The traditional model of health care faces many challenges.  Technology has led to a significant revisioning and modification of the models of medicine in practice today.  4P and Functional Medicine are increasingly recognized as having much to contribute to the practice of the ‘Best’ medicine available. And yet, there is a significant unmet need to identify the value of a personalized lifestyle intervention program for improving functional health outcomes.

Currently, disease is well understood as we talk about the signs and symptoms of an illness and its causes.  Health is less easily defined.  Historically, healthy has been the default term that is applied to an individual who is not recognized as having a disease. This definition of health as the absence of disease has resulted in the promotion of health and wellness as lying outside the purview of medicine.

An evolving definition of health, however, must recognize the functional capacity of the individual. Functional capacity can be categorized in five assessment areas: physiological, physical, cognitive and emotional and social/behavioral.  A person’s health and functionality can be assessed using both qualitative and quantitative measures.  The effects on health of a personalized lifestyle medicine intervention program can best be evaluated by using these functional determinants.

To explore these themes, in December of 2017, Brent Eck, the CEO of Metagenics, and the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Clinic (PLMC) initiated a clinical research program studying employee wellness utilizing a P4 Functional Medicine model. Dr. Joseph Lamb (the Principal Investigator) and Dr. Michael Stone led these efforts. Dr. Deanna Minich, Monique Class, ARNP, and Dr. Michelle Leary were members of the clinical team. Dr. Jose Ordovas (Tufts University) led our statistical analysis and was supported by Dr. Andrey Volkov at Bennett Data Sciences. Dr. Jeffrey Bland, Dr. Nikky Contractor, Lyra Heller and were members of the Advisory Board.

Over 375 employees participated in the first phase of LIFEHOUSE (Lifestyle Intervention and Functional Evaluation — a Health Outcomes Survey). Their initial assessment includes laboratory testing (serum biomarker including advanced lipid panels and complete hormonal and metabolic screens, genomic testing, stool inflammatory markers and microbiome), validated questionnaires, the Nutrition Physical Exam as well as Standard History and Physical examinations. Utilizing a unique ‘N of 1’ case study design and statistical techniques, many participants received a personalized lifestyle medicine prescription based on their individual needs, as well as nutritional supplements and health coaching.  Delivery systems for advancing functional wellbeing were developed and their benefit evaluated.

LIFEHOUSE fulfilled a long-standing vision for Metagenics and the PLMC.  Over the years, Metagenics has been at the forefront of leading Functional and Integrative Medicine research, and LIFEHOUSE put it into practice by providing our colleagues and employees with the latesr in personalized lifestyle medical care. The development of a comprehensive database from all participants allows for the integration of genomic, microbiomic, biometric, wearable device, phenomic, lifestyle, environmental (exposomic), psychosocial and nutritional information to provide many needed answers.

Though these research efforts ended in late 2022, several publications reveal the utility and the promise of personalized lifestyle medicine and the Functional Medicine model.

Michael Stone, Dan Lukaczer, Christopher R D’Adamo, Nicole Dodson, Andrey Volkov, Deanna Minich, Dina Metti, Michelle Leary, Monique Class, Malisa Carulo, Erik Lundquist, Brent Eck, Jose Ordovas, Joseph Lamb, Jeffrey Bland.  LIFEHOUSE’s Functional Nutrition Examination (Physical Exam, Anthropometrics, and Selected Biomarkers) Informs Personalized Wellness Interventions.  J. Pers. Med. 2023;594. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13040594.

Lucia Aronica, Jose M Ordovas, Andrey Volkov, Joseph J Lamb, Peter Michael Stone, Deanna Minich, Michelle Leary, Monique Class, Dina Metti, Ilona A Larson, Nikhat Contractor, Brent Eck, Jeffrey S Bland.  Genetic Biomarkers of Metabolic Detoxification for Personalized Lifestyle Medicine. Nutrients 2022;14(4):768. doi: 10.3390/nu14040768.

Joseph J. Lamb, Michael Stone, Christopher R. D’Adamo, Andrey Volkov, Dina Metti, Lucia Aronica, Deanna Minich, Michelle Leary, Monique Class, Malisa Carullo, Jennifer J. Ryan, Ilona A. Larson, Erik Lundquist, Nikhat Contractor, Brent Eck, Jose M. Ordovas, and Jeffrey S. Bland.  Personalized Lifestyle Intervention and Functional Evaluation Health Outcomes SurvEy: Presentation of the LIFEHOUSE Study Using N-of-One Tent–Umbrella–Bucket Design. J. Pers. Med. 2022;12,115.  https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm12010115.