What is functional health testing?
On Supplement Needs, functional health testing refers to a collection of laboratory tests that measure different biological markers from samples such as stool, dried urine, conventional urine and hair; ordered via Regenerus within the UK.
The current range includes gastrointestinal testing, hormone testing, Organic Acids Testing, mycotoxin testing, toxic and essential element testing and other specialist panels. Each test measures different analytes and uses a different collection method, so they should not be treated as interchangeable.
Functional testing should be selected according to the specific question being investigated and interpreted within the appropriate health or clinical context.
What types of functional health tests are available?
The current Supplement Needs Functional Health Testing range includes categories such as GI360 stool testing, DUTCH hormone testing, Organic Acids Testing, MycoTox testing and toxic/essential element testing, alongside additional specialist panels.
Examples currently include GI360 Complete, GI360 Complete with additional markers, DUTCH Complete, DUTCH Cycle Mapping with Complete, OAT, combined OAT + MycoTox and MycoTox testing. Availability can vary by test.
What is the difference between GI360 and DUTCH testing?
GI360 and DUTCH Complete examine fundamentally different areas and use different sample types.
GI360 is a gastrointestinal stool test. The test provider describes it as combining PCR technology, culture, biochemical assays and microscopy to assess gastrointestinal microorganisms and stool chemistry markers.
DUTCH Complete is primarily a hormone and hormone-metabolite test using dried urine. The current test covers sex and adrenal hormones, cortisol and cortisone patterns and additional markers.
GI360 is therefore the relevant route for customers researching a stool/gastrointestinal panel, while DUTCH Complete is the relevant route for customers researching the dried-urine hormone-testing format.
What sample does GI360 require?
GI360 requires a stool sample.
The test provider describes GI360 as a stool profile using molecular PCR technology alongside culture, biochemical testing and microscopy. Customers should follow the specific specimen-collection instructions provided with their test kit because collection, stability and rejection requirements are test-specific.
What sample does DUTCH Complete require?
DUTCH Complete uses dried urine samples collected at specified points across the day.
Precision Analytical, the test provider, states that patients collect multiple dried urine samples across a 24-hour period and that the kit contains collection strips and instructions.
Customers should follow the exact instructions supplied with their kit rather than using a generic urine-collection schedule from another test.
What is Organic Acids Testing?
Organic Acids Testing, commonly shortened to OAT, measures organic acid metabolites in urine.
The current OAT sold through Supplement Needs screens 76 urinary metabolites, via the test provider MosaicDX using a single urine sample to measure across a range of metabolic pathways.
It is different from GI360 stool testing and DUTCH hormone testing, so the three should not be presented as interchangeable “comprehensive” tests.
How do I choose the right functional health test?
Start with the question you are trying to investigate, then compare:
- the specimen required
- the biomarkers or analytes measured
- the test provider's intended use
- preparation and collection requirements
- whether professional interpretation is required
- availability and return logistics
A gastrointestinal stool panel, dried-urine hormone panel and Organic Acids Test measure fundamentally different things, even where their PDPs mention some overlapping health topics.
Where symptoms, medical conditions or treatment decisions are involved, test choice should be discussed with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional rather than being selected solely from a symptom list on a commercial website.
Can functional health testing diagnose a medical condition?
A laboratory test can provide information within the manufacturer's validated intended purpose, and some in-vitro diagnostic devices may contribute to diagnosis or monitoring.
However, the Functional Health Testing collection should not imply that a single commercial test automatically provides a definitive diagnosis.
Customers experiencing symptoms or concerned about a medical condition should seek appropriate clinical assessment rather than using a functional test as a substitute for necessary medical care.
Do I need a healthcare professional to interpret my results?
For complex functional testing, professional interpretation is strongly recommended.
Tests such as DUTCH Complete generate extensive hormone and metabolite data rather than a simple positive/negative result.
Precision Analytical specifically provides clinical education and report support resources for healthcare providers using DUTCH results.
The same principle applies more broadly: laboratory results should be interpreted alongside symptoms, medical history, medication, other investigations and the test's intended use rather than in isolation.
How are functional health test kits delivered and returned?
The process varies by test provider, so customers should follow the instructions supplied for the exact kit they purchase.
For several current Supplement Needs tests, including GI360, DUTCH Complete and OAT, UK customers are asked to provide additional information such as gender and date of birth in the basket Special Instructions so the test can be ordered correctly.
Collection and return arrangements then depend on the laboratory. For example, the official DUTCH Complete kit includes collection instructions and a sealable prepaid return envelope, but that should not be assumed to apply to every test in the collection.
Tests are brokered via Regenerus in the UK who handle specimen delivery and collection beyond Supplement Needs control.
Can functional health tests be ordered outside the UK?
Some tests can be supplied internationally, but international shipping arrangements need to be confirmed before ordering.
The current GI360, DUTCH Complete and OAT product pages state that international shipping is not included in the displayed test price and instruct international customers to contact Supplement Needs for a shipping quote before ordering.
Because sample return requirements can also vary by country and laboratory, customers outside the UK should confirm both outbound kit delivery and sample return arrangements before purchase.
What happens if a functional health test is sold out?
Availability can change, and the current Functional Health Testing collection periodically shows individual tests as sold out or unavailable.
If the test you intended to purchase is unavailable, use the stock-notification option where provided or contact Supplement Needs for current availability information.
Do not automatically replace it with another test simply because the name or price appears similar: GI360, DUTCH, OAT and other panels measure different analytes and use different specimen types.