For many people, ordering comprehensive blood testing starts with a simple question:
Could there be more to the story?
Maybe you’re trying to take a more proactive approach to your health. Perhaps you’ve been dealing with symptoms that don’t seem to have a clear explanation. Or maybe you’ve been told your routine blood work is “normal,” yet you still don’t feel like yourself.
Whatever led you here, you decided it was time to take a deeper look.
Platforms such as Function Health and other comprehensive biomarker testing services have made that easier than ever. Instead of measuring only a small group of routine lab values, these services may evaluate dozens and sometimes more than one hundred biomarkers related to:
- Metabolic health
- Inflammation
- Cardiovascular risk
- Hormones
- Nutrition
- Immune function
- And many other aspects of your health
Many platforms also provide a summary of your results along with general explanations and recommendations. This can be a helpful place to begin.
But once people start reading through their results, the questions often become more personal.
Which findings matter most?
Are several of them connected?
Could they help explain how I’ve been feeling?
Is something developing that deserves attention?
What should I do now?
These are the questions a laboratory report can’t answer on its own. The report gives you the numbers. The next step is understanding what those numbers mean for your health.
So What Should You Focus On?
Not every abnormal result carries the same significance. Some findings may point to a developing health risk that deserves prompt attention. Others may be mild, temporary, or simply worth monitoring over time.
When each finding is accompanied by its own explanation and recommendation, it can begin to feel as though everything needs to be addressed immediately.
Usually, it doesn’t. The goal isn’t to chase every abnormal result. It’s to determine which findings are most meaningful and what they mean for you.
A result that looks concerning on its own may be less significant once your medical history, symptoms, medications, family history, and other biomarkers are considered. On the other hand, a finding that receives little attention in the summary may actually deserve a closer look when viewed in the context of your overall health.
This is where working with a physician experienced in functional medicine can make a meaningful difference.
When I review advanced laboratory results, I look beyond individual biomarkers to understand how the findings fit together. I consider whether several results may share the same underlying cause, whether additional testing may be helpful, and where we should focus first.
The goal isn’t simply to explain your report. It’s to help you understand what deserves your attention now, what can be monitored over time, and what steps will have the greatest impact on your long-term health.
Your Next Step
Whether you already have advanced laboratory results or you’re looking for a more comprehensive evaluation of your health, the next step depends on where you are in your journey.
If you’ve completed testing through Function Health or another advanced laboratory platform, I offer a personalized physician review to help you understand your results, answer your questions, and determine the best next steps.
If you’re looking for a more comprehensive approach, a Functional Medicine consultation may be the better place to start. Together, we’ll review your health history, symptoms, lifestyle, and goals to determine whether additional testing or a more in-depth evaluation may help identify the underlying factors affecting your health.
Explore both options to find the approach that’s right for you.
Dr. Cheri Dersam
Dr. Cheri Dersam is board certified in Emergency Medicine and Integrative Medicine, fellowship trained in Functional Medicine, and a Bredesen Protocol trained physician through Apollo Health. She specializes in brain health, cognitive decline prevention, and functional medicine, helping patients identify and address the root causes that influence long-term health and cognitive vitality through a personalized, evidence-based approach.