ADAPT Functional Blood Testing

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Introducing a new self-paced, 40-hour
Functional Blood Testing course

Learn how to interpret blood chemistry panels from a Functional Medicine perspective so you can achieve better results with your patients

Enroll Now

Blood testing is the foundation of modern medicine and the most widely available form of testing for both patients and practitioners. In this course, you’ll learn how to use Functional Blood Testing to prevent and reverse chronic disease and dramatically improve your patients’ quality of life. Functional Blood Testing is the best way to get started with Functional Medicine if you’re new or expand your skill set if you’ve already taken other Functional Medicine courses.

Here are some highlights of what you’ll learn in this practical and experiential course:

How (and why) to use Functional Blood Testing as a screening tool to prevent and reverse disease—rather than just manage symptoms
The critical difference between Functional and conventional lab ranges and how to interpret blood tests through a Functional Medicine lens
Our recommended blood chemistry panel and how to order it for your patients
The most common blood chemistry patterns you’ll see in your practice—and how to treat them successfully
Real-world case studies to help you immediately apply what you’re learning in your clinic

See Program Overview

"I’m confident that the Kresser Institute will play an important role in training the next generation of Functional Medicine practitioners." Dr. Mark Hyman

Choose Your Own Pace

Two to three hours/week spread out over 18 weeks
One hour/day for about six weeks

Choose one of the schedules above—or create your own, custom pace to fit your unique life. Our 18 lesson, 40 hour course is designed to be flexible. Give yourself a comfortable pace, with some space between your lessons, to maximize your learning and retention.

You’ll get

18 Self-paced Lessons

Each lesson contains several short instructional videos, making it easy for you to fit your learning into whatever schedule best suits your life.

Audio and Transcripts

Choose the delivery method that best fits your learning style. Listen as you drive, or grab a cup of tea and read from your comfy chair.

Handouts and Guides

Every lesson also contains powerful tools to expand your learning, and empower you to immediately use what you’ve learned.

Retention Quizzes

This course incorporates the latest in learning theory, including rigorous lesson quizzes to help you maximize your learning, retention and are required for full program certification.

See Program Overview

"Mastering Functional Blood Testing is the most important step you can take toward becoming an effective Functional Medicine practitioner." Chris KresserFounder of Kresser Institute

Start your deep dive into Functional Blood Testing today!

Enroll in the ADAPT Functional Blood Testing course now!

Full Course

$3,495

Tuition

Enroll Now

Audit Course

$1,995

Tuition

Enroll Now

Secure Checkout

Complete your training with the full ADAPT Functional Medicine Practitioner Training and Certification Program!

This Functional Blood Testing course is part of the ADAPT Functional Medicine Practitioner Training and Certification Program, a 12-month course for health professionals seeking certification in Functional Medicine, which is typically offered twice a year, in the spring and fall.

If you wish to take the full 12-month program and pursue certification after taking this Functional Blood Testing course, we will credit this course toward completion of the ADAPT Functional Medicine Practitioner Training and Certification Program—and you will receive a tuition discount comparable to what you paid for this course—off the full tuition price of the full program. You must be eligible for the full program in order to qualify for this offer. Click here to learn more about the full program and eligibility and certification requirements.

Who should take this course:

Licensed practitioners who have already taken some Functional Medicine courses but have not been trained in (or are not fully confident with) Functional Blood Testing
Licensed practitioners who are new to Functional Medicine and want to get started with training they can use right away in their clinic
Licensed practitioners who are interested in completing the full twelve month ADAPT Functional Medicine Practitioner Training and Certification Program but would prefer to complete the program in smaller segments to help spread out cost, time and commitment
Students in licensing programs who want to get a head start on incorporating Functional Blood Testing into their practice once they become licensed and start their practice
Non-licensed or licensed health professionals who do not meet the course eligibility criteria who want to learn about Functional Blood Testing (with our audit-only version of the course; see below for details)

"Even though I took [a different Functional Medicine course], I never quite got all that they were teaching and did not know how to apply it in practice beyond basic things. With your course, I feel the mystery is gone and I am actually applying what I learn daily and changing people’s lives. Again, thank you." Donna Kay Jennings, BSN, MHSA, MSN, PMHNP-BCMissoula, MT

Not sure if this course is right for you? Here’s a more detailed look at what you will learn:

Course Description & Learning Objectives

Functional Blood Testing is the most comprehensive, efficient, and practical way to get started with blood testing from a Functional Medicine perspective.

Part One

Introduction to Functional Blood Testing

Learning Objectives

Introduction and overview
Principles of Functional Blood Testing
Blood testing basics
- Principles of Functional Blood Testing
- Functional vs. conventional ranges
- Recommended panel
- Options for ordering the panel
- Where to find additional information

Part Two

Blood sugar imbalances

Learning Objectives

Hyperglycemia
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies
Hypoglycemia/reactive hypoglycemia
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies

Part Three

Nutrient imbalances: iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, zinc, copper, and more

Learning Objectives

Iron deficiency
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies
Iron overload
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies
Vitamin B12 deficiency
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies
Vitamin D imbalance
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies
Zinc-copper imbalance
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies
Magnesium deficiency
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies

Part Four

Thyroid disorders

Learning Objectives

Thyroid hypofunction
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies
Thyroid hyperfunction
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies

Part Five

Metabolic disorders: liver, kidney, and gallbladder

Learning Objectives

Impaired kidney function and other metabolic patterns
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies
Impaired liver function
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies
Impaired gallbladder function
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies

Part Six

Anemias

Learning Objectives

Iron deficiency anemia
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies
Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency anemia
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies

Part Seven

Dyslipidemia and lipid abnormalities

Learning Objectives

Dyslipidemia and familial hypercholesterolemia
- Etiology
- Advanced cholesterol testing
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Case studies

Part Eight

Infection and immune dysregulation

Learning Objectives

Using laboratory markers to identify potential patterns of disease
- Infection
- Autoimmunity
- Treatment
- Cancer
Case studies

Part Nine

Methylation issues

Learning Objectives

Etiology
Genetics
Diagnosis
Treatment
Case studies

Part Ten

Bonus Review Lesson: Full case reviews

Learning Objectives

8 Comprehensive case study reviews
Homework assignments with sample case studies

This course will give you the knowledge and tools you need to start using Functional Blood Testing with your patients right away. Unlike most other Functional Medicine training courses that focus only on theory, this course will show you how to apply what you learn in real-world situations with real patients. You’ll learn what blood markers are most important to order, how to interpret them from a Functional perspective, and how to construct a treatment plan based on the results. Since most practitioners in most countries have access to blood testing, and blood testing is often covered by insurance, this course is the fastest and most practical way to get started with Functional Medicine—no matter what setting you are practicing in or where you are starting from.

Want even more detail on what you’ll learn in this course?

Download the full course syllabus

I can't think of a better decision that has been more worth it than enrolling in the Kresser Institute.
"The knowledge, application, and business sense will all put you a step ahead of the game in every single area. You are literally taking shortcuts to paths in so many industries beyond just Functional Medicine. I went from stressed out working 80 hours in my clinic a week to complete freedom of my schedule to be able to focus on research, learning, and providing greater value to more and more people. I can't believe how quick the transformation was. Since I started the training, I've used the core business principles to quadruple the revenue from my business." Anthony Gustin, MS, DCAustin, TX
dranthonygustin.com

Meet Your Kresser Institute Faculty

Chris Kresser MS, LAc

Program Creator

Chris Kresser is the co-founder of the California Center for Functional Medicine, founder of Kresser Institute, creator of ChrisKresser.com, and New York Times best-selling author of The Paleo Cure and Unconventional Medicine. He is one of the most respected clinicians and educators in the fields of Functional Medicine and ancestral health and has trained over 2,000 clinicians and health coaches from more than 40 countries in his unique approach. Chris was named one of the 100 most influential people in health and fitness by Greatist.com and has appeared as a featured guest on Dr. Oz, Time, The Atlantic, NPR, Fox & Friends, and in other national media outlets.

Tracey O’Shea, FNP, A-CFMP, IFM-CP

Program Director

Tracey O’Shea is a licensed Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-C) who graduated from Samuel Merritt University with a Master’s degree in Nursing. She became board certified through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and was first introduced to Functional Medicine in 2013 when she knew there had to be another way to help patients reach their long-term health goals. She has completed the Kresser Institute ADAPT Functional Medicine Practitioner Training and Certification Program and is an IFM Certified Practitioner. She began her Functional Medicine career working at a Functional Medicine pain management practice for four years.

Tracey trained closely with and was mentored by Chris for many years. She has worked at the California Center for Functional Medicine since 2016 and became the Director of the ADAPT Functional Medicine Practitioner Training and Certification Program in 2020, where she has continued to bring real-world clinical experience and updates to the program.

Laura Beth Schoenfeld, RD, MPH

Laura Schoenfeld, MPH, RD is a licensed registered dietitian and women’s health expert trained in Functional Medical nutrition therapy. She has been a staff member for Chris Kresser since 2012, and is a former teaching assistant at the Kresser Institute, where she assisted in the creation of educational materials for both the practitioner and health coach training programs.

Her passion is empowering women to nourish their bodies, develop true strength, and ultimately use their improved health to pursue their purpose. Laura guides her clients in identifying and implementing diet and lifestyle changes that allow them to live a healthy, fit, symptom-free life without being consumed by thoughts of food and exercise. She draws from a variety of sources to form her philosophy on nutrition, including ancestral diets, principles of biochemistry, current research, and clinical experience. Her areas of expertise include women’s hormones and fertility, gut health, autoimmune disease, athletic performance, stress management, skin health, and weight loss. Recognizing that health goes far beyond just diet and exercise, Laura teaches her clients how to focus on and implement life-changing mental and spiritual health habits as well, including changing their thoughts and beliefs to ones that drive health-supporting decision-making around food, fitness, and life in general. Her greatest mission is to help health-conscious women realize that, while their health is priceless, they are so much more than a body. When she’s not educating and serving her coaching clients and community, Laura loves traveling with her husband, Sundays with her church family, hikes with her dog, beach trips, live music, and strength training.

Professional website | LinkedIn | Other website

Tracey Long, MPH, RDN

Tracey is a registered dietitian with specialty certification training in Integrative and Functional Medical Nutrition Therapy and The Bredesen Protocol to End Alzheimer’s. She owns a private practice, Big Picture Health LLC, in Hendersonville, NC, where she sees clients in person and using video and phone consultations.

She takes a holistic and individualized approach to client care. Another aspect of her practice is providing community education and education for other healthcare providers, including a course in Nutrigenomics. She specializes in working with clients with neurodegenerative conditions, biotoxin illnesses and gastrointestinal conditions, and Nutrigenomics. Tracey is a teaching assistant for The Kresser Institute ADAPT Health Coach Training Program. She recently co-authored a chapter on Therapeutic Diets for a textbook, “Integrative and Functional Medical Nutrition Therapy: Principles and Practices.”

Tracey’s education includes a Master of Public Health; emphasis Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from the Colorado School of Public Health where she studied under Dr. Loren Cordain, PhD, and author of The Paleo Diet. Additionally, her education and training includes a B.S. Dietetics, ACSM-certified Exercise Physiologist and Cancer Exercise Trainer and Registered Yoga Teacher.

Regarding her expertise in nutrition, Tracey encourages an individualized approach to ancestral eating focusing on whole foods and supporting local food. Tracey often uses a low-carb, high (healthy)-fat food plan, also known as a ketogenic food plan, and intermittent fasting to assist many of her clients with a variety of health challenges such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, PCOS, type 2 diabetes, and infertility. Her goal is to help clients regain their health and live a life of passion and purpose unencumbered by poor health. She uses nutrition, lifestyle modifications, targeted supplements, and Functional Medicine testing when appropriate with her clients. She also sees the benefits of collaborating with other providers to help optimize client health.

Her personal interests include hiking with her husband and dog, teaching yoga, foraging for food in the mountains of Western North Carolina, growing medicinal herbs and produce, paddle boarding and visiting her three grown daughters in Colorado.

Professional website | LinkedIn

Lucy Mailing, PhD

Lucy Mailing received her Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Illinois and her undergraduate degree in Biology from Kalamazoo College. Her dissertation research focused on the effects of diet and exercise on the gut microbiome and gut barrier function in states of health and disease. She plans to continue her training and complete her M.D. at the University of Illinois in 2024.

Lucy is also the founder, chief scientific researcher, and author of NextGen Medicine, a website dedicated to evidence-based information about gut and skin health, nutrition, the microbiome, and exercise science. She takes an individualized, integrative approach and regularly consults with clients with gastrointestinal and dermatological conditions.

Lucy has authored seven peer-reviewed publications, including a highly cited review article on exercise and the gut microbiome. She is currently involved with ongoing research at the University of Illinois to determine the effects of the autoimmune protocol diet on the gut microbiome and intestinal barrier function in eczema and psoriasis, and to examine the effects of exercise training on the gut microbiome in inflammatory bowel disease.

Lucy regularly presents her research at national and international conferences. She was named an Emerging Leader in Nutrition Science by the American Society for Nutrition in 2017 and received the Young Scientist Award at the International Probiotics Conference in 2019. Lucy is also a member of the American Gastroenterological Association and American Physician Scientists Association, and is a student fellow of the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics.

Lucy has been a member of the Chris Kresser LLC research team for four years and currently serves as Senior Research Associate for Kresser Institute.

Professional website | LinkedIn

Knowledge is not enough—you need practical application

At Kresser Institute, we are known for taking you beyond theory into real-world practice. This course not only gives you the information you need, but also the skills, tools, and resources to enable you to immediately apply what you’ve learned in your work with patients:

A complete, online blood chemistry manual with conventional and Functional ranges and interpretations for each blood marker
Handouts, worksheets, and quick reference guides that enhance your understanding of the material and your ability to apply it
Handouts for patients that support them in understanding and following through with your recommendations, which improve outcomes and increase referrals. You can even use our handout generator to print the handouts with your own logo and branding!

An innovative approach to learning

The traditional methods for learning (which you were taught in school) don’t work. So we don’t use them. No “firehose” of information. No brute-force memorization. These methods don’t help you actually absorb or use information. Instead, we use the “sprinkler” method:

Content is delivered a little bit at a time, over a longer period of time.
Topics unfold in a way that mimics how you will apply them later.
Lesson-specific quizzes increase comprehension and retention.

Audit-only version of the course for health enthusiasts

We are offering an audit-only version of the course for non-licensed or licensed health professionals who do not meet the course eligibility criteria but want to learn more about Functional Blood Testing. This course was created for practitioners with the understanding that they have had basic training and education in biology and pathophysiology. There are no entry-level explanations of biology included in these courses, and patient- and clinician-specific resources will not be included in this version, in addition to the following changes:

16 lessons instead of 18
No patient case studies (the missing two lessons)
No clinician- or patient-specific handouts or handout generator access
No eligibility for ADAPT Functional Medicine Practitioner Certification or ADAPT Functional Medicine Practitioner Training full program access

This program was created by a globally renowned clinician, bestselling author, and widely respected authority in the field of Functional Medicine.

As the founder of the Kresser Institute and the ADAPT training programs, Chris Kresser has personally treated thousands of patients and trained over 2,000 practitioners and health coaches in more than 40 countries around the world in his unique approach.

Start your deep dive into Functional Blood Testing today!

Enroll in the ADAPT Functional Blood Testing course now!

Full Course

$3,495

Tuition

Enroll Now

Audit Course

$1,995

Tuition

Enroll Now

Secure Checkout

Frequently Asked Questions

How will the course materials be delivered to me?

Upon registration for the course, you will receive information by email on how to log in to the course learning portal. The learning portal is viewed through your browser, so all you need is an internet connection and a computer or mobile device. We recommend the Google Chrome browser, but any up-to-date browser and operating system should work just fine. The course is compatible with Mac and Windows computers and iOS and Android devices.

Inside the learning portal, you’ll find the course materials divided into lessons. Each lesson consists of video presentations, along with audio files and transcripts of the presentations, so that you can study the material in the way that best suits your unique learning style. You’ll also find handouts, quizzes, and links to additional resources. Audio files, transcripts, and handouts can all be downloaded to your computer for offline viewing.

How long will I have access to the course?

You’ll have access to the course for 18 months from the time that you register for the course. You can download course materials that you wish to save for a longer time period.

Will I get live support in this course?

No, this course does not have live support. It was created as a self-study course so that you have complete control of your learning experience. You have access to all course materials from day one, and you can choose the order in which you learn the material, how fast you progress through the course, and when you need to take breaks. This type of course is best for the solitary learner who does not wish to interact with course faculty or fellow students. While this course does not provide direct contact with faculty or students, our technical support team is standing by if you have any issues accessing the course. This is also the advantage of case-based learning: you get that in-person, faculty-led discussion feel but on your own schedule.

How can I take the full ADAPT Functional Medicine Practitioner Training and Certification Program and become certified after completing this course?

After completing the Functional Blood Testing course, you can apply to enroll in the full ADAPT Functional Medicine Practitioner Training and Certification Program during one of our open enrollments (which typically happen in the spring and fall). We will apply the cost of the Functional Blood Testing course toward the full tuition price for the complete program. The course material and quizzes that you take during the Functional Blood Testing course will be applied toward certification after completing the remainder of the ADAPT Functional Medicine Practitioner Training and Certification Program.

How long will it take me to complete this course?

You have up to 18 months to complete this course, but the pace you choose is up to you. You can dive right in and do an hour a day and complete the course in six weeks or spread it out over 16 weeks as initially designed.

Can I receive continuing education credit?

No, this course does not offer continuing education credit. This was an intentional decision, as including continuing education units significantly limits the real-world application of the course material.

Is this training suitable for international practitioners?

Yes! We’ve had over 100 international practitioners from 28 countries complete the program. Blood testing is the most widely available form of testing and should be available to practitioners all over the world.

Note that some tests and supplements may be difficult to order in countries outside of the United States, but we have you covered. We provide a reference guide for ordering supplements and labs internationally. For the blood chemistry unit, we teach lab ranges and values in U.S. units, but we provide unit conversion resources.

Due to the variability and evolving regulations for different licenses within each country, we cannot guarantee the relevancy of every aspect of the program for each individual international practitioner. We encourage you to email us if you would like to discuss the details of your unique situation.

What is the best way to reach customer support with questions?

You can contact our customer support team at support@chriskresser.com, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have! The ADAPT Functional Blood Testing terms and conditions may answer some of your questions.

What if I find that this course isn’t a good fit for me after purchasing?

Please contact our support team within seven days of your course registration date to apply for a refund.

Will you offer scholarships, financial assistance, or payment plans?

At this time, we do not offer scholarships, financial assistance, or payment plans for this course.

Introducing a new self-paced, 40-hour Functional Blood Testing course