Function Health Review

I am SO excited to share this review with you today. As a total personal health data geek, this service is right up my alley. Let’s first chat a little background: as a follower of Dr. Mark Hyman’s work for years, I was aware he co-founded a company called Function Health. I vaguely understood it was a company that offered a bunch of lab tests and explanations of results. Over the years I’ve become more interested in the information derived through blood work to better understand details about my health, tailor my nutrition and supplements to my personal needs, and work towards my ultimate goal of an extended health span (living well for longer).

I started looking into it over the past year or so after my mom joined and appreciated the ease and clarity of the results. A few months ago the stars aligned and they reached out to me asking if I’d like a gifted one year membership. Absolutely, I would. I appreciated that there were no strings attached. I didn’t need to share my experience on social or write a review or anything. So I enrolled, set up my blood draws, and moved forward with it.

A few weeks later, my results were rolling in and now I can’t not write a review because I feel like this is a ground breaking offering to empower us to know and understand more about our personal health without having to go through a confusing gatekeeping labyrinth that is our health system. I have spent hours pouring over my results and insights and immediately purchased it for David, too. Let me explain more about what it is, how it works, and why I will remain a member.

Function Health Review

What is Function Health?

Function Health is a one stop shop, a membership-based service that offers lab tests and personalized insights to help people manage their health. Function Health’s goal is to help people take control of their health and be proactive about disease prevention. 

Once enrolled they set you up with a Quest lab closest to you for blood draws and order all the tests. You simply schedule the time that works for you (two blood draws within a 10 day period) and show up. As the results get processed, they show up in your private online dashboard. It’s incredible user friendly and clear to read. You see not only your results and if they are in range, but you receive a detailed interpretation and recommendations for improving your results.

What is the process for enrolling?

It’s easy. You sign up here. The system will walk you through entering your information and the payment process and get help you schedule your lab tests at a Quest Lab location. Then you simple wait and watch as your results roll in over the next couple of weeks. Licensed clinicians both authorize your tests and review every result. A clinician’s review is provided to you, along with your results.

Also included, is 60+ retests 3-6 months later to see trends and changes in results based on recommendations you’ve implemented. It’s all visible in your personal dashboard for easy analysis.

What tests are included in the membership?

Over 100 tests are included. You can see the full list here. There were some tests I was familiar with (HDL/LDL), others I wasn’t but enjoyed learning about their impact (LDL particle size, AMH), and others I hadn’t had tested before but were eager to know, especially after reading Outlive (ANA, CRP, A1C, ApoB). If you are interested in increasing your health span, Outlive is one of the best books on the subject.

How much does a Function Health membership cost?

A Function Health membership is currently $499. Yes, it is an investment. I truly believe this kind of personal health data is so incredibly impactful and helpful, that its value exceeds the cost. People knowing and understanding their health data as an important piece of the future of healthcare- personalized and empowering the individual.

For $499 per year, you get two rounds of testing: an initial assessment with 105 lab tests, and then three to six months later, a follow-up including 60-plus retests to see how your numbers are changing. By then, the Function team believes, you’ll have had the opportunity to make changes through diet, exercise, or a new medication regimen, and you’ll be able to see how those efforts are paying off. The hope is that people will remain members for years, tracking how their health evolves through twice-annual testing, and making changes that could add more quality years to their lives. 

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How do I interpret my results from the bloodwork?

Function Health makes it so clear. In your dashboard you will see the breakdown of the tested categories of autoimmunity, blood, environmental toxins, heart, immune regulation, liver, nutrients, stress and aging, urine, electrolytes, female health, heavy metals, kidney, metabolic, pancreas, thyroid, and your biological age. You’ll see the listed tests under each category, detailed explanation of what it is and its impact, and personal recommendations to move forward with. Here’s a sample from one category, metabolic, followed by what I see when I click on the out of range metric:

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I plan on sending my results (available from a simple download PDF option in the dashboard) along to my PCP who I love to get a second set of eyes and keep her in the loop on my health.

What is my biological age?

A really fun metric to know and track. Biological age is a measure of how old your cells are and how well your organs function, compared to your chronological age. It’s a way to evaluate how much a person has aged and how likely they are to develop diseases associated with aging. Since my personal health goal is longevity with a long health span, this metric is helpful to track.

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Conclusion

My straight up personal opinion: Functional Health is amazing. They are testing over 100 biomarkers and delivering the results and explanation straight to you. This is a service I have wished was offered (transparency in our personal health) for years. I find it so empowering and plan to stay a member on my own dime moving forward. I believe this is going to arm us with so much information to heal or prevent illness, track progress over time, and improve our health, a true pivot to proactive care.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. I understand it’s a sincere cost investment and it’s important to have full understanding of the service and benefits before moving forward with such.

Related: How to Start a Health Journey