Functional Medicine for Companies

As healthcare costs continue to rise, companies are searching for innovative ways to reduce expenses while improving employee well-being. Conventional approaches often focus on managing symptoms rather than addressing the root causes of chronic conditions. However, functional medicine offers an effective solution by prioritizing prevention, personalized care, and addressing underlying root causes. This proactive approach not only improves employee health outcomes but also reduces the long-term financial burden of healthcare costs for employers.

In this article, we’ll explore how functional medicine can benefit employers by fostering a healthier workforce and reducing healthcare spending costs.

Conventional vs. Functional Medicine

To better understand the benefits of functional medicine for employees, it’s important to highlight the key differences between conventional medicine and a functional approach.

Conventional Medicine

Focus: Symptom management through standardized protocols. Conventional medicine is best used for acute injuries, emergencies, or life threatening situations requiring immediate intervention.

Strengths:

Excels in acute and emergency care, such as surgeries or trauma.
Offers specialized expertise for specific conditions (for example: cardiology, neurology).

Limitations:

Time constraints due to insurance-driven models often limit patient visits to 15 minutes or less.
Tends to overlook root causes of chronic illnesses, focusing on only treating symptoms.
Overreliance on medications can lead to side effects, ongoing health issues, and missed diagnoses.

Functional Medicine

Focus: Addressing root causes of health issues with personalized, patient-centered care. Functional medicine is ideal for managing chronic conditions, promoting overall wellness, and preventing disease.

Strengths:

Longer appointment times allow clinicians to take an in depth health history and address all concerns.
Uses advanced lab testing to assess hormones, gut health, nutrient levels, and more.
Treatment plans prioritize nutrition, lifestyle modifications, and sustainable health improvements.
Proven results: 98% of Root members report reduced symptoms and improved quality of life within the first year.

Limitations:

Healing requires time and dedication, with results often taking months. Per case reviews at Root, most members were reducing or eliminating medications by 6 months of working together.
Many treatments are not covered by insurance, requiring an upfront investment. By partnering directly with employers with transparent costs and reducing administrative overhead that is typical with insurance-based care, Root saves people and employers on overall costs, despite not using insurance.

The Cost of Chronic Illness

An estimated 60 percent of American adults live with at least one chronic disease, while more than 40 percent manage two or more chronic conditions (1). A chronic disease is a long term health condition that typically progresses slowly and requires ongoing management. Up to 80 percent of chronic diseases, including many cases of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers, are preventable through improved diet, physical activity, and other lifestyle interventions.

For individuals, chronic illness often means a lifetime of medical appointments, prescription medications, and various specialist referrals, which can lead to significant financial strain for both individuals and employers. For example, people with diabetes spend over $12,000 annually on related medical expenses, more than double what those without diabetes pay (2).

For employers, the cost of chronic disease also accounts for lost productivity due to sick days, reduced performance, and disability claims. For example, heart disease alone is estimated to cost American companies an estimated 156 billion annually from reduced productivity (3).

Hashimoto's disease has become increasingly prevalent, affecting millions of people worldwide. Among the symptoms associated with Hashimoto's, one of the most challenging and frustrating is brain fog. In this article, we will explain possible root causes of brain fog related to Hashimoto’s and suggest interventions you can take to alleviate this symptom.

What is Hashimoto’s?

Hashimoto's disease is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid gland. This attack leads to inflammation and compromises the thyroid's ability to produce hormones essential for metabolism, energy levels, and overall well-being.

The resulting damage from Hashimoto’s prevents the thyroid from producing adequate levels of thyroid hormones, leading to a more well-known condition known as hypothyroidism. Read more about symptoms, diagnosis, and our functional medicine approach to treating Hashimoto’s.

What Causes Hashimoto’s Brain Fog?

Brain fog is a term used to describe a group of symptoms characterized by memory lapses, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, and general feeling of mental fogginess. Unfortunately, brain fog may persist after the other symptoms of hypothyroidism resolve on conventional thyroid hormone therapy.

The exact mechanisms linking Hashimoto's and brain fog are not fully understood, but several factors may contribute to this symptom.

Thyroid Hormone Imbalance

Hashimoto’s is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States. The conventional treatment for hypothyroidism caused by Hashimoto’s is a thyroid hormone replacement medication.

When diagnosing hypothyroidism, your doctor will likely look at two blood tests called TSH and T4. The conventional range for a normal TSH is about 0.5 - 4.5 mIU/L. However, most functional medicine doctors prefer a narrower and more optimal range for TSH of 1.0 - 2.5 mlU/L. If your levels are higher than this optimal range, your brain fog may be due to an ongoing thyroid hormone imbalance known as subclinical hypothyroidism. Furthermore, some people may have normal T4 and TSH levels, but continue to suffer from hypothyroid symptoms due to poor conversion of T4 into T3.

Poor Gut Health

An imbalance in the gut microbiome, known as dysbiosis, has been linked to autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto's. Dysbiosis can then cause or worsen other gut conditions, like leaky gut, food sensitivities, and inflammation.

A compromised gut can also impact the absorption of essential nutrients, including those necessary for thyroid function. Nutrient deficiencies, such as low levels of selenium, iron, vitamin D, and zinc, may exacerbate Hashimoto's brain fog and contribute to thyroid dysfunction.