Functional Medicine Centre in Toronto Explains How Functional Medicine Tests May Shed Light About Health

Toronto, Ontario -

Toronto Functional Medicine Centre in Toronto, ON, Canada, has recently published a new blog post that explains how functional medicine tests may reveal about a person’s health. It is important to note that under conventional Western medicine, many patients may get “normal” test results although they are not feeling well. Meanwhile, functional medicine is a health care methodology that considers every patient as a distinctive individual. Thus, integrative and functional medicine doctors will have to completely understand the background of the patient, such as family history/ genetics, lifestyle factors, environment, etc.

Functional medicine practitioners usually recommend some tests that are not always used in conventional medicine. However, by taking into account both personal history and functional medicine lab tests, a practitioner may help in finding out the root cause of a person’s illness, while helping the patients make their own decisions about their health.

One of these functional medicine Toronto tests is the DUTCH (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones), which offers a profile of hormone levels that currently cannot be determined through regular blood and regular saliva tests. The DUTCH test is used to examine sex hormones and adrenal hormones and their metabolites, including organic acids such as melatonin levels, dopamine, oxidative stress, and adrenaline metabolites. Thus, these tests may be used for evaluating male hormones, adrenal function, and female hormones. These tests may help the functional medicine doctor determine what may be done with regards to andropause, menopause, weight gain, and mood swings.

Another important functional medicine test in Toronto is the complete thyroid panel. It is not common for doctors to perform a full thyroid profile. They will usually recommend only the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and the T4 (thyroxine) tests. However, a functional medicine doctor will normally suggest a comprehensive thyroid panel, which focuses on the T3 (triiodothyronine), TSH, T4, thyroid antibodies, and other thyroid components as a way to determine if there is a thyroid dysfunction.

A third functional medicine test is the gastrointestinal health assessment or the GI 360 test. This is a meticulous test that can determine the presence of yeast, parasites, viruses, and bacteria with a clinically applicable and comprehensive stool profile. Various technologies are used to help in detecting and evaluating the status of microorganisms that could result in acute or chronic gastrointestinal symptoms, chronic illnesses, and/or dysbiosis. Thus, for people who are suffering from diarrhea, gas, constipation, bloating, and other digestive symptoms, the GI 360 test may help in determining the appropriate treatment.

Another possible functional medicine test is the small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) test. SIBO is often found in patients with symptoms, such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and flatulence. SIBO is often connected to IBD, IBS, fibromyalgia, diabetes, celiac disease, obesity, and Parkinson’s. Functional medicine centres, such as the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre, offer a breath test for SIBO. This is a non-invasive test where the patient is asked to ingest a lactose solution and the test will measure the methane and hydrogen gases from the exhaled breath. This test is highly recommended because if the condition is left untreated, it may lead to motility problems, altered gut microflora (from continual use of antibiotics and PPIs), and organ dysfunction.

And there is also the metabolic snapshot of the patient’s overall health/ organic acids test (OAT). Patients who have chronic and neurological issues often have atypical organic acids in their urine. Diets that are high in sugar, antibiotics, and immunity problems can result in large amounts of organic acids. Unlike the regular urine tests, this particular urine test provides information on key biomarkers, including the detection of high levels of bacteria , toxins & detoxification,cellular energy and mitochondrial function, neurotransmitters metabolites and yeast, that could have an impact on mitochondrial dysfunction, mood disorders, fatigue, immunity, and hyperactivity.

The Toronto Functional Medicine Centre is focused on integrative naturopathic functional medicine. They combine the functional medicine approach with alternative medicine, including homeopathic medicine, herbal medicine, traditional Chinese medicine or Eastern medicine, bio-identical hormone replacement, IV therapy, and others. Furthermore, the clinic uses functional medicine and alternative therapies for various health concerns, such as: nutritional health, hormone imbalances, neuropathic pain, chronic disease, acute health issues, postmenopausal health, and more.

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Those who are interested in learning more about functional medicine in Toronto can check out the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre website, or contact them on the phone (416) 968-6961 or through email info@tfm.care. They are open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays; and 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturdays.