Uncovering Your Body's Secrets: The Role of Functional Testing in Your Well-Being

Have your recent blood tests come back as ‘normal’—yet you still feel tired, foggy, bloated, or not quite yourself? Are you stuck in a frustrating loop of symptoms without answers?

This is where functional testing becomes a powerful tool.

Unlike standard NHS tests, which often focus on diagnosing disease or identifying medical emergencies, functional testing goes deeper. It looks at how your body is functioning on a biochemical and physiological level — not just whether you fit within a reference range.

Functional testing can reveal imbalances, insufficiencies, or early dysfunctions that conventional tests may overlook. This includes markers related to digestion, hormones, nutrient status, stress, detoxification, immune activity, and more.

Think of it as a personalised health investigation — a targeted way of understanding your body's internal communication systems. These insights help us move beyond guesswork and towards a plan that is grounded in data and tailored to your unique biology.

Used where appropriate, functional testing is never the whole story, but it can often be the missing piece — helping us to confirm or rule out root causes, and to fine-tune your nutritional, supplement, and lifestyle strategy.

Popular Functional testing in Clinic

Each of the following tests has been chosen for its ability to offer deep insights into different body systems — digestion, hormones, nutrient status, detoxification, and genetic predispositions. I only recommend testing when it’s appropriate, and always interpret results in the context of your symptoms, history, and lifestyle.

  • GI Effects® Comprehensive Stool Profile

    This is my go-to test when digestive health is a concern — whether it’s bloating, irregular bowel movements, IBS symptoms, skin flares, or persistent fatigue that might be rooted in the gut.

    It assesses a broad range of gut health markers including:

    • Digestive enzymes and absorption

    • Inflammation and immune markers

    • Gut microbiome diversity (commensal, pathogenic, and opportunistic bacteria)

    • Yeasts and parasites

    • Short-chain fatty acids and intestinal health markers

    Why it matters: Your gut isn’t just where food is digested — it’s where nutrients are absorbed, hormones are regulated, and a huge portion of the immune system resides. This test helps us map out imbalances and build a step-by-step gut repair plan.

  • 1. Genova Diagnostics - Metabolomix+

    This is a comprehensive nutritional and metabolic test done through a simple urine collection, often used to guide supplement strategies and support energy production, detoxification, cognitive health, and more.

    It assesses:

    • Vitamin and mineral status (including B-vitamins, magnesium, zinc, CoQ10)

    • Amino acid and neurotransmitter precursors

    • Fatty acid metabolism and oxidative stress

    • Mitochondrial function and detox capacity

    Why it matters: Symptoms like fatigue, mood dips, poor stress tolerance, and brain fog can often be linked to suboptimal nutrient status or blocked pathways. This test gives us clarity and precision.Description text goes here.

    2. Functional DX

    FunctionalDX Femme Ultra / Male Ultra Panel

    This is one of the most comprehensive blood panels available privately in the UK and offers a wide-angle view of your health. Ideal for women and men seeking a detailed baseline assessment, whether for prevention, symptom investigation, or to track progress over time.

    It includes over 100 biomarkers, combining insights from:

    • Full thyroid and adrenal markers

    • Blood sugar and insulin sensitivity

    • Hormones (oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA)

    • Liver, kidney, and cardiovascular function

    • Inflammatory and immune markers

    • Nutrient status and metabolic efficiency

    Why it matters: This panel goes far beyond the usual NHS bloods. It helps identify suboptimal function before it becomes disease, supports early intervention, and allows for precise tailoring of nutritional and lifestyle strategies.

  • DUTCH Complete Hormone Test

    DUTCH (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) is my preferred hormone test, particularly for women experiencing:

    • Irregular cycles or heavy periods

    • Perimenopause or menopause symptoms

    • PMS, anxiety, sleep disturbances, or low mood

    • Suspected oestrogen dominance or low progesterone

    It measures:

    • Sex hormones (oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone)

    • Cortisol patterns and adrenal function

    • Hormone metabolites (how your body processes hormones)

    Why it matters: DUTCH doesn’t just measure hormone levels — it helps us understand hormone rhythm, clearance, and balance, all of which are critical for mood, sleep, metabolism, and long-term health.

  • LifeCode GX

    These genetic panels help us understand your blueprint — the inherited traits that influence how you metabolise nutrients, detoxify hormones and chemicals, and regulate inflammation and brain chemistry.

    Popular panels include but are not limited to:
    Nutrient Core: Looks at genes involved in absorbing and processing key vitamins, minerals, and fats.

    Methylation Panel: Focuses on detoxification, stress resilience, hormone metabolism, and mood-related pathways. Explores detox, neurotransmitter pathways, and stress resilience via key methylation genes (e.g. MTHFR, COMT, CBS, BHMT).

    Metabolics Panel: This panel explores the genes involved in energy production, blood sugar regulation, and mitochondrial health — making it particularly helpful for individuals with chronic fatigue, insulin resistance, or metabolic dysfunction. Helps uncover whether persistent fatigue, difficulty losing weight, or blood sugar imbalances have a genetic influence, so we can support you more effectively.

    Hormone Panel: Ideal for women experiencing menstrual symptoms, perimenopausal shifts, low libido, or suspected hormone imbalances. his panel helps personalise hormone support by showing how your body is genetically wired to handle oestrogen and other sex hormones — especially useful when combined with DUTCH or FunctionalDX results.

    Best for those who:

    • Have a strong family history of chronic conditions

    • Want a more personalised supplement and lifestyle strategy

    • Experience fatigue, anxiety, histamine intolerance, or hormonal challenges

    • Suspect poor detoxification or sensitivity to medications

    Why it matters: Knowing your genetic tendencies helps us support your biology more intelligently — using food, supplements, and habits that align with how your body works.

Functional Testing: Interpretation & Insight Session from £229

A 60-minute consultation designed to bring clarity, direction, and professional insight to your functional test results.

Whether you’ve completed a functional or private lab test through my clinic or independently via another practitioner or provider, this standalone session offers a clear, evidence-informed interpretation — helping you make sense of the data and understand what it means for your health.

This session is ideal if:

  • You’ve had results back and want professional guidance on what they’re actually telling you

  • You’re feeling overwhelmed by the numbers, terminology, or clinical language

  • You’d like a second opinion before making changes or investing in a longer programme

  • You're exploring whether a more in-depth plan might be needed, but want a low-commitment entry point

What’s Included

Clinical Preparation (up to 45 minutes):
Before we meet, I will carefully review your results alongside any symptoms or case history you've provided. This ensures our session is focused and relevant to your unique context — not just a generic overview of markers.

During the 60-minute session, we will:

  • Walk through your test results in a clear, accessible way — no jargon, just meaningful insights

  • Identify what the findings may suggest about how your body is functioning

  • Discuss early nutrition and lifestyle changes aligned with the results

  • Highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation or targeted support

You’ll leave the session with a better understanding of your test outcomes and a clearer view of your next steps — whether that’s making changes independently or working together more formally.

Important Notes

  • This session provides broad recommendations only. It does not include a written plan, supplement protocol, or full report, unless pre-agreed in advance.

  • It is a standalone session, but may be used as a springboard into a more comprehensive programme if appropriate.

  • The cost of the test is not included and is invoiced separately (if arranged via my clinic).

  • For interpretation-only sessions where the test was ordered independently, you must provide full results and context at least 5-working days prior to our appointment.