The Top 5 Lab Tests Most Patients Don't Know They Need

Most patients come to me after years of feeling "off" without ever receiving clear answers. They've been told their labs are "normal," yet they still struggle with fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, inflammation, hormonal symptoms, or digestive issues. The truth is that standard bloodwork only scratches the surface. It identifies disease once it's already developed—but it rarely uncovers the subtle imbalances that lead to disease.

At Salerno Wellness, we take a different approach. We use advanced diagnostic testing to understand your body at a deeper, more precise level. These tests reveal what traditional labs miss: nutrient deficiencies, hormonal fluctuations, inflammation patterns, toxic exposures, and metabolic dysfunction. When we identify these root causes early, we can correct them before they evolve into chronic illness.

Below are the top five lab tests most patients don't know they need—but absolutely should.

1. Comprehensive Nutrient Panel: The Foundation of Cellular Health

Most people assume they're getting enough vitamins and minerals from their diet, but nutrient deficiencies are far more common than you'd expect. Stress, poor sleep, medications, digestive issues, and modern farming practices all deplete essential nutrients. Even patients who eat well often discover they're low in magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, or antioxidants.

A comprehensive nutrient panel evaluates your levels of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, and antioxidants. This test helps us understand how well your cells are functioning and whether your body has the raw materials it needs to produce energy, regulate hormones, and support immunity.

At Salerno Wellness, nutrient testing is a core component of our Holistic Physical, which provides a comprehensive view of your metabolic and nutritional status. Once we identify deficiencies, we can correct them through targeted supplementation, IV Nutrient Therapy, and personalized nutrition.

2. Advanced Hormone Mapping: Understanding Your Body's Internal Rhythm

Hormones regulate everything—energy, weight, mood, sleep, metabolism, libido, and cognitive function. Yet most patients only receive basic hormone tests that provide a single snapshot in time. Hormones fluctuate throughout the day, and a one‑time blood draw often misses the bigger picture.

Advanced hormone mapping evaluates cortisol patterns, sex hormones, thyroid function, insulin response, and adrenal health over a full 24‑hour cycle. This gives us a dynamic understanding of how your hormones rise and fall—and where imbalances are hiding.

Patients with fatigue, weight gain, anxiety, insomnia, PMS, menopausal symptoms, or low libido often discover that their hormones are out of sync long before traditional labs detect a problem.

Our Functional Medicine Program uses advanced hormone testing to identify these patterns and create personalized treatment plans. When hormones are balanced, everything else becomes easier.

3. Inflammation Markers: The Silent Predictor of Chronic Disease

Inflammation is the root of nearly every chronic condition—heart disease, autoimmune disorders, diabetes, arthritis, digestive issues, and even cognitive decline. Yet many patients have no idea they're inflamed until symptoms become severe.

Advanced inflammation testing evaluates markers such as hs‑CRP, homocysteine, fibrinogen, cytokines, and oxidative stress indicators. These markers reveal whether your immune system is overactive, whether your blood vessels are inflamed, and whether your body is under oxidative strain.

Hidden infections, food sensitivities, environmental toxins, hormonal imbalance, or gut dysfunction often trigger inflammation. Once we identify the source, we can address it through nutrition, detoxification, stress reduction, and targeted therapies.

Many patients benefit from Ozone Therapy, which reduces inflammation, supports immunity, and enhances mitochondrial function. Reducing inflammation is one of the fastest ways to restore energy and prevent long‑term disease.

4. Gut Microbiome & Digestive Function Testing: Your Internal Ecosystem

Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria that influence digestion, immunity, hormones, mood, and metabolism. When the microbiome becomes imbalanced—due to stress, antibiotics, poor diet, or toxins—symptoms can appear anywhere in the body. Advanced gut testing evaluates:

• Microbial diversity
• Beneficial vs. harmful bacteria
• Yeast Infections or fungal overgrowth
• Digestive enzyme levels
• Inflammation in the gut lining
• Markers of leaky gut
• Immune activity in the digestive tract

This test is essential for patients with bloating, constipation, diarrhea, food sensitivities, autoimmune issues, skin problems, or chronic fatigue.

Our Functional Medicine Program uses microbiome testing to uncover hidden digestive imbalances and create personalized gut‑healing protocols. When the gut is restored, the entire body begins to heal.

5. Toxicity & Heavy Metal Testing: The Modern Health Burden

We live in a world filled with chemicals our bodies were never designed to process. Heavy metals like mercury, lead, arsenic, and cadmium accumulate in the body over time. So do pesticides, plastics, solvents, and environmental pollutants.

These toxins disrupt hormone function, impair mitochondrial function, weaken immunity, and contribute to fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, and inflammation. Most patients have no idea they're carrying a toxic burden until they undergo advanced testing.

Heavy metal testing and environmental toxin panels reveal what your body has been storing—and how it may be affecting your health.

At Salerno Wellness, we use Chelation Therapy to remove heavy metals and reduce toxic load safely: https://salernowellness.com/chelation-therapy/

Detoxification is not a trend. It's a biological necessity in the modern world.

Why These Tests Matter More Than Traditional Labs

Standard bloodwork is designed to detect disease, not dysfunction. It tells you when something is already wrong, not when something is starting to go wrong.

Advanced testing reveals the early warning signs:

• Subclinical inflammation
• Hormonal fluctuations
• Nutrient depletion
• Gut imbalance
• Toxic accumulation
• Mitochondrial dysfunction

These imbalances often appear years before a diagnosis. When we identify them early, we can intervene proactively and prevent chronic illness from developing. This is the foundation of functional and integrative medicine: understanding the root cause, not just treating symptoms.

How Salerno Wellness Uses These Tests to Transform Health

Every patient at Salerno Wellness receives a personalized plan based on their unique biology. These advanced tests enable us to develop targeted, effective treatment strategies that address the underlying drivers of fatigue, weight gain, hormonal imbalances, inflammation, and chronic symptoms. Your plan may include: