Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Mycotoxin urine testing, analysed via LC-MS/MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry), detects metabolites produced by indoor moulds including Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Stachybotrys chartarum. Unlike standard IgE mould allergy panels, this clinical assessment measures the body’s current toxic burden by identifying compounds such as ochratoxin A,…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is a clinical screening tool that measures mineral concentrations deposited in hair over approximately three months, offering a retrospective view of trace element status that standard serum blood tests may not capture. For individuals in Adelaide experiencing chronic…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Glyphosate testing is a specialised urine analysis that measures levels of the herbicide glyphosate and its primary metabolite, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), using LC-MS/MS methodology. In Australia, this test may help identify environmental chemical exposures associated with unexplained chronic fatigue, gut dysbiosis, mitochondrial stress,…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Adrenal testing evaluates the pattern, timing, and balance of cortisol and DHEA-S output across a full 24-hour cycle using saliva or dried urine methods such as the DUTCH Complete test. Unlike single-point blood draws, functional adrenal testing may assess the Cortisol Awakening Response…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) may reveal heavy metal burdens and mineral imbalances associated with thyroid dysfunction that standard blood tests often miss. Mercury, arsenic, and cadmium can disrupt thyroid hormone production, T4-to-T3 conversion via selenoenzyme inhibition, and receptor sensitivity — contributing to…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, and cadmium may disrupt thyroid hormone production, conversion, and receptor sensitivity through mechanisms including selenium depletion, thyroid peroxidase (TPO) inhibition, and oxidative stress. These disruptions can produce hypothyroid symptoms even when TSH levels appear within normal reference…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Personalised prevention may be defined as health planning tailored to an individual’s unique biology, symptoms, and clinical data rather than population averages. Research from the Weizmann Institute (Zeevi et al., 2015) and the PREDICT study (Berry et al., 2020) demonstrates that individuals can…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Personalised biomarker tracking involves measuring objective health markers — such as serum ferritin, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and heart rate variability (HRV) — over time and interpreting trends against an individual’s own baseline rather than relying on population reference ranges…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer Metabolic health refers to how effectively the body regulates glucose and fat metabolism while maintaining five cardiometabolic markers — waist circumference, blood pressure, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and fasting glucose — within healthy ranges. When insulin sensitivity and metabolic flexibility (the ability to switch…
Author: Rohan Smith | Functional Medicine Practitioner | Adelaide, SA Quick Answer A “normal” blood test result means a value falls within the central 95% of a population-derived reference interval, designed to detect overt disease rather than early dysfunction. Functional medicine uses narrower, evidence-informed ranges associated with optimal physiological function. When symptoms such as fatigue,…
