I'd never heard of it, but from a quick visit to their web page the company looks a bit 'odd'. It was founded by someone with no real medical or nutritional qualifications - in fact he describes himself as a 'lay-practioner'. Even FDN is 'his' system and based on his experience as the Health Director and Case Manager at The Better Health & Wellness Center in Poway, California. The Center's services incude eyelash extensions, air brush tanning, massage and facials!!! Which in part would explain how he became Health Director without any real qualifications.
The Functional Diagnostic Nutrition site is mostly about recruiting 'practitioners' rather than giving information about functional diagnostic nutrition. And the big selling point to future practioners is the bait of earning $200 an hour once certified.
A big red flag for me are the repeated conflicting statements:
“FDN is a type of detective work that seeks to identify and correct the underlying causes and conditions that lead to our patient’s health complaints”
“FDN is not diagnosing or treating any disease nor practicing medicine”
It sounds like a scam, or possibly a classic multi level marketing scheme, its difficult to tell. But, it seems to be quite a lucrative business. Clients clearly get hooked into a lot of lab tests, for example
http://goldfunctionalwellness.com/lab-menu-pricing/
Tests go way beyond the normal blood work done at a routine physical. But, as to the importance of the results? I don't know. Perhaps they may be useful for diagnosing certain intolerances, etc. But, clearly given the price list its going to be an expensive experience* to find out, and the results are likely being interpreted by someone with no formal training in medicine or nutrition. In which case you may or may not get good advice. However, I imagine you will get a recommendation for more lab work! A LOT more intitial more lab work and metabolic typing and follow up lab work....and.... you get the picture.
* The owner of this FDN 'practice' claims to have given up a job as Wall Street trader to open his 'wellness' business.
