COMPENDIUM ON FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE - Flipbook - Page 115
Practitioners interested in adopting a functional approach to
blood chemistry analysis should consider [1,2,7]:
Comprehensive Panels
Standard panels often exclude important functional markers.
Consider ordering more comprehensive tests that include:
● Complete metabolic panel
● Complete blood count with differential
● Comprehensive thyroid panel (TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3,
thyroid antibodies) [4]
● Lipid panel with additional cardiovascular markers
● Key hormones relevant to the patient's presentation
● Iron studies
● Inflammatory markers
● Nutrient markers [1,3]
Functional Reference Ranges
Develop familiarity with functional reference ranges that indicate
optimal function rather than merely the absence of disease. These
ranges are typically narrower than conventional ranges [1,2,7].
Pattern Recognition
Look beyond individual markers to identify patterns suggesting
dysfunction in specific body systems. For example, a pattern of
high-normal glucose, high-normal triglycerides, low-normal HDL,
and high-normal hemoglobin A1c strongly suggests metabolic
syndrome, even if all values are technically "normal" [2,6,7].
Tracking Over Time
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