Resources · Lab Testing
Test, don't guess.
Symptoms tell you where to look. Labs tell you what's actually happening inside. Here are the tests I recommend most often, from the yearly foundational panel to the advanced tests for each system in the book.
Step 1 · For everyone · Chapter 8
The foundational panel
This should be part of everyone's yearly check-up. It's inexpensive, widely available, and most primary care physicians or integrative practitioners can order it for you.
| Test | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Complete Blood Count (CBC) | A baseline view of your blood cells. Helps identify anemia and immune-system patterns. |
| Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) | Electrolytes, blood sugar, kidney function and liver function. The basic chemistry snapshot. |
| Vitamin D (25-OH) | The single most commonly deficient nutrient in modern adults. |
| Vitamin B12 and Folate | Critical for energy, brain function, blood-cell formation and methylation. |
| Ferritin | Your body's iron-storage marker. More sensitive than serum iron alone, particularly for women. |
| Magnesium (RBC) | Red-blood-cell magnesium shows what's actually inside your cells, which serum magnesium can't. |
| Homocysteine | Points to B-vitamin and methylation issues. An underrated cardiovascular and brain-health marker. |
| C-Reactive Protein (CRP) | A general inflammation marker, and one of the earliest signs the systems are struggling. |
Still have unexplained symptoms? The next layer is intracellular testing, which measures what's actually getting into your cells, not just what's circulating in your blood: the SpectraCell Micronutrient Test or a Cellular Micronutrient Assay (CMA). Most people do well starting with the foundational panel and adding advanced testing only if it doesn't explain what they're feeling.
Step 2 · Only if you need it · Chapters 9–11
Going deeper, system by system
Let your symptom assessments in the book point you to the right system first. You don't need all of these. Most advanced tests need a practitioner to order and interpret them.
Gut & DigestionChemistry Pillar 4
When scores point to significant GI issues, especially if basic digestive support hasn't resolved them.
- GI-MAP (Diagnostic Solutions Lab). A comprehensive DNA-based stool analysis of the microbes in your gut, plus markers of digestion, immune activity and inflammation.
- Trio-smart SIBO breath test. Measures hydrogen, methane and hydrogen sulfide, the third SIBO type that standard tests often miss.
Mitochondrial & BrainChemistry Pillar 5
When symptoms warrant a deeper look, or foundational mitochondrial support hasn't fully helped.
- Organic Acids Test (OAT). A urine test of dozens of metabolites from energy production, neurotransmitters, detoxification and microbial activity.
- NAD testing. A direct measure of NAD levels, useful when age and symptom pattern suggest depletion.
Cardiovascular & EndothelialChemistry Pillar 6
Beyond the standard lipid panel.
Advanced markers
- NMR LipoProfile, ApoB, and Lp(a) (usually needed once in a lifetime)
- Homocysteine, hs-CRP, HbA1c and fasting insulin
- TMAO (the gut-heart marker) and the Omega-3 Index
- CVD and Diabetes Prevention Comprehensive Lab from Boston Heart Diagnostics
- Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) score. A low-radiation CT scan that shows actual plaque, not just risk. Worth discussing with your physician or cardiologist.
HormonalChemistry Pillar 7
Targeted testing for each part of the hormone triangle.
- Thyroid: TSH, T3 and T4. If autoimmune thyroid is suspected, add TPO and TgAb antibodies, and consider an iodine test.
- Adrenals: a 4-point salivary cortisol test for the daily rhythm, plus DHEA-S and pregnenolone.
- Female hormones: E1, E2, E3, progesterone, testosterone, FSH, LH and DHEA-S.
- Male hormones: total and free testosterone, PSA, DHEA-S, DHT and estradiol.
- DUTCH test, my advanced favorite. It shows how you break down estrogen, which blood panels can't. Pair it with a full thyroid panel.
ImmuneChemistry Pillar 8
Building from foundational markers to targeted and specialist tests.
- Foundational: cellular nutrient analysis, vitamin D and hs-CRP.
- Next layer: GI-MAP with immune markers (secretory IgA, calprotectin, zonulin), the 8-OHdG urine test, the OAT with redox panel, and food sensitivity testing.
- Specialist-level (not first line): total immunoglobulins, IgE, autoimmune screening (ANA, rheumatoid factor, TPO antibodies) and viral antibody panels (EBV, CMV).
MusculoskeletalChemistry Pillar 9
Much of what you need comes from a good physical evaluation, not a lab.
- A physical exam from a chiropractor or musculoskeletal specialist, and a session with a good trainer to assess strength and movement.
- DEXA scan. A baseline in your thirties or forties, then every two to three years. The trend tells you whether your chemistry is building bone or quietly losing it.
- Basic labs: hs-CRP and vitamin D.
Body Burden & Environmental ExposureChemistry Pillars 10–12
Most useful when symptoms are unexplained, when mold or heavy-metal exposure is suspected, or before a guided cleanse. For most people, reducing exposure matters more than any test.
- Heavy metals. Blood testing reflects recent exposure. Provoked (challenge) urine testing is controversial and best left to specialists.
- Environmental chemical panels. Urine panels that screen for solvents, plastics and pesticides in one test.
- Mycotoxin testing. Urine panels that can help identify mold exposure. Interpretation needs an experienced practitioner.
How to get tested
Your primary care physicianThe best place to start. Most can order the foundational panel as part of a yearly physical, often covered by insurance.
An integrative practitionerFor the advanced functional tests (GI-MAP, OAT, DUTCH and others), which need a practitioner to order and interpret them.
Direct-to-consumer kitsReputable companies offer home kits for many individual tests. You collect a finger-stick, saliva or urine sample and mail it to a certified lab.
Have results already?
Numbers are only useful when someone reads them with you.
A Complete Nutritional Assessment looks at your labs alongside your symptoms and history, and builds a personalized plan around the whole picture.
This page is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, treatment, or advice. Lab tests should be ordered and interpreted with a qualified healthcare provider. Mention of a laboratory or test is not a guarantee of results. Dr. Macie may earn income on products or services purchased through links on this site.