Some health problems are not easy to identify with a physical exam or standard blood work. Symptoms like fatigue, weight changes, or poor sleep can have different causes that are not always obvious at first. To get to the root of these issues, you often need a deeper look at how your body functions.
At Meliora Integrative Medicine, we utilize advanced diagnostic testing to provide a better understanding of what’s going on in your body and help personalize treatment to your specific needs. Our tests measure hormone levels, nutrient deficiencies, genetic markers, inflammation, body composition, and more. They provide a more complete picture of your health and help guide more focused treatment decisions.
Why Advanced Testing Matters
Uncover Hidden Imbalances
Symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, or digestive issues can stem from hormone shifts, nutrient deficiencies, or inflammation that routine labs may miss. Advanced testing looks at a broader range of markers to detect subtle dysfunctions before they develop into more serious conditions. You get a clearer view of how different systems with information that guides care and addresses the source of the issue.
Identify Early-Stage Dysfunctions
The body often shows early warning signs long before a full diagnosis is made. Functional testing can detect patterns like insulin resistance, thyroid dysfunction, or poor detoxification while they are still in a manageable phase. Identifying these shifts early gives you the chance to intervene before the problem progresses. It also helps narrow down which systems need attention and where to focus your care.
Customize Treatments
When testing reveals exactly what is out of range, you can avoid unnecessary treatments and focus only on what your body needs. Two people with the same symptoms may have completely different underlying causes, and lab data helps separate those differences. By working with that information, we can develop targeted protocols using supplements, medications, or lifestyle changes.
Track Progress Objectively
Repeat testing gives you concrete evidence that shows how your body is responding to treatment. Rather than guessing whether a therapy is working, we can look at trends in your hormone levels, nutrient status, or metabolic function. Objective data keeps the focus on what works, helping you move forward with better clarity.
Our Five-Point Restorative Approach
We do not treat lab results in isolation. Numbers are useful, but they only matter when viewed in the context of your symptoms, medical history, and overall health. We use diagnostic data to guide care, not dictate it, and avoid one-size-fits-all protocols. We also focus on addressing the underlying cause of dysfunction rather than just managing your symptoms. Our Five-Point Restorative Approach includes:
- Body: We evaluate circulation, bone and muscle health, physical activity, and sources of physical pain.
- Hormones: We assess levels of thyroid hormones, testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol.
- Nutrition: We review key nutrients like magnesium, B12, folate, and vitamin D, as well as digestive health.
- Mind: We take into account emotional well-being, stress response, and both conscious and subconscious factors.
- Toxins: We examine exposure to environmental toxins in air, water, food, medications, and products, and support detoxification pathways.
Comprehensive Blood Panel
Our gold standard comprehensive blood panel is offered to patients as part of Meliora Integrative Medicine’s Five-Point Restorative Approach. Prior to your Initial Consultation, a full laboratory blood test is performed at our office. This includes comprehensive testing of nutrient and hormone levels to discover any underlying imbalances. Lab testing is an important component of gaining insight into your level of wellness and helps personalize your specific treatment plan.
What We Can Measure With Our Blood Testing
- Thyroid Function: We evaluate key thyroid markers, including TSH, free T3, free T4, and thyroid antibodies to assess how well your thyroid is working and whether autoimmunity may be involved.
- Sex and Adrenal Hormones: Hormones like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, and cortisol influence everything from sleep to mood to weight regulation. Testing these gives a clearer picture of how your endocrine system is functioning and whether your body is under chronic stress or experiencing hormonal shifts.
- Inflammatory Markers: We measure markers such as CRP, homocysteine, and fibrinogen to evaluate silent inflammation that may be contributing to fatigue, pain, or long-term health risks. Chronic inflammation can affect nearly every system in the body, often without obvious symptoms.
- Blood Sugar and Insulin Markers: Looking at glucose, fasting insulin, and hemoglobin A1C helps us identify insulin resistance or early shifts in blood sugar regulation. These markers give us insight into metabolic function before a diagnosis like diabetes appears.
- Liver and Kidney Panels: We check liver enzymes, creatinine, and other filtration markers to assess detoxification pathways and how well your body is processing and eliminating waste.
- Lip Profiles and Cardiovascular Risk Markers: Beyond basic cholesterol numbers, we look at particle size, triglycerides, and advanced lipid panels that offer a more accurate view of heart health. These results help identify cardiovascular risk even when traditional markers appear normal.
Micronutrient Testing
A comprehensive nutritional analysis that provides an assessment of how well the body utilizes 31 vitamins, minerals, amino/fatty acids, antioxidants, and metabolites, and helps uncover any underlying micronutrient and antioxidant deficiencies at the cellular level. A customized nutrition and supplement plan can then be created to address your unique needs.
Genomic Testing
Genomic testing can provide comprehensive, clinically focused knowledge of health risks and benefits within your personal genetic make-up. This information can be used, through lifestyle changes, to turn on and off genes that affect your health. These reports are a foundation for planning your personalized approach toward optimal health, wellness and an improved quality of life.
What Can Genomic Testing Uncover?
Detoxification Impairments (like MTHFR)
Genomic testing can reveal mutations in genes like MTHFR that affect how your body processes toxins, hormones, and certain vitamins. When these detoxification pathways are impaired, your body may struggle to eliminate waste efficiently or convert nutrients into usable forms. These findings help guide targeted support through nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle adjustments.
Hormone Metabolism Issues
Your genes influence how your body produces, converts, and clears hormones such as estrogen and testosterone. Variants in hormone metabolism genes may increase sensitivity to hormonal shifts or affect your risk for hormone-related conditions. Genomic testing can identify where your body may struggle with hormone balance or detoxification.
Risk Factors for Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Nutrient Absorption
Certain genes can increase your tendency toward chronic inflammation, oxidative damage, or difficulty absorbing key nutrients like B vitamins, iron, or magnesium. These risk factors can influence energy levels, immune response, and long-term health outcomes. Genomic testing helps uncover where those vulnerabilities lie, even before symptoms appear.
Metabolic and Cardiovascular Predispositions
Your genetic profile can provide insight into how your body handles blood sugar, cholesterol, and fat storage. Some people carry gene variants that affect insulin sensitivity, blood pressure regulation, or lipid metabolism, which may raise the risk for metabolic conditions. Testing allows for more informed prevention and risk reduction strategies.
Nitric Oxide Testing
Nitric Oxide is a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system. It is a key to healthy circulation, including vasodilation (relaxing of blood vessel walls), blood flow, blood pressure, and oxygen delivery. Nitric Oxide is closely linked to supporting healthy energy levels, cognitive health, hormonal health, gut health, sexual health, and more. A simple, non-invasive, saliva-based test can tell us your nitric oxide status. Dietary and supplement recommendations can be made based on the results.
DEXA Scan
The DEXA Scan is a highly accurate body composition and bone density test measuring body fat, muscle mass and bone health. The scan helps identify ways to improve physical fitness and weight management, as well as diagnose bone-related risks, like osteoporosis.
Looking at More Than Just Body Fat
- Lean Mass vs Fat Mass: The DEXA scan separates lean tissue from fat, giving you a clear picture of muscle-to-fat ratio. With this, we can assess physical strength, metabolic health, and how your body is changing in response to nutrition or exercise.
- Visceral Fat: Visceral fat surrounds internal organs and plays a bigger role in metabolic risk. Measuring it can help evaluate your risk for conditions like insulin resistance or cardiovascular disease.
- Bone Mineral Density: DEXA technology also assesses bone strength by measuring mineral content. Identifying low bone density early allows for more targeted strategies to help reduce fracture risk and support skeletal health.
Resting Metabolic Rate Assessment
The REEVUE measures the oxygen that the body consumes. Using this measurement, it calculates a patient’s Resting Energy Expenditure (REE), commonly referred to as a Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). We can screen for abnormally low metabolic rates and pinpoint the precise caloric intake required for weight loss, maintenance, or weight gain.
Who Can Benefit From RMR Testing?
- Patients With Unexplained Weight Gain or Plateau: When your weight changes don’t match your diet or activity level, it could be due to a slower-than-expected metabolism. RMR testing shows whether your body is burning fewer calories at rest than usual, helping you make more accurate adjustments in nutrition and exercise.
- Athletes Looking to Optimize Performance and Recovery: If you are an athlete, knowing your precise energy expenditure helps you fuel your body more effectively for both training and recovery. RMR testing can help you adjust calorie intake, maintain lean mass, and enhance endurance and performance.
- Individuals Recovering From Metabolic Damage: Chronic dieting, extreme calorie restriction, or high stress can interfere with normal metabolic function. Measuring resting metabolic rate reveals whether your body has adapted by decreasing energy output. With this information, you can work to reverse those effects and support metabolic repair.
- Hormonal Imbalance Sufferers: Hormones directly influence how your body uses and stores energy. If you have thyroid issues, adrenal fatigue, or other hormonal shifts, RMR testing can show how these imbalances affect your metabolism.
Organic Acid Testing
The organic acid test offers a comprehensive metabolic snapshot of a patient’s overall health with 76 markers. It provides an evaluation of intestinal yeast and bacteria, markers for vitamin and mineral levels, oxidative stress, neurotransmitter levels and detoxification. If abnormalities are detected using the OAT, treatments can include supplements, such as vitamins and antioxidants, dietary modification and detoxification support.
What Can an OAT Test Detect?
An organic acid test can uncover imbalances in gut bacteria, revealing signs of yeast or bacterial overgrowth that may contribute to digestive issues or inflammation. It also evaluates how well your body produces energy and can reveal problems in mitochondrial function or nutrient metabolism. The test measures markers tied to vitamin and mineral status, including B vitamins, which affect everything from mood to detoxification. Elevated oxidative stress markers can point to underlying inflammation or toxin exposure.
Environmental Toxin Testing
This is a toxic non-metal chemical profile that screens for the presence of 173 different toxic chemicals, including organophosphate pesticides, phthalates, benzene, xylene, vinyl chloride, pyrethroid insecticides, acrylamide, perchlorate, diphenyl phosphate, ethylene oxide, acrylonitrile, and more. Recommendations for detoxification can be created based on your specific results.
Mycotoxin Testing
Mycotoxins (toxins from mold) are some of the most prevalent toxins in the environment. Mycotoxins are metabolites produced by fungi like mold, which can infest buildings, vehicles, and foodstuffs. When released into the environment, mycotoxins can cause symptoms of many different chronic diseases. Through testing, we can identify mycotoxin exposures and make recommendations for detoxification treatments.
Who Should Consider Advanced Testing?
Advanced diagnostic testing goes beyond routine labs to reveal patterns that standard tests often miss. It can be especially helpful for those who feel unwell despite being told their labs are “normal” or who have symptoms that do not respond to basic interventions. If you are dealing with chronic fatigue, brain fog, gut problems, or vague but persistent symptoms, deeper testing can uncover what your body is trying to signal.
These tests are also useful for people who want to take a more proactive approach to health rather than waiting for issues to develop. Whether you are focused on performance, recovery, longevity, or simply want a better understanding of how your genetics, nutrition, and environment affect your biology, advanced testing offers the tools to guide more effective strategies.
What to Expect From Our Diagnostic Testing
An Initial Consultation
We begin with a detailed conversation about your symptoms, medical history, lifestyle, and health goals. The goal is to get a clear picture of what you are experiencing and identify patterns that may not show up in routine labs. This is also a time for you to ask questions and understand how the process works.
The Testing Phase
Depending on your needs, we may order blood work, genomic analysis, stool testing, organic acid testing, or metabolic assessments like DEXA or RMR. Some tests are done in-office, while others may involve home kits or visits to a partner lab. You will receive clear instructions to follow before and during testing to make sure the results are accurate.
Results and Review
Once results are available, we schedule a follow-up to go through them with you in detail. We explain what the numbers mean, how they relate to your symptoms, and where your body may need support. We do not rely on a single number to make decisions. Instead, we interpret the full picture to understand what is driving your health concerns.
A Personalized Protocol
After reviewing the results, we create a plan that may include nutrition changes, supplementation, hormone support, or other medical therapies. Your protocol is designed to support long-term function and help your body work more efficiently. We continue to monitor your progress and make adjustments as needed based on how you respond.
FAQs About Our Diagnostic Testing
How Long Does It Take to Get Results?
Turnaround times depend on the type of test. Standard blood work usually comes back within a few days, while more advanced testing like genomic analysis or organic acid testing can take two to three weeks. Once we receive the full set of results, we schedule a follow-up to go through everything with you in detail.
Can I Order These Tests Without Becoming a Patient?
Diagnostic testing is part of our overall medical evaluation process, so we only offer it to active patients under our care. The results need context, and reviewing them without a full clinical picture limits how useful they are. Becoming a patient allows us to interpret your data properly and create a plan that supports your health.
Do I Need to Fast Before Testing?
Some tests, like blood sugar or lipid panels, require fasting for accurate results. Others do not. We will give you clear instructions ahead of time based on the specific labs ordered. If you are unsure, we are always available to clarify before your visit.
Get Real Answers About Your Health With Diagnostic Testing
Advanced diagnostic testing can reveal imbalances that standard lab work often misses, helping to explain symptoms like fatigue, weight changes, or poor sleep. By analyzing hormone levels, nutrient status, metabolic function, and more, we gain a clearer picture of how your body is operating. That information guides focused treatment strategies designed to support long-term function and overall wellness.
To schedule an evaluation at Meliora Integrative Medicine in Evanston, IL, call (847) 440-4355 or contact us through the online form.