Functional Medicine Lab Ranges For Your Blood Work

In my work with clients, I typically recommend that they get some functional lab testing done; I always recommend HTMA testing and sometimes DUTCH testing.

These tests give us the necessary data to make a truly customized plan for each client to help them reach their goal of being hormonally balanced and have drama-free periods.

But, what I’ve heard from several members of my community is that the cost of functional lab testing and not being able to use insurance for any of the payment, prevents them from working with me.

This is where the use of blood work and Functional Medicine lab ranges can be so beneficial. A client is able to take a list of blood labs I provide them, to their provider of choice and request the labs be ordered.

In this scenario their insurance is billed for the blood work (coverage is unique to each health plan) and clients pay the remainder of what is not covered by insurance, their deductible, or their co-pay (whatever is specific to their health plan).

After the results of the blood work come back, they are able to submit the lab work to me where I can compare the results to Functional Medicine lab ranges. I then prepare a report for the client explaining which results are outside of the optimal ranges and explain what their lab work is indicating or how it connects to their symptoms. From there I can also guide them on how to move forward with diet & lifestyle changes and supplements if needed.

Functional Medicine lab ranges, or optimal ranges, are evidenced-based values associated with the lowest risk of disease and mortality.

The normal ranges that conventional providers compare your results to are created using a population of people that are unhealthy, leading to ranges that do not reflect optimal health.

With this in-depth review of your blood lab results, I’m looking for things like optimal thyroid function, blood sugar control, insulin resistance, cortisol imbalance, adrenal hyperactivity, certain vitamin deficiencies, inflammation, decreased protein intake or absorption, liver stress, heavy metal stress, indications of autoimmune disease, gut infections, or chronic infections, and of course imbalances within the sex hormones.

As a resource for you I’ve put together a list of blood work I suggest requesting at your next primary care appointment. If you’d like to download the list and see if I have availability to review your results and compare them to functional medicine lab ranges, click here.