A lab visit may cover 100+ tests, but only 35 mL of blood is typically drawn at one time to keep things easy. For context, a blood donation is 14 times more at approximately 500 mL. Pro tip: Being well-hydrated improves blood flow and makes the test much easier and quicker.
No, you don't have to worry about that. Your lab tests are ordered and reviewed by licensed clinicians.
Yes. You will need to show your ID during lab visits, and it must be an exact match in order to be tested.
Tests are performed by professional phlebotomists who are likely used to working with people who have fainted in the past. Let your phlebotomist know if you have a history of fainting. Note that blood draws are safe and carry little to no risk.
It is required that you fast for 8 hours before most tests. It is also strongly recommended to be well-hydrated to ensure easier blood draws and the most accurate urinalysis. If you do not fast, some of your biomarkers will be skewed. We also recommend a morning test for the most accurate results related to hormones such as testosterone and cortisol.
It is recommended that you do not discontinue any medication without discussing it with a doctor first.
Biotin (vitamin B7) may affect results for the following tests: testosterone, cortisol, thyroid-stimulating hormone, T3, T4, follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, and luteinizing hormone. Some choose to stop taking biotin 72 hours prior to testing.
It is suggested that you avoid consuming seafood 48 hours prior to any test that looks for heavy metals like mercury.
Science is still learning about how COVID-19 affects your body. Function offers a deep look into the current state of your health. This is helpful for identifying issues that may have arisen recently. It also tracks both current and past results to show you how your body is changing over time. With all viral infections and vaccinations, there is the possibility of an immune response and a resulting increase in inflammation. This means that you could experience temporary elevations in your inflammation markers (e.g., hs-CRP) and white blood cell count. Therefore, it is common to wait two weeks after vaccination before a test. Note: The degree of these immune responses varies between individuals.
At this time, we do not offer access to testing for those who are pregnant because many results may be affected by pregnancy. We are here for you post-pregnancy. For those post-pregnancy, you can be tested with Function after two menstrual cycles.
Function includes nearly all hormone-related tests, like Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Triiodothyronine (T3) Free, Thyroxine (T4) Free, Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), and more. The tests excluded are Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Estradiol, and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) because hormonal birth control may skew results.