There are a lot of medical tests on the market today that you can use to evaluate your health and wellness. Choosing which ones, especially if you have to pay for them out of pocket, can be somewhat confusing and often daunting. To help with this process, we surveyed our team of experts and curated from their suggestions a focused list of the tests that will be most useful to you.

Metatranscriptomics Microbiome Tests

These tests provide a comprehensive analysis of genetic material from all organisms present in a given sample without the need for culturing. This approach allows for the detection and identification of all types of microorganisms in the human body. By sequencing the DNA from a sample, these tests reveal not only which microorganisms are present, but also provide insights into their functions, interactions, and roles within their ecosystem or host.

Here is a look at the Metatranscriptomics Microbiome Tests from Viome.

Full Body Intelligence Test

This is Viome’s most comprehensive test that gathers insights from three samples: stool, saliva, and blood. This test targets inflammation and microbial activity and gets to the root cause of most common health symptoms, such as:

The test gives you preventative measures to reverse symptoms, including a list of food recommendations, personalized supplements, probiotics, and prebiotics. The Full Body Intelligence Test is also the most accurate test on the market for understanding your biological age in relation to your chronological one. It is HSA/FSA eligible.

Website: Viome.com

Gut Intelligence Test

The Viome Gut Intelligence Test is a foundational test for those who want to monitor and address gut imbalances or health symptoms related to poor gut health. It offers over twenty gut health scores for full insights into the gut as well as its interaction with over 300 foods. The test helps you address gut inflammation and imbalances to improve motility and digestion, relieve occasional gas and bloating, and support natural weight loss and optimal blood sugar levels. It also helps you uncover probiotics, prebiotics, and supplements to nourish and balance your gut activity. The test is HSA/FSA eligible. Though it’s not as comprehensive as our Full Body Intelligence Test, it is a great place to start for those who prefer a conservative approach.

Website: Viome.com

Cancer Detect Oral and Throat Test

Viome has created the first at-home test of its kind to detect biomarkers associated with early-stage oral and throat cancer. With a small sample of saliva, the test detects biomarkers associated with early-stage oral and throat cancers. The test provides substantially higher accuracy than current screening methods. Detection rates are as follows:

• Cancer-free specificity is ≥ 95% *
• OSCC sensitivity is ≥ 90% *
• OPSCC sensitivity is ≥ 90% *

Sensitivity refers to a test’s ability to designate an individual with a disease as positive. A highly sensitive test means that there are few false-negative results, and thus, fewer cases of the disease are missed. Specificity refers to a test’s ability to designate an individual who does not have a disease as negative. A highly specific test means that there are few false-positive results and, thus, few false alarms. Therefore, our Cancer Detect Oral and Throat Test is highly accurate at predicting oral and throat cancer.

Website: Viome.com

Evvy Vaginal Health

The Evvy Vaginal Health Test identifies over 700 types of bacteria and fungi in the vaginal and urinary microbiomes with a single swab. Unlike other vaginal microbiome tests available through doctors’ offices or online, which rely on PCR or 16s technologies to detect a limited selection of microbes, this test uses metagenomics. This advanced, CLIA-certified approach sequences the entire genome of all present microbes, offering a comprehensive analysis with just one test, eliminating the need for multiple tests to understand your vaginal health comprehensively.

Website: Evvy.com

Food Sensitivity Tests

These tests,offer insights into what foods your body reacts to and may cause negative symptoms. Everlywell’s test rates foods on a Class scale of 0-3, where Class 0 is normal reactivity and Class 3 is high reactivity. (Note that Viome’s tests do not profile specific antibody responses to foods, so the test below is recommended by the Viome team in addition to their own kits.)

Everlywell Food Senstivity Test:

This at-home lab test measures your body’s immune response to 96 common foods to help guide your food selection in a two-part elimination diet.

Website: Everlywell.com

DEXA Scan

A DEXA Scan measures bone density and body composition. It helps assess risks for osteoporosis and fractures. It can also tell you about body fat and muscle mass. With this test, which is conducted at a DEXA Scan provider’s premise, you can gain insights into how much fat your body has and in what areas. You can also gain insights into muscle. Knowing this helps you understand what targeted fitness and food regimes can help you physically improve.

Website: Dexascan.com

Toxin Tests

There are two types of tests available to understand what toxins are in your body and entering into it from the environment.

Heavy Metals Tests

A heavy metal blood test measures the levels of potentially harmful metals in the blood, including lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and chromium, among others. These metals can enter the body through the environment, diet, medications, and supplements, leading to possible heavy metal poisoning. Symptoms vary based on the metal type, amount, and individual age, with children and unborn babies at higher risk for severe health issues. The test, called a “heavy metal panel,” may focus on a single metal or a group to assess exposure and risk of poisoning, which can cause organ damage and affect behavior, thinking, and memory.

Everlywell Heavy Metals Test

The Everlywell Heavy Metals Test is a simple at-home collection kit that requires a small urine sample. The test measures exposure to four heavy metals: mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and bromine. Once the sample is sent to a lab, results are available online within days, offering detailed insights into toxic metal exposure.

Website: Everlywell.com

Mycotoxin Tests

Mycotoxins are toxic substances produced by molds and fungi and are known to adversely affect human cells, disrupting normal functions and contributing to a range of clinical symptoms and diseases. These include kidney toxicity, immune suppression, cognitive dysfunction, neurotoxicity, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, cancer, acute pulmonary hemorrhage, aplastic anemia, and birth defects. Mycotoxin tests identify harmful metabolites produced by mold or fungi using urine or environmental tests to determine their presence in the body or home.

RealTime Labs

The RealTime Labs mycotoxin test detects 16 different mycotoxins, including 9 macrocyclic trichothecenes. Testing is done using the most up to date scientific methods to assure patients receive clear and comprehensive results.

Website:  Realtimelab.com

Hormone Tests

Hormones are crucial chemical messengers produced by the endocrine glands that orchestrate a wide range of bodily functions. They carry messages through the bloodstream to specific target cells. For instance, the pineal gland releases melatonin, which regulates sleep by signaling the body when to rest. Hormones play key roles in regulating growth, mood, stress response, metabolism, and sexual functions, among other systems.

Hormonal imbalances, detectable through hormone tests, can surface issues in any of the body’s numerous hormone-producing glands. Essential hormones include estrogen, testosterone, cortisol, melatonin, serotonin, insulin, and leptin. Each one has specific functions ranging from mood and appetite regulation to growth and stress management. Maintaining hormonal balance is critical for overall well-being, as imbalances can adversely affect nearly every aspect of health.

Everlywell Hormone Tests

Everlywell offers a Women’s Health Test or Men’s Health Test.
These tests cover key hormones such as:

• Cortisol (stress response)
• Testosterone (sexual and muscle health)
• Estradiol or Progesterone (for women’s reproductive health)
• Thyroid hormones (metabolism and energy)

They also offer a Metabolism Test that checks cortisol, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and free testosterone, which provides insights into stress, metabolism, and energy balance.

Website:

• • Everlywell’s Women’s Health Test
• • Everlywell’s Men’s Health Test
  

Nutritional Metabolite Tests

These tests use diagnostic tools to analyze the substances produced by the metabolism in an individual’s body. These tests provide detailed information about how well your body is using nutrients. It helps you to identify deficiencies, excesses, or imbalances in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fatty acids, and amino acids. By examining the metabolites present in the blood, urine, or other body fluids, you can gain insights into how effectively your body is processing and using the nutrients from your diet. The results can guide personalized nutrition and supplement plans by targeting specific dietary needs based on metabolic function.

With these tests, you can gain insights into the inner workings of your body. In addition, today there are many wearable devices and apps that also offer real-time insights. Ultimately, they help you understand your body based on data. Then, you can use that information to inform decisions about what to do to stay healthy.

NutriStat Complete Profile:

A single profile with 242 markers to provides a complete breakdown of a patient’s metabolic health, nutritional status, toxicity, and mitochondrial function.

Website: usbiotek.com