Function Health vs. Inside Tracker: Here’s How to Decide
Article at a Glance
- Both Function Health and InsideTracker are reputable, innovative companies run by strong teams.
- Function Health is a better option if the goal is gaining access to advanced biomarkers for a preventative approach, or to explore the root cause of a health issue.
- InsideTracker is a better option as a tool to integrate multiple data points, as with wearables, to optimize performance and nutrition.
- If existing blood work and raw genetic data is available, InsideTracker provides the better value.
- Both platforms offer some genetic analysis. For example, Function offers LPA testing, MTHFR, and APOE, and InsideTracker offers a more comprehensive panel that utilizes existing user data.
Genes Mentioned
My deep dive into the world of health tech continues, and today I am comparing two companies on the cutting edge of health tracking – Function Health and InsideTracker.
I have used both products recently and have some thoughts on which app to choose under what circumstances.
| Feature | Function | InsideTracker |
|---|---|---|
| HSA/FSA Eligible | Yes | Yes |
| Focus | Early detection, comprehensive health assessment | Optimizing performance |
| Biomarker coverage | Extensive | Option to upload existing blood work or test through InsideTracker |
| Biological Age | Yes | Yes |
| API and wearable integration | No, closed system | Yes |
| Personalization | Biomarker reporting is personalized but less actionable | More personalized the more data is provided |
| UX | Elegant but static | Interactive |
| Price | Annual membership is $499 | Ultimate + Subscription plan is $489 |
| Subscription | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Advanced health assessment | Optimize athletic performance |
The basics of Function Health
Summary: 100+ biomarkers and advanced add-ons available, including whole body MRI. Excellent tool for preventative testing and to discover root causes of unexplained health issues. Function offers a much more extensive menu of biomarkers than InsideTracker, but is less actionable and interactive.
I started Gene Food as a personal passion project after burning out in the world of startups in NYC and moving to San Diego to recuperate. My physician at the time ordered a comprehensive blood panel from Boston Heart Diagnostics, and the results were eye opening. Not only did Boston Heart show me LDL subfraction and particle count, I was given access to nutrigenomic SNPs, like MTHFR. My Boston Heart results, and specifically learning that the nutrients we eat can affect gene expression, were part of inspiration behind creating Gene Food.
Get Started With Personalized Nutrition
Gene Food uses a proprietary algorithm to divide people into one of twenty diet types based on genetics. We score for cholesterol and sterol hyperabsorption, MTHFR status, histamine clearance, carbohydrate tolerance, and more. Where do you fit?
Boston Heart has long been the gold standard for advanced lipid and health testing, but the requirement that your medical office run the labs, and the unwillingness on the part of some insurance providers to cover everything included in the panels, effectively made services like these off limits and “behind the VIP velvet rope” for many people.
Under the direction of Dr. Mark Hyman, formerly of the Cleveland Clinic, Function Health removes that velvet rope and opens the world of advanced lab testing to the public. For more on exactly what tests are available through Function Health, read my full review.
Function is a closed system, the app doesn’t currently integrate with any third party apps, like Oura Ring or Whoop. It excels at preventive testing and offers unique access for people frustrated by the gatekeeping that is so prevalent in the medical system.
The basics of InsideTracker
Summary: 26 to 48 biomarkers depending on the plan, raw DNA upload option, and ability to use existing blood work for economical option. Unlike Function Health, which is a closed system, InsideTracker is designed to integrate with your individual health ecosystem to optimize performance.
Whereas Function Health democratizes advanced lab testing with an eye towards prevention, InsideTracker is more focused on optimizing performance.
InsideTracker connects to wearables and other sources of health data through API so users can see all of their health information in one place. While InsideTracker offers blood testing, also through Quest Diagnostics, the app also does something clever – it allows users to upload the results of previous blood draws to better tailor diet and lifestyle recommendations.
For example, armed with the knowledge that my ApoB was out of range last fall (I manually added the data), the app recommended:
- Increase veggie variety
- Ground flaxseeds daily
- Increase in soy foods
- More olive oil
InsideTracker is fueled by the data points you input and makes actionable recommendations based on that data. To learn more about the value of those insights, read my full review.
Because of the ability of InsideTracker to incorporate third party data into its scoring models, the app gets smarter the more you use it. Unlike Function, which gives users access to a picture of their current state of health, InsideTracker is actionable with an eye towards the changes that could be made to optimize performance.
How to decide
Choose InsideTracker if:
- You have existing genetic data and blood work handy
- You want to dial in nutrition protocols
- You are working towards a specific health goal, like running a marathon or a triathlon
- You want “one source of truth” from your health dashboard
Choose Function Health if:
- You want a sophisticated picture of your current state of health
- You haven’t had advanced lab testing and want to set baselines
- You value speed and efficiency and want to take control of your biomarkers
- Prevention or root cause of health issues is the goal
Gerald Dropped His LDL-C by 100 Points With Diet Alone
Gerald was an ultramarathon runner, but despite his dedication to fitness, he was struggling with rising cholesterol levels, increasing blood pressure, and low energy.
