Specialty testing at YoungerMeMD follows three steps. First, a $599 assessment reviews your symptoms, history and baseline labs. Second, as a member, your clinician recommends only the tests that fit your question. Third, your results are turned into a medical, nutritional and lifestyle plan, with interpretation included in membership.
Visits happen in person at our office in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, or by telehealth if you are located in Pennsylvania. Bloodwork is drawn locally, and the GI-MAP is a stool kit you complete at home.
Key takeaways
- Everything starts with an assessment, and many patients never need a specialty test.
- Tests are picked to answer a specific question, with the aim of ordering no more and no fewer than needed.
- Collection depends on the test: some need a local blood draw, and the GI-MAP is done at home.
- A clinician reviews results with you and builds the plan; specialty results are read alongside your standard labs.
Step 1: the assessment
The first visit is a comprehensive evaluation, $599, covering your symptoms, medical history and baseline labs. On the payment page this is the Peptide Assessment. A $724 Hormone Assessment is also available if hormones are part of your question.
This step matters because the right test depends on what your history and standard labs already show. Our view is that specialty tests do not replace standard labs. They go deeper and complement them. If your basic labs are recent, bring them.
Step 2: choosing the tests
As a member, your clinician recommends the precise tests you need, no more and no less. The five specialty tests and their add-on prices are:
- Heavy Metals Testing, $89, with no provocation agent.
- Wheat Zoomer, $300, a blood test.
- TruHealth, $375, a methylation-based panel from TruDiagnostic.
- GI-MAP, $404, an at-home stool kit.
- TruAge, an epigenetic aging test; ask our team for current pricing.
Tests are added at checkout with your assessment on the payment page. The payment page notes that most patients start without these, so there is no pressure to add one up front. Membership is $279 per month; the test kits are billed separately.
Why no provoked metal test? The American College of Medical Toxicology recommends against post-chelator challenge urine testing, and our current test does not use a provocation agent.1 If you are deciding between tests, which specialty test do I need walks through the options.
Collecting your samples
How you give a sample depends on the test:
- Blood tests such as the Wheat Zoomer and TruAge use a blood sample, and bloodwork is drawn locally. Ask our team where and how your draw will happen.
- GI-MAP is a kit you complete in the privacy of your home.
- TruHealth collection is explained when the test is ordered.
- Heavy metals specimen details: ask our team.
Before any test, ask whether you should pause supplements or medicines. We do not publish general rules, because they depend on the test and on you. One rule to know: if celiac disease is a possibility, guidelines call for testing while you are still eating gluten, so do not cut it out before talking with us.2
Step 3: results and your plan
When results are back, your clinician reviews them with you and translates them into a customized medical, nutritional and lifestyle plan. Interpretation and planning are included in membership. Members have three to four in-person or virtual visits per year, plus support between visits.
Results are read in context. An organism detected on a stool test, or a metal result above the lab range, is a finding to weigh, not a diagnosis by itself. For aging measures, change tends to be gradual: in a two-year calorie restriction trial, DunedinPACE slowed only modestly, so small shifts between tests should not be over-read.3
Turnaround times vary by lab and are not published. Ask our team what to expect for your specific test.
Who should go elsewhere first
Some situations need a different path. Call 911 for severe symptoms, and Poison Control for a suspected poisoning. See your doctor or a gastroenterologist promptly for blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss, anemia or new bowel changes after 45. Children with a possible lead exposure belong with a pediatrician. If you are pregnant, involve your obstetric team before any testing or treatment. And if you will not be located in Pennsylvania for your visits, telehealth is not an option, so plan on visiting the Conshohocken office.
Your next step
To begin, choose your assessment and any add-on tests on the payment page. For a full price breakdown, see specialty testing cost in Pennsylvania. Questions about which test fits, collection or timing? Contact our team or call (215) 892-1230.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to come to the office?
Not always. Visits can be in person in Conshohocken or virtual, and telehealth is available only for patients located in Pennsylvania. Blood tests require a local draw.
Can I use results from a test I already did elsewhere?
Ask our team. Bring any recent results to your assessment so your clinician can see what has already been checked.
How long until I get results?
It depends on the test and the lab. Turnaround times are not published, so ask our team when you order.
Will I be pushed to buy treatments after testing?
Your plan is built around what the results show and what you want. A plan can include standard referrals, lifestyle changes or treatments the clinic offers, and you decide what to do.
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.
