Specialty Testing Guide › Heavy Metals Testing
If you live in the Philadelphia area, you can arrange heavy metals testing through YoungerMeMD, at 125 East Elm Street in Conshohocken, Montgomery County. Testing is ordered as part of a clinic assessment, and visits happen in person at the office or by telehealth if you are located in Pennsylvania.
The current test is an unprovoked urine test from Doctor's Data, with no provocation agent required, and costs $89 as an add-on. A clinician reviews your history first, orders the test only if it fits, and goes over the results with you at a follow-up visit.
Key takeaways
- The Conshohocken clinic serves Montgomery County, Philadelphia, the Main Line and the wider Delaware Valley.
- Telehealth visits are open only to patients who are in Pennsylvania at the time of the visit.
- The metals test uses a urine sample, and its kit comes with step-by-step collection instructions.
- A clinician reads your result against your history and other labs at a results visit.
- Children, emergencies and work exposures usually belong with a pediatrician, Poison Control or occupational medicine.
Where the heavy metals testing clinic is and who it serves
YoungerMeMD is in Suite 201 at 125 East Elm Street, Conshohocken, PA 19428, just outside Philadelphia. Patients come from Montgomery County, Greater Philadelphia, the Main Line and the Delaware Valley. You can reach the office at (215) 892-1230 or help@youngermemd.com. See areas we serve for the full list.
How testing works, step by step
- 1. Assessment. You start with the $599 Peptide Assessment or the $724 Hormone Assessment: a full review of symptoms, history and baseline labs. Bloodwork is drawn locally.
- 2. Test selection. As a member, the clinician recommends only the tests your situation calls for. Heavy Metals Testing is added at checkout if it fits.
- 3. Results and plan. Interpretation and a plan are included in membership ($279 a month, with 3 to 4 visits a year plus support between visits). The test kit is billed separately. Membership is not required for a results review, but treatment starts once you join membership.
For the full price breakdown, see heavy metals testing cost in Pennsylvania.
In person in Conshohocken or telehealth
You can do your visits at the office or virtually. Telehealth is only for patients located in Pennsylvania during the visit, so if you live in New Jersey or Delaware and work in Philadelphia, plan to be on the Pennsylvania side for a virtual appointment, or come to the office.
The metals test is a urine test from Doctor's Data, and the kit's instructions explain how to do the collection. Ask our team how you will receive the kit. Prep means at least 3 to 7 days without fish, shellfish, seaweed or algae products and a 48-hour pause on non-essential supplements and over-the-counter medicines; our guide on preparing for a heavy metals test covers every step.
What happens at the results visit
Your clinician reads the result against your symptoms, exposure history and other labs. A value above the lab range is not, by itself, a diagnosis of poisoning, and the right next step depends on which metal and what might explain it.
If a level is raised, the plan usually starts with finding the source. For Philadelphia-area patients that often means older housing and renovation dust, older plumbing, a private well in more rural parts of the region, or fish. Pennsylvania's general advice for anglers is to eat no more than one meal (one-half pound) per week of sport fish caught in the state's waters.1 For private wells, Penn State Extension notes there are no government agencies or programs that routinely test private water systems for homeowners, so the owner has to arrange testing.2
A clinician may also discuss options the clinic offers, such as chelation, binders, nutritional support or sauna. Chelation at the clinic uses a DMSA protocol and is considered only for confirmed, clinically significant lead, inorganic mercury or arsenic poisoning, after a confirmatory test and with symptoms that fit, never on a urine screen alone. Chelation is established only for confirmed, significant poisoning, and the other options have limited evidence; see chelation therapy: what the evidence says.
Why the clinic uses an unprovoked test
Some practices still give a chelating drug before collecting urine. The American College of Medical Toxicology recommends against this provoked testing, saying it has not been scientifically validated, has no demonstrated benefit and may be harmful.3 The clinic's current test does not use a provocation agent, so results can be compared with standard reference ranges.
Who should go elsewhere first
This is an elective, outpatient test. Some situations need a different door.
- Emergencies. Severe symptoms after a possible exposure call for 911. For a suspected poisoning, call Poison Control.
- Children. The clinic does not test children. Start with the pediatrician. The Pennsylvania Department of Health runs a Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program with local health departments, including Montgomery County, and a toll-free lead line at 1-800-440-LEAD.4
- Workplace exposure. If you work with lead, the federal OSHA standard requires employers to provide medical surveillance without cost to employees.5 An occupational medicine clinic is the right place for ongoing monitoring.
More detail is in who should not book a heavy metals test.
Next step: book or ask a question
To start, choose an assessment on the payment page and add Heavy Metals Testing at checkout. Testing is self-pay through the clinic; ask our team about receipts for your own insurer or HSA. The panel covers 20 metals; if you want to check that it fits your exposure before booking, contact the team first.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to come to Conshohocken?
Not necessarily. Visits can be virtual if you are in Pennsylvania at the time. The metals test is a urine collection that follows the kit's instructions; ask our team how you will receive the kit.
How long do results take?
The lab's estimate is 7 to 10 business days from when Doctor's Data receives the sample. Allow a few days for the sample to reach the lab, plus time to schedule your results review.
Can I bring results from another lab?
Yes. Outside lab results are accepted, so bring copies of any past metal tests to your assessment.
I live in New Jersey. Can I use telehealth?
Only if you are physically in Pennsylvania during the virtual visit. Otherwise, plan an in-person visit at the Conshohocken office.
Related reading
This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Decisions about testing and treatment should be made with your clinician. If you have severe symptoms, call 911. For a suspected poisoning, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
