Specialty Testing Guide › TruHealth Micronutrient Testing
Read a TruHealth report as a set of percentile estimates, not as lab values. Each score shows where your methylation-based prediction for a marker sits compared with a reference population, and each marker has its own ideal direction: low, middle or high.
The useful habit is to sort what you see into three piles: broad patterns worth discussing, single flags worth confirming with a standard blood test, and generic suggestions you can set aside until you have talked with your clinician. Nothing in the report is a diagnosis on its own.
Key takeaways
- Scores are percentiles compared with a reference group, so 30% does not mean a level of 30 of anything.
- Whether a high or low percentile is good depends on the marker, so check the ideal direction before reacting.
- The report's supplement suggestions are general and automated, not a prescription written for you.
- A flagged nutrient that could lead to treatment should be checked with a standard blood test before you act.
- Patterns across several related markers deserve more weight than any single number.
First, know what the numbers are
TruHealth does not measure nutrients in your blood. It reads DNA methylation and predicts where more than 100 markers would likely fall. If you want the background, start with what TruHealth measures.
The sample report from TruDiagnostic explains that percentiles are calculated against a reference group built from equal parts Mass General Brigham Biobank data and TruDiagnostic's own patients.1 So a result tells you how you compare with that group. It does not tell you whether you meet a medical cutoff for deficiency, because the report does not show levels in units.
The overview page
The first results page groups markers into categories such as vitamins, amino acids, fats, serum lipids, blood pressure, metabolic, immune, inflammation, stress and exposure markers. Each category gets a combined score from 0 to 100.
In TruDiagnostic's sample report, category scores of 0 to 20 are labeled critical, 21 to 40 suboptimal and 41 to 100 normal, with 100 as the best outcome.1 Use this page to see where to look next, not to draw conclusions. A low category score can be driven by one or two markers.
Individual marker pages
Each marker has a short description, your percentile and a shaded range. TruDiagnostic's scientists assign every marker an ideal direction. For some, a low percentile is best. For others, the middle is best, and for others, high is best. A marker is then labeled normal, out of range or critically out of range.
Before you react to a number, check three things:
- Direction: is high or low the good end for this marker?
- Company: do related markers point the same way? A low omega-3 estimate alongside a high omega-6 estimate is a more coherent story than one isolated flag.
- Context: does it fit your diet, symptoms, medicines and standard labs?
The recommendations section
The report lists lifestyle advice and supplement names for markers outside the ideal range. These suggestions are generated by the report for anyone with a similar result. They do not know your medicines, kidney or liver function, pregnancy status or other supplements, and some supplements interact with prescription drugs.
The lifestyle advice, such as more fiber, regular strength training, better sleep and less processed food, is generally low risk. Treat the supplement names as topics to raise with your clinician, not a shopping list. Our guide to supplement safety after testing covers the common pitfalls.
What to act on and what to confirm first
| What you see | Sensible next step |
|---|---|
| A vitamin estimate flagged low | Confirm with a standard blood test where one exists before taking high doses |
| Lipid, HbA1c or glucose estimates out of range | Check measured cholesterol, HbA1c or fasting glucose; treat those numbers, not the estimate |
| Inflammation or immune estimates out of range | Review with your clinician alongside measured CRP, blood counts and symptoms |
| Chemical exposure markers flagged | Discuss possible sources; a flag is not proof of harm |
| Several related markers in the normal range | No action needed beyond your usual healthy habits |
The reason for confirming is accuracy. In TruDiagnostic's own preprint on how these estimates are built, proxies for routine clinical labs caught about three in four truly out-of-range results, and accuracy varied widely by panel.2 A measured value settles the question.
If you retest, the report can show prior values, which helps track progress. Small shifts in one marker can be noise. Look instead for consistent movement across related markers, and judge success mainly by measured labs, symptoms and function. Also remember that improving a score is not the same as preventing disease. The US Preventive Services Task Force found insufficient evidence that multivitamins prevent heart disease or cancer.3
Next step: getting a report reviewed
At YoungerMeMD, results are reviewed with a clinician who builds a plan from them, in person in Conshohocken or by telehealth if you are in Pennsylvania. Read TruHealth testing near Philadelphia for how that works, or browse the TruHealth hub.
Frequently asked questions
My vitamin A score is in the 39th percentile. Am I deficient?
Not necessarily. A percentile only says how your estimate compares with the reference group. Deficiency is judged from a measured level, symptoms and risk factors, so ask whether a standard test is worth doing.
Why does the report suggest a supplement I already take?
The suggestions are generic. The report does not know what you take, so bring your current list to your results visit and decide together what to keep, change or stop.
Should I share the report with my primary care doctor?
Yes, if you like, but explain that it is a methylation-based estimate rather than standard lab work. Your primary care doctor will rely on measured tests to make decisions.
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.
