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The 9 Most Popular Functional & Integrative Medicine Lab Companies

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Through our experience building Rupa & helping hundreds of practitioners and patients, we’ve seen a big uptick in specialty lab tests being used in patient care. We believe this is due to a couple of variables:

  • Technological advances in laboratory testing and increases in lab testing companies.
  • Increased patient demand for in-depth lab tests, especially as Direct Access Testing (DAT) laws have opened up access to patients purchasing tests without needing ad doctor’s order.
  • Training institutes like IFM teaching more providers how to interpret these test results.
  • Functional, integrative & naturopathic medicine becoming more mainstream.

From what we’ve seen, the average integrative practitioner has accounts with 5-10 lab companies, and orders between 5-20 labs per week for their patients - depending on patient volume.

If you’re an integrative or functional practitioner, here are the top 10 companies you need to know about. Β 

1. Genova Diagnostics

Genova diagnostics is arguably the biggest lab test company for integrative and functional lab tests. They’re best known for GI Effects stool test, IGG & IGE allergic reaction tests, amino acids tests, and the NutrEval micronutrient testing.

2. Precision Analytical (DUTCH)

DUTCH tests are a staple functional medicine test - providers find the information given by these tests is useful for almost any patient. It gives a full picture of hormone functioning and shows these results in a visual and easy-to-read way. The Dutch PLUS and Dutch Complete are ordered most commonly from what we’ve seen.

3. Diagnostic Solutions

Their flagship test, the GIMap, is a big competitor to Genova GIEffects. We actually see providers usually ordering both, depending on which is a better fit for patients based on price, biomarkers, and more.

4. Doctor’s Data

Doctor’s Data is one of the older players on the scene-- they’ve been around since 1972 and offer a wide range of tests- from environmental toxins and gastrointestinal health to endocrinology. One of their keystone tests is their heavy metals test - they process more heavy metals tests in a month than their competitors process in a year.

5. Spectracell

Spectracell is a smaller and more specialized lab, and they have their own patented technology for their micronutrient testing. They’ve been around since the 90s, and their most popular tests are their micronutrient test and their cardiometabolic panel.

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6. Great Plains Laboratory

Great Plains is best known for their Organic Acids Test, and mycotoxin and environmental toxins testing. Their toxins tests are usually ordered later in a person’s health journey, if initial treatment plans and protocols aren’t working and practitioners suspect an environmental trigger as a root cause. Their OAT test, meanwhile, is another hallmark functional medicine stool test that’s usually ordered early on.

7. ZRT

ZRT has been around for over 20 years and offers a wide variety of hormone tests for men and women. One of their most popular tests is a dried urine testing similar in nature to DUTCH. They are a competitor to DUTCH & use many of the same testing methods. They have other hormone tests like saliva, blood spot and serum. They also do neurotransmitters and heavy metals testing.

8. Cyrex Labratories

Cyrex is a distinguished laboratory known for its comprehensive testing system covering assessments for damage to key barriers, reactivity to various environmental triggers like foods, chemicals, and pathogens, multiple autoimmune screening, cognitive health evaluation, and cell-mediated immunophenotyping. This testing system utilizes sample types including serum, whole blood, and saliva.

9. LabCorp & Quest

And we can’t forget the backbone of lab testing: basic blood panels. These are by far the MOST commonly ordered by doctors - both functional medicine and Western. The difference is, functional medicine practitioners tend to create their own β€˜panels’ of markers they want to test for, and they look at reference ranges that are optimal, as opposed to average for the population.

‍

Through our experience building Rupa & helping hundreds of practitioners and patients, we’ve observed an increase in the use of specialty lab tests in patient care. We believe this is due to several factors:

  • Technological advances in laboratory testing and the growth of lab testing companies.
  • Increased patient interest in detailed lab tests, especially as Direct Access Testing (DAT) laws have allowed patients to purchase tests without needing a doctor’s order.
  • Training institutes like IFM educating more providers on how to interpret these test results.
  • The growing popularity of functional, integrative & naturopathic medicine.

From what we’ve seen, the average integrative practitioner has accounts with 5-10 lab companies and orders between 5-20 labs per week for their patients, depending on patient volume.

If you’re an integrative or functional practitioner, here are the top 10 companies you might want to know about. Β 

1. Genova Diagnostics

Genova Diagnostics is a prominent lab test company for integrative and functional lab tests. They’re well-known for their GI Effects stool test, IGG & IGE allergic reaction tests, amino acids tests, and the NutrEval micronutrient testing.

2. Precision Analytical (DUTCH)

DUTCH tests are commonly used in functional medicine. Providers find the information from these tests helpful for gaining insights into hormone functioning, presented in a visual and easy-to-read format. The Dutch PLUS and Dutch Complete are frequently ordered.

3. Diagnostic Solutions

Their flagship test, the GIMap, is a significant competitor to Genova GIEffects. Providers often choose between the two based on factors like price and specific biomarkers.

4. Doctor’s Data

Doctor’s Data has been a longstanding player since 1972, offering a wide range of tests, including those for environmental toxins and gastrointestinal health. Their heavy metals test is particularly notable for its volume of processing.

5. Spectracell

Spectracell is a specialized lab with patented technology for micronutrient testing. Established in the 90s, their most popular tests include the micronutrient test and the cardiometabolic panel.

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6. Great Plains Laboratory

Great Plains is known for their Organic Acids Test, and mycotoxin and environmental toxins testing. These tests are often considered when initial health plans are not effective, and environmental factors are suspected. Their OAT test is a common early choice in functional medicine.

7. ZRT

ZRT has been providing a variety of hormone tests for over 20 years. Their dried urine testing is similar to DUTCH, and they also offer saliva, blood spot, and serum hormone tests, along with neurotransmitter and heavy metals testing.

8. Cyrex Laboratories

Cyrex is recognized for its comprehensive testing system, which includes assessments for barrier integrity, reactivity to environmental triggers, autoimmune screening, cognitive health evaluation, and cell-mediated immunophenotyping, using serum, whole blood, and saliva samples.

9. LabCorp & Quest

Basic blood panels from LabCorp and Quest are foundational in lab testing and are widely ordered by both functional medicine and conventional practitioners. Functional medicine practitioners often customize panels to test for specific markers and use reference ranges that are considered optimal rather than average.

‍

The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider before taking any dietary supplement or making any changes to your diet or exercise routine.
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