From the Guidelines
Functional medicine practitioners typically employ a range of personalized treatments, including dietary modifications, nutritional supplementation, lifestyle interventions, detoxification protocols, hormone balancing, gut health interventions, mind-body practices, and environmental toxin reduction, to address the root causes of an individual's health issues and restore balance and optimize overall health. When considering treatment modalities in Functional Medicine (FM), it is essential to prioritize evidence-based approaches that address the individual's specific health needs. Some of the key treatment modalities utilized in FM include:
- Dietary modifications: Customized nutrition plans, often involving elimination diets to identify food sensitivities or anti-inflammatory diets, as seen in the study by 1
- Nutritional supplementation: Targeted use of vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other supplements to address deficiencies or support specific bodily functions
- Lifestyle interventions: Stress management techniques, sleep optimization, and exercise programs tailored to the individual, such as tai chi and/or qigong, as described in 1
- Detoxification protocols: Guided cleanses or detox programs to support the body's natural detoxification processes
- Hormone balancing: Use of bioidentical hormones or natural approaches to optimize hormone levels
- Gut health interventions: Probiotics, prebiotics, and specific diets to improve digestive function and microbiome balance, as mentioned in 1
- Mind-body practices: Incorporation of meditation, yoga, or other mindfulness techniques to address stress and promote overall well-being, such as music therapy and music-based interventions, as described in 1
- Environmental toxin reduction: Guidance on reducing exposure to environmental pollutants and toxins These treatments are often used in combination and are tailored to address the root causes of an individual's health issues rather than just managing symptoms, with the goal of restoring balance and optimizing overall health by addressing multiple interconnected bodily systems simultaneously, as recommended by 1 and 1. It is crucial to note that the effectiveness of many complementary therapies has not been established, and rigorous research is necessary to provide evidence-based recommendations, as highlighted in 1. In clinical practice, healthcare professionals should inquire about the use of complementary therapies, explore the reasons for their usage, and counsel patients on the nature of these therapies, their potential benefits, and risks, to ensure realistic expectations and safe use, as suggested by 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
The FDA drug label does not answer the question.
From the Research
Treatment Modalities in Functional Medicine
The specific treatment modalities utilized in Functional Medicine (FM) include:
- Personalized diet and nutrition interventions 2
- Lifestyle modifications, such as addressing sleep, stress, movement, and relationships 3, 2
- Elimination diets, such as a 6-week elimination diet under the direction of a trained Functional Medicine dietitian and Functional Medicine providers 3
- Educational sessions focused on nutrition and modifiable lifestyle factors 3
- Addressing the underlying causes of disease, rather than just managing symptoms 4, 5
Key Principles of Functional Medicine
The core principles of Functional Medicine include:
- A patient-centered approach that seeks to address the underlying causes of disease 4
- Organizing the body into a network of interconnected systems to correct functional imbalances and restore health 2
- Using personalized interventions to promote health and optimize function 5
- Focusing on creating health, rather than just diagnosing and treating disease 2
Application of Functional Medicine
Functional Medicine can be applied in various settings, including:
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) centers, where it can improve patient-reported outcomes, such as sleep, fatigue, and quality of life 3
- Primary care settings, where it can be used to improve patient-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) 5
- Nursing practice, where it can be used to promote a more personalized and collaborative health care environment 4