Is there a role for functional medicine approaches in psychiatric treatment?

How do you critically assess the evidence base for functional medicine approaches? How do you respond when patients specifically request functional medicine treatments? If you incorporate functional medicine into care, do you use laboratory work as part of your treatment planning?

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Which labs do you typically order for a new patient with no known medical comorbidities presenting with depression?

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3 Answers

Mednet MemberInvited Expert

Psychiatry · Private Practice

Answered on

Functional medicine is a pretty broad term that encompasses stressors underlying biological, hormonal, nutritional, and environmental impacts on a person’s health. While I am a big fan of trying to get to the root causes of health conditions, including mental health conditions, and think in terms of...

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Mednet Member

Psychiatry · RK Psychiatry Associates, LLC

Answered on

For an uncomplicated depression intake, I stick to CBC with diff, CMP, and TSH. If I’m planning an SGA, I add lipids and maybe an HbA1c. If the history suggests endocrine involvement, I expand the thyroid panel. If diabetes is known or suspected, I again consider HbA1c. If perimenopause is relevant,...

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Mednet Member

Psychiatry · Private Practice

Answered on

No, I’ve studied it and still don’t understand what it wants to do differently from good medicine.

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