Functional Pathology Testing
- Getting to the Bottom of Things - 

Health Testing from a Functional Perspective

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A GP or specialist are trained to use the common pathology tests to look for disease, not health, so if results come back inside the range, that is all the doctor is interested in.  This testing is important, but it is not a measure of health unless the results are read from a functional perspective.

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Tests from your doctor are undertaken on blood that is mixed with preservatives and taken to the lab to be assessed for markers by a pathologist. 

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When your doctor reads your results, he/she is looking for frank pathology. They do not read blood test results for functional health, they simple want to see if you are inside or outside the very large range that may hint at a disease state.

It is important to know that an ‘all clear’ on a blood test just means that you aren’t in the ‘bad enough’ range to show up as having a problem.  There is a functional range that your doctor doesn’t measure.

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When we look at tests from a Naturopathic perspective, we are looking at how your body is doing from a functional health perspective. Doctors generally review tests from a pathological perspective, which can miss the signals of decline that we want to see to catch change before it becomes entrenched.  

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Test ranges are based on the general 'norm' or a group of not necessarily healthy people. These ranges also keep being changed, allowing more people to fall into the ‘normal’ category, when they are actually in clinical decline. 

Three examples of this are:

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1) Kidney filtration – eGFR – which used be considered normal if the reading was >90; now the range has been reduced to >60, allowing more people in the decline category to go home not realising that their kidneys are taking strain.

2) Thyroid Stimulating Hormone - TSH - used to be 0.04 – 4.0, now the range is 0.05 – 6. The optimal functional range for this measure is 1.5-2, anywhere under or over this range will give symptoms of dysfunction that will go unnoticed medically, until there really is a disease in place, by which time recovery is going to be harder.

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3) Vitamin D - the optimal range is over 150

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It's good practice to take any blood tests ordered by your GP with you to your Naturopathic appointment, for a functional review and discussion from a health perspective (rather than simply disease-model review).

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Some of our most popular functional tests include

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• ADVANCED MICROBIOME MAPPING - The gut microbiome is the key to balance in the body, from mood to immunity.

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• INTESTINAL PERMEABILITY TEST - Changes in intestinal permeability are associated with many health conditions including autism, autoimmune disorders, food sensitivities and inflammatory bowel disease. This ‘leaky gut’ causes disease because the perturbed intestinal barrier allows toxic molecules to enter the bloodstream and poison the body. 

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• VAGINAL MICROBIOME MAPPING - useful in the management of bacterial vaginosis, chronic thrush, and endometriosis. The vagina is home to a complex ecosystem of organisms that may include bacteria, viruses, parasites and yeasts. Some of these organisms are important in keeping us healthy as they act to discourage other potential pathogens from thriving. Disruptions in balance of any of these can lead to infections and/or uncomfortable symptoms. Every vaginal microbiome is different and factors such as age, hormonal disruptions and even antibiotic/probiotic use can contribute to changes.

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• SLEEP BALANCE PROFILE - urine metabolites. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder which can lead to serious health conditions if not treated. People who have insomnia have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. As a result, they may get too little sleep or have poor-quality sleep. Utilising such a tool for identifying possible insomnia disorders will look at a complete diurnal pattern of melatonin and cortisol to help patients struggling with hormone-related sleep imbalances.

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• DUTCH - Comprehensive Hormone Testing brings great insight to your body's hormonal status. This test will measure and identify: Estrogens (x13), Progestagens (x7), Androgens (x6), Glucocorticoids (x4), free Cortisol (x4), free Cortisone (x4), and Melatonin (x4). The advanced hormone profile is collected off four separate dried urine samples at key time points throughout the same day: 1st morning, 2nd morning, early evening, and bedtime. Urine is collected on filter paper strips either by dipping it in urine collected in a cup, or by urinating directly on the strip.

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• MARCONS - sinus testing - looking at slow growing strep and fungal infection in the sinuses - a driver of chronic systemic inflammation. MARCoNS (Multiple Antibiotic Resistant Coagulase Negative Staphylococci) is an antibiotic resistant staph infection that resides deep in the nose. MARCoNS are very slow growing however, can have such an effect on one’s health leading to chronic fatigue, hormonal imbalances, and more.

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• HOMOCYSTEINE - essential to review methylation efficiency, and to review cardiovascular and metabolic health processes.  Homocysteine, a sulphur-containing amino acid is an intermediate product in the normal biosynthesis of the amino acids methionine and cysteine.  Homocysteine is predominantly metabolised via two pathways.  The enzyme MTHFR converts homocysteine to methionine.  The MTHFR is strongly dependent on cofactors folate and vitamin B12.  Elevated homocysteine is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, coronary artery disease, chronic heart failure and cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular disease.  Its involvement in these conditions may be related to its prothrombotic properties, proliferative effect on smooth muscle cells and pro-oxidant activity.

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• HOMA - Insulin Resistance testing. Insulin Resistance is calculated from both the fasting insulin and fasting glucose results to create the HOMA score (homoeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance). Insulin resistance is a key component of the Metabolic Syndrome along with abdominal obesity, elevated LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, low HDL cholesterol and high blood pressure. Untreated insulin resistance may lead to diabetes and require medical intervention and ongoing treatment.

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• ORGANIC ACIDS (OAT) - neurotransmitter and nutrient metabolites review. The Organic Acids Metabolomic Profile is a nutritional test providing insights into organic acids and a view into the body’s cellular metabolic processes. Additionally, children’s reference ranges are designed to provide more accurate paediatric nutritional evaluations. Identifying metabolic blocks that can be treated nutritionally allows individual tailoring of interventions that maximise patient responses and lead to improved patient outcomes.

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• NEUROTRANSMITTERS - urinary metabolites of neurotransmitters - helps identify imbalances affecting mood and emotions. The Extensive Neurotransmitter Profile is a urine test, assessing levels of 6 neurotransmitters: serotonin + GABA + dopamine + noradrenaline + adrenaline + glutamate. These neurotransmitters are the most researched in relation to their effects on mood disorders, hormones, sleep, glucose/insulin balance, pain perception, appetite and cognitive function.

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• PFEIFFER PANEL - an important review of methylation in the context of mental health. The Pfeiffer Profile is a combination of core nutritional elements that make up a comprehensive biochemical assessment to monitor and evaluate disorders such as ADD, ADHD, Autism, learning disorder, mental disorders, and general well-being. 

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• NUTRIGENOMICS - Comprehensive Genetic Report with nutritional and metabolic insights. Includes COMPT, MTHFR, MTR, MTRR, HLADQ, APOE and more. 

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Testing through Naturopathic clinics are done privately through a functional pathology lab, not mainstream labs, they are not subsidised by Medicare.

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Start by making a Naturopathic Appointment - email us below for a time.

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