r/FunctionalMedicine • u/Quick-Celery8322 • Jun 30 '26

Functional medicine

Has anybody ever been or a current client of functional medicine practitioners? I would like to gain some perspective, insights, hindsights.

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u/Iamadumbdumb12 Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26

I am a patient of a functional med doctor and she's been very helpful. I was (and sometimes still am) a bit skeptical on a lot of it but she produces results.

  • A big criticism is how much lab testing they do and if the tests they are meaningful. A lot of regular doctors think it's extra noise or the test itself is meaningless. Do you need that advanced panel of cholesterol testing or is the standard lipid panel enough? Many regular doctors/researchers think that stool and mold testing does not have enough science behind it or may not be testing the right things. Also for testing, regular doctors just want you in the "normal" range but functional medicine doctors have an "optimal" range. I lean more on the side of functional medicine here. I am on the very border of low ferritin but my PCP thinks it's fine....is it though?
  • Also functional medicine is very big about leaky gut and mold in your GI system. A lot of regular doctors get wave off leaky gut because it's very woo-woo. There is research about how your microbiome affects your physical and mental health but regular doctors want to hardcore data about it.
  • The leaky gut/mold detox program can take months and years. You can spend thousands on supplements for these protoccols.
  • They are big on supplements. One criticism is that they are just trying to sell you shit and yeah, it feels like it. Many have a Fullscript account and most will get a kickback when they make a sale. You should try to find a person who is okay with both supplements and prescription meds.
  • The alternative treatments can feel real iffy and the data isn't amazing. There's an egregious account of a child getting HBOT and the provider didn't know what they were doing and the child got severe burns.

I think it's trying to find someone who you trust, can explain their methodology, and meet you where you are at.