How functional testing works, start to finish.
Every Wellbeing George test follows the same six steps: choose the test that matches your question, collect your sample, post it to the laboratory, receive your report, and decide how much help you want interpreting it. Testing is available Australia-wide, most kits are collected at home, and consultations are online.
Australia-wide. Most tests use at-home sample collection, and every consultation is online.
This page is general educational information about the testing process. Functional testing does not diagnose, treat or replace care from your GP or specialist. Full detail is on our disclaimer page.
A simple process, with support when you need it.
Functional testing can feel overwhelming at first, mostly because every provider describes it differently. The pathway itself is short: choose, collect, send, receive, decide.
A test for the question you have
Genetics, methylation, gut health, hormones, food reactions, nutrient status and healthy ageing each answer a different question. Picking the right one matters more than picking the biggest one.
Collection that fits around you
Most tests use at-home collection, from a cheek swab to a stool, breath, saliva or dried urine sample. A small number use a blood sample taken at a pathology collection centre.
Interpretation only if you want it
You can take the report and run with it, add a video review, or book a consultation. The report is yours either way, and the support level is your choice.
Not sure where to start?
If you are comparing two or more tests, start with the testing range or book a free 15-minute call before ordering. The aim is to choose the test that best matches the question you are trying to answer, not to order the widest panel available.
Georgina, was prompt and provided excellent service from my initial enquiry and all throughout the process. The Genetic Methylation test has provided me with plenty of useful information to know how my body works.
What happens after you decide to order?
Exact instructions vary by test, but this is the general process for most Wellbeing George functional testing options.
Choose the right test
Start with your main health question. Are you trying to understand methylation genetics, gut symptoms, hormones, food reactions, nutrient status, biological age or long-term health trends?
Each test page explains who the test may suit, what it looks at and the support options available. The comparison table below is the quickest way to narrow it down, and if you are still unsure you can book a free 15-minute call before ordering.
Receive your kit and instructions
Your testing pathway will include instructions for collection, preparation and sample return. Depending on the test, you may receive a kit directly or follow specific collection requirements.
Read the instructions before you collect. Some tests have timing, food, supplement, medication or fasting requirements that need to be followed carefully, and a sample collected outside those conditions may need to be repeated.
Collect your sample
Sample type depends on the test: a cheek swab, saliva, stool, breath, dried urine, urine or a blood sample. Most are collected at home, and a small number use a blood sample taken at a pathology collection centre.
Your kit or instructions will explain what to collect, how to collect it and how to package it for return. The aim is to make the process as clear and manageable as possible.
Send your sample to the lab
Follow the return instructions provided with your kit. Laboratory processing times vary by test and can be affected by sample type, postage, laboratory workload and public holiday periods, so the honest answer to "how long will it take" lives on the individual test page rather than here.
Laboratories used for Wellbeing George testing include NATA accredited Australian laboratories, which is the national accreditation scheme for testing facilities.
Receive your report
Once the laboratory has completed analysis, your results are provided in a report. Some reports are short and readable, while others contain a lot of data that benefits from interpretation.
This is where the difference between raw results and practical next steps starts to matter. A number on a page is only useful once it is read in context. The Australasian Association for Clinical Biochemistry has a good plain-English primer on how to read a pathology result.
Use your results to guide next steps
You can use the report on its own, choose a video review where available, or book a 1:1 consultation for deeper support.
During practitioner interpretation, results are considered alongside your symptoms, health history, diet, lifestyle, medications, supplements, stress, sleep and goals.
I highly recommend Wellbeing George. The whole process for the testing is really well explained and very thorough.
Which test answers which question?
Different tests answer different questions, and no single test covers all of them. Start from the question you actually want answered, then read that test's page in full.
| Your main question | The test | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| How do my genes affect the way I use nutrients? | Genetic Methylation Test | Cheek swab |
| What is the picture in my gut? | Gut Microbiome Test | Stool |
| Bloating, gas or altered bowel habits after eating? | SIBO Breath Test | Breath |
| What are my hormones and cortisol doing across a day? | DUTCH Complete Hormone Test | Dried urine |
| I want a focused female hormone and cortisol profile. | Well Woman Hormone Test | Saliva |
| Which foods might I be reacting to? | Food Intolerance Test (96 foods, IgG) | At-home sample |
| Where are my nutrient and metabolic markers sitting? | Complete Nutritional Blueprint (NutriSTAT) | Blood and urine |
| I want a focused metabolite view rather than a broad panel. | Organic Acids Test | Urine |
| How is my biological age tracking? | Telomere Length Test | EDTA blood |
| Which biological age test should I pick? | Biological age tests compared | Guide, no sample |
Most of these use at-home collection. The Telomere Length Test uses an EDTA blood sample taken at a pathology collection centre, and the Complete Nutritional Blueprint uses both blood and urine. Each test page confirms its own collection method before you order. Longer explainers sit in the functional testing guides, including the cortisol testing guide, and the symptom-led starting points are on what we treat.
Report only, video review or consultation?
Some people are comfortable reading their own results, while others prefer guided interpretation. The right level of support depends on your goals and the complexity of your symptoms.
Why interpretation matters.
A laboratory report can provide useful data, but it does not know your full story. The value usually comes from reading results in context and deciding what matters most first.
Context
Results are considered alongside your symptoms, health history, diet, sleep, stress, medications, supplements and goals, rather than read in isolation.
Prioritisation
Rather than trying to change everything at once, interpretation helps identify what may be most relevant to look at first.
Practicality
The aim is to turn a report into food, lifestyle and supplement priorities you can actually act on, where those are appropriate for you.
Post testing the reporting is next level with plenty of detail and the 90 min one on one consult to go through the results which was clearly explained in laymen's terms by Georgina. I was really surprised at how comprehensive the report was and how it shows where your issues are within your body whether through genetics or lifestyle.
Common questions about the testing process.
The questions people ask most often before ordering. If yours is not here, a free 15-minute call is the fastest way to get it answered.
Are Wellbeing George functional tests completed at home?
Most are. Cheek swab, saliva, stool, breath, dried urine and urine samples are all collected at home and posted to the laboratory. The exception is a test that needs a blood draw, such as the Telomere Length Test, which uses an EDTA blood sample taken at a pathology collection centre. Each test page states its own collection method before you order.
Can I complete functional testing if I live outside Melbourne?
Yes. Wellbeing George functional testing is available Australia-wide and every consultation is held online, so you do not need to be in Melbourne or Victoria. The exact process depends on the test type, sample requirements and laboratory instructions.
What types of samples do functional tests use?
Depending on the test: a cheek swab for genetic testing, stool for gut microbiome testing, breath for SIBO testing, saliva for the Well Woman Hormone Test, dried urine for the DUTCH Complete, urine for organic acids testing, and blood for the Telomere Length Test and the blood component of the Complete Nutritional Blueprint. Each product page explains the relevant sample type before you order.
How do I know which test to choose?
Start from the question you want answered rather than the size of the panel. The comparison table on this page maps each main question to the test that addresses it, from methylation genetics through gut, hormones, food reactions, nutrient status and healthy ageing. You can also compare the full range on the testing page or book a free 15-minute call before ordering.
Is genetic testing different from blood, stool or hormone testing?
Yes, and the difference matters. Genetic testing looks at inherited variations in your DNA, which do not change over your lifetime, so it is done once. Blood, stool, breath, urine and saliva testing look at current patterns, which may change with diet, lifestyle, stress, health status or treatment, so they can be repeated. Healthdirect has a general overview of genetic testing in Australia.
Do I need a consultation after my results?
No, a consultation is optional and the report is yours either way. It can be helpful if you want your results interpreted alongside your symptoms, health history, diet, lifestyle, medications, supplements and goals, or if the report is long enough that you are unsure where to start.
How long does functional testing take?
Timeframes vary by test and depend on shipping, when you return your sample, and laboratory processing. Public holiday periods and sample type both affect it. Each test page explains the expected pathway for that specific test, so check there rather than assuming a single turnaround applies to everything.
What happens if I make a mistake collecting my sample?
Follow the instructions provided with your kit as carefully as you can, since a sample collected outside the stated conditions may need to be repeated. If you are unsure whether a sample has been collected correctly, contact Wellbeing George or the relevant test provider before sending it back rather than posting it and hoping.
Can I do functional testing while taking supplements or medication?
Often yes, but some tests have preparation instructions around supplements, medications, food, alcohol, caffeine or timing, and these can affect the result. Always follow the instructions provided with your test. Do not stop prescribed medication unless advised by your GP or healthcare provider.
Do I need a GP referral to order a functional test?
No. The functional tests offered through Wellbeing George are ordered directly and do not require a GP referral. They are also not covered by Medicare or private health rebates, so they are paid for privately. They are intended to sit alongside your medical care, not to replace anything your GP has ordered.
Which laboratories are used?
Testing is processed by specialist laboratories, including NATA accredited Australian laboratories. NATA is Australia's national accreditation authority for testing facilities, and the individual test page names the laboratory and analysis used for that test.
Will my results tell me exactly what supplements to take?
No single report decides that on its own. Results can help guide nutrition and supplement priorities, but they are best interpreted in context. A Clinical Nutritionist can help connect the report with your symptoms, diet, history, medications and goals before anything is recommended.
Can I share my results with my GP or another practitioner?
Yes. The report is yours and you can share it with your GP, specialist or another practitioner. Functional testing does not replace medical care, but the results can be useful information to discuss with your healthcare team.
Is functional testing a replacement for medical care?
No. Functional testing is used to guide personalised nutrition and lifestyle support. It is not a substitute for medical care, diagnosis or treatment, and it does not diagnose any condition. Always speak with your GP or healthcare provider about medical symptoms, medications or health concerns.
Start with the test that matches your main question.
Browse the full testing range, compare categories and choose the option that best fits what you want to understand. If you would rather talk it through first, the 15-minute call is free and nothing is ordered on it.
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Reviewed by Georgina Waugh
Clinical Nutritionist, BHSc Nutritional Medicine
Last reviewed: September 2026
Sources reviewed: NATA, AACB Lab Tests Online and Healthdirect, alongside laboratory and test provider information and clinical nutrition interpretation.
Important: Functional testing is used to guide personalised nutrition and lifestyle support. It is not a substitute for medical care, diagnosis or treatment, and no test on this page diagnoses a condition. Always speak with your GP or healthcare provider about medical symptoms, medications or health concerns. More detail is on our disclaimer page.