Do I need more tests? I've had so many already.
Lab tests, only where they add something
Thinking about a naturopath blood test? Lab testing with a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) starts with the results you already have. A new test is suggested only if it adds something to your plan. It's paid privately, at lab cost, and you hear the price before anything is ordered.
- "I've had bloodwork three times this year. Everything is in range."
- "I don't know which tests I've had and which I haven't."
- "My results are in a portal I can barely log into."
- "I'd like to know what a test costs before I agree to it."
- "Is this something my family doctor should order instead?"
What an Ontario ND may order.
Ontario's lab regulation lists the specific tests an ND may requisition. They go to a lab licensed in Ontario. The list is grouped by sample:
- Blood, including common tests such as a complete blood count, ferritin, TSH and vitamin D.
- Urine, such as a routine urinalysis.
- Stool, such as a test for blood in the stool.
- Saliva, such as cortisol and some hormones.
- Breath, such as a hydrogen breath test.
- Some swabs and cultures.
Tests outside that list aren't ones an ND can order. If one of those would be useful, the ND tells you and you can ask your family doctor.
Your results first.
Recent results from your family doctor are welcome. Bring paper copies, a portal screenshot or a PDF. If they already cover what the ND needs, nothing new is ordered.
Only if it adds something.
More tests aren't the goal. The ND suggests a test when the answer would change something in your plan, and explains why in plain words. You decide whether to go ahead.
What happens with the results.
The ND goes through your results with you at a follow-up, next to how you've been feeling. With your permission, the ND shares them with your family doctor. If a result needs prompt medical attention, the ND tells you and refers you to a medical doctor or nurse practitioner.
How it goes
A free 10-minute call. Say what you've had tested already. It's a conversation about fit, not a consultation.
A test, only if useful. You hear which test, why, and the lab cost, before anything is ordered.
The sample. The ND tells you where and how it's collected.
Results at a follow-up. 30 or 60 minutes to go through them and adjust your plan.
Where this comes up often
What affects the cost
- Which test. Each lab test is priced by the lab. You pay the lab cost privately, with nothing added.
- Whether you need one at all. If your recent results already cover it, there's nothing to pay.
- Your visits. Reading results happens at your consultation and follow-ups, at the usual visit fees.
- Your extended health plan. Some plans treat lab tests differently from visits, so check yours.
You hear the price before anything is ordered. OHIP doesn't cover tests an ND orders.
good questions
Before you book.
Can naturopaths order blood tests in Ontario?
Yes, certain ones. Ontario's lab regulation lists the tests an ND may requisition. They include common blood tests such as a complete blood count, ferritin, TSH and vitamin D. They're paid privately, at lab cost.
How much does a naturopath blood test cost?
It depends on the test, because each one is priced by the lab. You pay the lab cost privately, and you hear the price before anything is ordered.
Does OHIP cover lab tests ordered by a naturopath?
No. Tests an ND orders are paid privately, at lab cost, and you hear the price before anything is ordered.
Can I bring results from my family doctor?
Yes, please. Recent results, even normal ones, are part of the picture. They may mean nothing new needs to be ordered.
Can a naturopath order hormone tests?
Some. The list an Ontario ND may requisition includes TSH, a thyroid blood test, and certain urine and saliva hormone tests. The ND suggests one only if it would change something in your plan.
What if I need a test a naturopath can't order?
The ND tells you, and you can ask your family doctor. With your permission, the ND shares what they've found so far.
Bring the results you already have.
Ten minutes with the ND, free, in clinic, by phone or by video.