Course
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Advanced Blood Work

Overview
Learn to analyse complex blood panels using functional ranges, pattern recognition, and clinical reasoning, equipping you to identify root causes that standard interpretations often miss.
Format
Online
Units
134
Recommended for
  • Specific conditions
  • Bio-individualised nutrition
  • Root-cause solutions
  • Complex cases
  • Confident interventions
Advanced Blood Work

The learning framework

1
The limitations of conventional blood work interpretation
Blood analysis remains one of the most accessible yet underutilised tools for identifying underlying dysfunctions before they progress into chronic conditions, enabling early intervention, precise personalisation of nutrition and supplement protocols, and objective monitoring of progress, yet conventional interpretation focuses on diagnosing disease, overlooking subtle variations that indicate early physiological stress, nutrient depletion, inflammatory trends, hormonal imbalances, and metabolic dysfunction.
2
Why most practitioners miss early dysfunction
Most practitioners receive minimal training in functional blood work interpretation beyond basic reference ranges, leaving them unable to recognise patterns across interconnected systems, apply functional reference ranges that reveal subclinical imbalances, use ratios and trends to enhance accuracy, correlate findings with symptoms and dietary data, or translate results into prioritised, phase-appropriate interventions, missing opportunities for prevention, optimisation, and measurable client outcomes.
3
A functional approach to Advanced Blood Work
The Advanced Blood Work module trains you to analyse blood work through a functional lens focused on optimising health, wellbeing, and longevity, using pattern recognition, ratio analysis, and trend evaluation to understand how interconnected systems contribute to presentations, identify root causes, calculate predictive risk scores, formulate evidence-based recommendations, and operate within professional boundaries while ensuring data accuracy and appropriate medical collaboration.

What you'll learn

By the end of this module, you will be able to:
Utilise functional blood work safely and within professional boundaries
Understanding scope limitations, when to order versus interpret existing labs, ensuring proper informed consent, documenting control variables affecting accuracy, and recognising when medical referral is required.
Interpret comprehensive panels using functional reference ranges
Assessing complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, lipid panel, thyroid markers, sex hormones, inflammatory markers, nutrient status, liver enzymes, and kidney function using optimal ranges that reveal subclinical dysfunction missed by conventional ranges.
Apply pattern recognition across systems
Identifying correlations between thyroid and iron status, liver function and hormone metabolism, inflammation and metabolic markers, immune patterns and gut health, moving beyond isolated marker interpretation to whole-system analysis.
Use ratios and trends to enhance interpretation accuracy
Applying TG:HDL ratio for insulin resistance, fT3:fT4 for thyroid conversion, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for inflammation and immune balance, ferritin trends for iron storage, and sequential testing to assess intervention effectiveness.
Correlate objective data with symptoms and dietary intake
Triangulating blood chemistry findings with client presentation, symptom patterns, dietary analysis, lifestyle factors, and medication use to pinpoint root causes and prioritise interventions.
Identify predictive risk scores and early warning signs
Recognising patterns indicating cardiovascular risk, diabetes progression, thyroid dysfunction, nutrient depletion, immune activation, liver stress, and kidney impairment before clinical diagnosis, enabling preventive intervention.
Recognise red flags requiring immediate medical referral
Identifying critical values, concerning patterns, suspected undiagnosed conditions, or findings outside practitioner scope that require urgent or specialist medical evaluation.
Ensure quality control and data integrity
Understanding pre-analytical variables including fasting status, timing, recent supplementation, training load, menstrual cycle phase, stress, sleep, and hydration that affect accuracy, documenting factors that may compromise interpretation.
Formulate phase-appropriate, prioritised recommendations
Translating findings into bio-individual nutrition, lifestyle, and supplementation strategies following Priority Order of Dysfunction, avoiding protocol dumping, over-supplementation, or addressing secondary issues before foundations are stable.

Why this matters

Clinical credibility through objective data
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Blood work builds trust with clients and creates opportunities for co-management with medical professionals.
Precision in protocols and measurable outcomes
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You'll know exactly what to address, track progress objectively, and demonstrate tangible results to clients and referral partners.
Earlier intervention preventing disease progression
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Identifying dysfunction years before diagnosis allows proactive support and prevents symptom burden.
Professional confidence and differentiation
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You'll move from uncertainty to clarity, interpreting complex panels accurately while operating safely within scope.
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Advanced Blood Work
Functional Blood Analysis
Blood Chemistry
Functional Ranges
Metabolic Health
Thyroid Optimisation
Nutrient Deficiencies
Inflammation Markers
Cardiovascular Risk
Liver Function
Your path to becoming a Certified Practitioner

How to get started

1st Step
Submit your Application
Apply online in just a few minutes. Our team will review your experience, education and goals to ensure this certification aligns with your professional path.
2nd Step
Join the IOH community
Once accepted, you’ll gain instant access to our global network of practitioners, mentors and resources that support your learning from day one.
3rd Step
Begin your first module
Start your studies inside the IOH learning portal — with guided mentorship, live calls, and access to the Oracle AI system that turns knowledge into action.

Expand your knowledge

All Courses
What does an Integrative Nutritional Therapist do?
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An Integrative Nutritional Therapist utilises the latest evidence-based research to create an integrative approach to optimising each client’s health and wellbeing.

They design bio-individual nutrition plans, personalise supplementation where appropriate, and interpret functional laboratory data, including blood work, to gain deeper insights, achieve better accuracy and tailor every intervention to the individual.

How is functional medicine different from conventional medicine?
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Conventional medicine often waits until a disease is clearly present before intervention begins. Treatment is focused on managing or suppressing a diagnosed condition.

Functional medicine looks upstream. It assesses the early drivers of dysfunction and works to prevent disease from developing in the first place, or restore balance in the body. It uses a whole-systems view of the body, then applies personalised, preventative nutrition and lifestyle interventions to support long-term health rather than only reacting once things have gone wrong.

What will be my scope of practice after completing this certification?
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After completing the certification, you will be recognised and insured as a Integrative Nutritional Therapist inclusive of Nutritional Therapy and Functional Blood Work, with a clearly defined scope of practice.

You will be trained and insured to:

  • Design bio-individual nutrition plans
  • Recommend and prescribe over-the-counter supplementation up to safe, optimal intake thresholds
  • Utilise functional blood work from a wellness perspective to guide your reasoning and recommendations
  • Collaborate with and refer to medical professionals when red flags, pathology or out-of-scope conditions are identified

Our scope of practice has been aligned with nutritional therapy standards and externally audited, so you can work with confidence and clarity.

Is your course accredited?
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Yes. Our certifications are accredited by multiple independent professional bodies, including the International Institute for Complementary Therapists (IICT) and the Complementary Medical Association (CMA).

To receive these accreditations, our curriculum undergoes forensic external auditing to ensure every component is up to date, evidence-informed, ethically delivered and aligned with recognised Nutritional Therapy and Functional Health standards. This includes rigorous evaluation of our academic content, assessments, delivery methods and scope of practice frameworks.

This external oversight gives you confidence that the qualification you are investing in is credible, robust and widely recognised within the industry, with clear pathways for insurance, professional membership and global practice.

Will I be able to practise internationally?
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Yes. Our graduates are eligible for insurance through IICT that is recognised across 36 countries, including:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden & United Kingdom.

This allows you to work with clients internationally, including in online practice, provided you respect local regulations and the scope of practice defined by your insurer and professional associations.

Need help?
Get in touch with us
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