How Lab Testing Will Change Your Health: What Dr. Hyman Found in My Results

Dr. Mark Hyman discusses the limitations inherent in traditional medicine when it comes to recognizing and managing the early stages of health issues, criticizing the current approaches and offering insights into a more preventative model.

Traditional medicine only diagnoses disease after it has already occurred

Traditional medicine is often late in diagnosing disease, typically only confirming a diagnosis after illness has already occurred. This approach misses crucial opportunities to prevent or reverse health conditions during their early development stages. Dr. Hyman describes traditional medical practice as focused on confirming diagnoses rather than monitoring the trajectory from wellness to illness, which can span decades.

Most doctors do not order comprehensive lab tests

Most physicians do not conduct comprehensive lab tests that could reveal early indicators of health problems like metabolic dysfunction or nutritional deficiencies. This is due, in part, to the lack of time, resources, and training to fully investigate and treat complex, multifactorial health problems. Instead, the strategy tends to be to prescribe medication rather than explore the root causes of these issues.

Insufficient emphasis on early detection

Dr. Hyman criticizes the traditional medicine's reference range for fasting [restricted term], considering it too high at 18, due to the current general population's unhealthy state. He argues for an optimal level below five, highlighting that [restricted term] is a key early indicator for metabolic problems, which traditional medicine often misses because it typically does not include such tests. Utilization of lab tests in traditional medicine is mainly for diagnosis rather than prevention, and according to Hyman, this has contributed to the chronic disease epidemic and increased healthcare expenditures without tackling the root causes. For instance, medications like Ozempic, Statins, or [restricted term] serve as temporary solutions without addressing the underlying issues.

Lack of scree ...

Dr. Mark Hyman highlights the significance of advanced diagnostic testing in identifying early signs of illness, with a particular focus on the potential of lab testing within functional medicine to prevent and reverse chronic diseases.

Functional medicine utilizes advanced lab testing to identify deviations from optimal health indicators, providing a roadmap for targeted interventions.

Dr. Hyman believes that comprehensive diagnostic testing is key to detecting signs of illness as they develop rather than when the disease is already present. This includes testing to uncover less obvious health issues, such as metabolic dysfunction and environmental toxin exposure, which can remain hidden. He stresses that lab tests play a critical role in understanding one's biology and making lifestyle adjustments, potentially extending a healthy life. Function Health was founded partly to give individuals access to their own lab data to identify deviations from optimal health and prevent diseases.

Comprehensive lab panels are capable of uncovering a wide array of issues early on, such as [restricted term] resistance, thyroid imbalances, inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, and instances of autoimmunity. Function diagnostics go beyond traditional blood sugar tests to prevent diabetes by looking at metabolic health indicators like lipid particle numbers and sizes, triglycerides, HDL levels, inflammation, uric acid, liver function, and hormonal changes.

Comprehensive lab panels can uncover issues like [restricted term] resistance, thyroid imbalances, inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, and autoimmunity long before overt disease develops.

Dr. Hyman shares that functional lab testing measures biochemical changes over time, providing early warning signs before diseases manifest. These comprehensive tests can reveal biomarkers such as anti-mullerian hormone, which is a measure of fertility, but is not typically measured. Function Health enables access to health data that allows individuals to understand what's happening in their bodies and take action accordingly.

According to Dr. Hyman, a significant number of people may have conditions they are not aware of. As many as 30% of people may have autoimmunity, 46% may experience inflammation, 13% may have autoimmune thyroid disease, and 67% of Americans might have nutritional deficiencies according to traditional lab reference ranges.

Addressing the root causes of health problems through diet, lifestyle, and other non-pharmaceutical interventions can often reverse conditions like metabolic syndrome, PCOS, and infertility.

Dr. Hyman points out that many health issues, like obesity and diabetes, do not necessarily require a doctor and can be managed at home with the right interventions. He recounts cases of patients reversing conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and hormonal dysfunctions by taking a deeper look at their health status beyond what is revealed by traditional practice.

Dr. Hyman also explains how functional medicine adds to the traditional medical perspective by including scientifically verified methods like dietary impacts, lifestyle factors, environmental toxin awareness, sleep optimization, exercise, stress management, and nutrient status. By tracking key health indicators such as blood sugar and thy ...

Function Health, developed by Dr. Mark Hyman, innovative project designed to democratize access to comprehensive testing, which was previously limited to a small number of practitioners.

Function Health provides members with comprehensive lab testing and detailed, personalized analysis of their results, without the barriers of going through a doctor or insurance.

Dr. Hyman wanted to make the comprehensive testing he used in his practice available to more people. As a result, Function Health offers an annual membership that provides initial lab testing of 110 biomarkers, with the option for members to add over 200 additional tests like food sensitivities or gluten. The idea is to empower individuals to access their health data without waiting for their doctor's office to catch up with insurance coverage, making diagnostic testing valued at $15,000 available for $499 a year.

The Function Health platform offers over 110 biomarkers on its initial panel, with the ability to select additional targeted tests as needed.

The initial panel can help indicate early health issues, such as fluctuations in BPA levels, which many doctors may not test for or know how to handle. Beyond the initial tests, members can choose to add specialized tests such as PFAS, BPA, and pesticide testing. With such a wide range of options, Function Health provides a means to monitor vital health areas without the overhead of traditional healthcare systems. The company acknowledges a high demand with a big waitlist, suggesting strong consumer interest. It's compared to breakthrough technology like the iPod, noted for addressing current needs in health technology while mindful of growing sustainably to prevent system overload.

Function Health equips members with thorough, science-based guidance on interpreting their lab data and implementing effective lifestyle changes and interventions.

Function Health pairs its testing with detailed results and thousands of pages of content to interpret lab results and intervention strategies to improve health. The platform offers robust educational content that assists users in understanding and addressing the underl ...

Dr. Mark Hyman, Mari Llewellyn, and others stress the importance of lab testing in identifying and managing health issues like metabolic dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, and cancer risk. These tests, often more comprehensive than routine checkups, can reveal underlying health concerns and guide proactive health management.

Metabolic dysfunction, including [restricted term] resistance and prediabetes, is extremely prevalent but often goes undetected in routine checkups.

Function Health's testing has revealed a startling statistic: a high percentage of individuals exhibit some level of metabolic health issues such as prediabetes or diabesity. Dr. Hyman emphasizes that metabolic health issues like obesity are common yet solvable problems, affecting a large portion of the population, including 51% of children. He points out that most doctors only test for blood sugar, which can be normal until metabolic dysfunction is advanced. He adds that indicators such as high [restricted term], abnormal lipid profiles, inflammation, and high uric acid are crucial metabolic indicators that precede diabetes but are not typically measured during regular physicals.

Tufts research shows 93.2% of Americans are metabolically unhealthy, a fact echoed by Dr. Hyman's statement that 96% of people tested have poor metabolic health. This implies the presence of a high prevalence of prediabetes and related issues. Dr. Hyman also suggests that unearthed high [restricted term] levels could be indictive of metabolic issues in many cases.

Hormone imbalances, particularly in women, are commonly missed or mismanaged by traditional medical approaches, contributing to problems like PCOS and infertility.

Function Health has shone a light on hormone imbalances, particularly in women, that traditional medical systems may overlook. This can lead to mismanaged health issues like PCOS and infertility. For instance, the fluctuation of thyroid levels can be impacted by stress, and functional labs are pivotal in monitoring the health indicators related to fertility. Such testing has helped in cases like a malnutrition issue affecting fertility, which, once identified, was corrected with diet adjustments.

Mari Llewellyn shares her personal experience with PCOS, mentioning that she managed it successfully without traditional pharmaceutical interventions, emphasizing the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical methods and comprehensive hormonal testing. Relevant tests include measurements of androgen hormones like [restricted term] and DHEA su ...