What is a Lab Test? Important Considerations for Laboratory Tests
There is a common saying in integrative medicine: test, don’t guess.
To illustrate this industry adage, Dr. Carrie Jones, ND, FABNE, MPH, a naturopathic physician board-certified in endocrinology, uses the example of fatigue. “Fatigue is a common reason people go to the doctor, but the actual cause of the fatigue often requires some investigation,” explains Dr. Jones. “Is the fatigue due to a thyroid problem? Low cortisol? Low vitamin D or B12? Is it mold or food intolerance? I don’t know the answers to these questions until I take a thorough medical history and then order the appropriate lab work.”
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What’s a lab test?
Laboratory tests collect samples of blood, saliva, stool, urine, or even hair to determine if there’s an underlying health issue that needs to be addressed. (1) “The best use of labs is to complement a thorough history and clinical visit to either confirm, rule out, or screen a patient for potential conditions that could be relevant to that patient,” said Dr. Tina Kaczor, ND, FABNO, a naturopathic oncologist and the co-host of the Cancer Pod podcast.