordukeswellness.com if you have questions about the available lab tests, 1:1 consults, or health coaching.