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 unprovoked, 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.
- Specimen and collection details for the metals test are confirmed with the team when you order.
- 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 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.
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.
How the metals sample itself is collected, and where, depends on the specimen the test uses. The clinic has not published that detail, so ask our team when you order. Our guide on preparing for a heavy metals test covers the general prep points.
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 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. 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. If you want the specimen type, turnaround time or collection site 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. Where your metals sample is collected depends on the test's specimen type, so ask our team.
How long do results take?
Turnaround time is not published. Ask our team for a current estimate when you order.
Can I bring results from another lab?
Whether outside results are accepted is not published. Ask our team before you book, and bring copies of any past metal tests to your assessment either way.
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.
