Testing
I offer a full range of testing. If you would like to discuss testing with me, please message me or book a 15 minute free call here.
For the majority of clients, we can usually achieve a good amount of progress without testing. It can be more cost-effective to leave testing until further down the line when we can see if we need it - and where specifically it’s needed.
However there are some exceptions to this, some of which I mention below, so please get in touch if you’d like to discuss it.
I’ve outlined the most common tests below, particularly those that you may wish to consider using before the first session in certain cases.
Test prices tend to move around regularly so these are just a guide.
Full thyroid panel
This is primarily useful if you know you have hypothyroid / Hashimoto’s, but your doctor is not checking your T3 levels regularly (only TSH and T4).
A full thyroid panel looks at TSH, free T4, free T3, and thyroid antibodies.
Thyroid testing also useful if you have no diagnosis, but have symptoms of low thyroid (fatigue, low mood, slow thoughts / sluggishness, feeling cold, difficulty managing your weight, hormonal / fertility problems, constipation, hair loss) but only your TSH level has been tested so far.
It is useful to have an up-to-date full thyroid test before our first session if you have a hypothyroid / Hashimoto’s diagnosis, as thyroid function affects so many other systems.
The panel costs £90.
Food intolerances and allergies
There are many types of intolerance and allergy tests and it’s really important to pick the correct one for your case. I usually only use these further down the line if certain symptoms persist. Coeliac testing can be useful, but is usually available via your GP. Please get in touch if you’d like to find out more. Prices range from £130 to £650.
Organic acids test
This is a really useful broad range test for autoimmune clients and so is a valuable one to have before our first session, if you have the budget, as it can pick up key root cause areas that are driving your autoimmune condition.
It looks at a wide range of areas: microbial health, including candida, moulds and clostridia, toxins and detoxification function, key nutrients, carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism, and neurotransmitter function.
Only a urine sample is required so it’s non-invasive. The test costs £315.
Stool tests
A range of stool testing is available, looking at gut microbial health, digestive and immune function. These can be useful for certain symptoms such as unexplained changes in bowel habits, recurrent infections, fatigue, certain nutritional deficiencies and strong reactions to certain foods.
Prices range from £300 to 500.
Hormonal testing
If you have an autoimmune condition, you are more likely struggle with fertility and (peri-)menopause.
There are a range of tests available. The following tests can be helpful in advance of the first session:
Peri-menopause and fertility: DUTCH cycle mapping test. This tracks your oestrogen and progesterone levels across your whole cycle, rather than just at one point. This gives us a much more accurate picture of your hormone function and so we can respond more appropriately and effectively. It costs £352, which reflects the numbers of measurements taken across the cycle.
NB it is very common for peri-menopausal women to just get their oestrogen tested at the start of their cycle and to be told their oestrogen levels are normal. Oestrogen fluctuates wildly in peri-menopause and it is usually these fluctuations that cause most peri-menopausal symptoms. We have more successful outcomes when we run this mapping test across an entire cycle, rather than just taking one measurement.
Menopause: DUTCH sex hormones test £213. This is appropriate for women who have not had a cycle for at least 12 months. This test measures the reproductive hormones at just one point in time, since levels are expected to remain fairly constant in this phase. Helpful for people struggling with menopause symptoms, and can also be used to evaluate HRT effectiveness.
There are also a number of blood tests available, which can be a good option when we want to check other markers alongside sex hormones. Please get in touch to find out more.
Blood chemistries
Functional Platinum panel. This is an excellent panel for looking at a wide range of areas, including anaemia, cholesterol, thyroid, reproduction hormones, immune deficiency, homocysteine, clotting problems, and certain nutrients.
There are various options to add on markers. Costs vary from £376 to £590.
This can be another excellent test to take before our first session if you have the budget. Please contact me to find out more.
Viral panels
Viral screening can be very helpful in some cases where people struggle with viral load and in certain conditions, primarily determatological including alopecia areata.
We usually only use viral testing further down the line if certain symptoms persist, because it is so expensive and does not necessarily improve outcomes.
Costs reflect the number of viruses being tested for and range from £250 to £640.
Genetic (nutrigenomics) testing
Nutrigenomics testing (DNA) looks at how our genetics are impacting certain areas of health including nutrient metabolism, detoxification, methylation, hormones, and metabolic health.
This type of testing can be extremely useful in pointing areas where we are vulnerable and need to pay extra attention. However it is usually carried out further down the line once the foundational work is complete.
Testing is easy to carry out as only a cheek swab is required. Costs start from £187.50 and depend on how many panels are required.