Functional Testing

Functional testing can be helpful to determine exactly what is going on for you so that your treatment can be targeted to get you on track to better health, faster.

Most tests can be done in the comfort of your own home, which are then sent to the lab for comprehensive analysis. Please note functional testing is only available within New Zealand.

It is highly recommended to have a consultation first, so that you can have your health concerns fully assessed, and test results professionally interpreted with treatment recommendations to match.

Let’s have a look at the functional tests on offer:

 

Hormone testing

  • DUTCH Complete Urine Test – comprehensive urine test for adrenal, sleep, and sex hormones.

This test may be useful if you are experiencing chronic stress, sleep problems, PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, heavy, painful, irregular, or absent periods, migraines, mid-cycle spotting, fertility problems, reduced sex drive, or sexual dysfunction.

  • DUTCH Sex Hormone Test – comprehensive urine test for all the sex hormone metabolites: androgens, progesterone metabolites, estrogen, and metabolites, DHEAS.

This test may be useful if you suspect you are experiencing hormonal problems but are not experiencing chronic stress or sleep problems and therefore don’t require the more comprehensive DUTCH Complete test.

  • Complete Thyroid Panel - comprehensive blood test of all the thyroid hormones (TSH, T4, T3, RT3, TPO Abs, TG Abs).

This test may be useful if you are experiencing symptoms of an:

Underactive thyroid: weight gain, insomnia, brain fog, difficulty focusing, increased sensitivity to cold, constipation, dry skin, elevated blood cholesterol, muscle aches, painful or swelling joints, heavy or irregular periods, fertility problems, hair loss, slowed heart rate, depression, poor memory, enlarged thyroid gland. Children: delayed puberty, delayed development of permanent teeth, poor growth, or mental development.

Overactive thyroid: hyperactivity, nervousness, irritability, panic attacks, hand tremor, rapid or irregular heartbeat, heart palpitations, increased appetite with weight loss, excessive sweating, more frequent bowel motions, increased sensitivity to heat, difficulty sleeping, thinning skin, fine & brittle hair, an enlarged thyroid gland.

Digestive health testing

  • IgG Food Allergy Test – comprehensive blood spot or serum test to identify 190 foods that may be triggering a reaction and to assess for Candida.

This test may be useful if you are experiencing symptoms such as chronic migraines, ADD/ADHD, autism, epilepsy, insomnia, depression, irritable bowel syndrome (diarrhea, constipation, bloating, reflux, and abdominal pain), eczema, acne, urticaria, psoriasis, metabolic syndrome, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, fibromyalgia, and arthritis.

  • GI360 Essentials Test – comprehensive stool test to measure the levels of beneficial gut bacteria, and to identify if you have leaky gut, and any pathogenic parasites, bacterial, viral or yeast infections.

This test may be useful if you are experiencing IBS symptoms such as chronic diarrhea, constipation, reflux, abdominal pain and bloating and would like to find out the underlying cause.

  • Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) Test – simple 3-hour breath test to measure the amount of hydrogen or methane gases produced by bacteria to determine if you have an overgrowth of bacteria in your small intestine and if so, which type of SIBO infection you have (there are several types all of which are treated differently).

    It is recommended to do two types of SIBO tests - a lactulose and a glucose test to detect SIBO.

These tests may be useful if you are experiencing IBS symptoms such as chronic diarrhea, constipation, bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain, and reflux. Please note, 80% of IBS cases are due to SIBO.

  • GPL-MycoTOX – comprehensive urine test to identify for mould toxicity. This test screens for eleven different mycotoxins, from forty species of mould.

This test may be useful if you are experiencing symptoms of mould toxicity such as sinus problems, coughing, headaches, brain fog, depression, anxiety, joint pain, muscle pain, muscle cramps and twitches, skin rashes, itchy skin, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and hormonal imbalances particularly if you know you have had high exposure to mould in your home or environment.

  • GPL-TOX – comprehensive urine test that assesses exposure to 172 different environmental toxins.

This test may be useful to detect the underlying cause of chemical sensitivity, chronic diseases, neurological diseases, and autoimmune disorders.

 Overall Health Testing

  • Organic Acids Test (OAT) – comprehensive urine test to determine your overall health and which parts of your body need support by analysing vitamin and antioxidant levels, energy production, fat metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, bacterial infections, candida overgrowth, neurotransmitter levels, detoxification, and much more.

This test may be useful if you are experiencing chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression for no known reason, poor immunity, a chronic illness, autoimmune disease, weight problems, difficulty concentrating, a behavioral disorder, hyperactivity or have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD.