Is functional medicine legitimate and what to consider

Curious… but skeptical? You’re not alone.

Wondering if functional medicine is actually worth it—or just another wellness trend wrapped in fancy terms and supplements?

With so many approaches out there (detoxes, elimination diets, biohacking, IV drips, and everyone on Instagram selling a solution), it’s normal to feel cautious. Especially if you’ve been promised answers before... and walked away more confused than when you started.

Maybe a friend swears by her functional medicine doctor. Maybe you heard someone on a podcast talk about "root-cause healing" and it piqued your interest. But still, a voice inside you asks: “Is this real medicine? Or just expensive guesswork?”

That’s the question this blog will help you explore—with facts, perspective, and a whole lot of clarity. Because while functional medicine isn’t for everyone, it is changing lives for women who’ve felt overlooked, overmedicated, or told their symptoms were “just part of aging.”

“Is functional medicine even legit?”

That’s the question this blog will help you answer—because we know how exhausting it is to be dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told you just need to "relax more."

In case we haven’t met—we’re Dr. Erin Hendriks and Dr. Maricela Castillo MacKenzie, founders of Elle MD, a functional medicine and weight loss clinic in Royal Oak, Michigan. We specialize in helping women—especially those navigating perimenopause and menopause—reclaim their energy, balance their hormones, and feel confident in their bodies again.

Let’s explore why so many women like you are turning to functional medicine—and what makes it different from everything else you’ve tried.

What is functional medicine—and why do people question it?

The missing piece in conventional care

Functional medicine is often misunderstood because it dares to ask bigger questions: not just “How do we manage this symptom?” but “Why did it begin in the first place?” For women who’ve gone from provider to provider without answers, it offers a new path.

It’s not a quick fix. It’s not a detox tea. It’s not a trendy protocol. It’s a methodical, patient-centered, systems-based approach to healing that sees the whole body as interconnected.

Instead of:

• Prescribing sleep meds for insomnia
• Handing out antidepressants for mood swings
• Telling women that weight gain is just "age"

Functional medicine asks:

• Are your cortisol levels off?
• Is your gut inflamed and impacting your brain chemistry?
• Are your hormones out of sync with your lifestyle?

This approach helps connect dots that conventional care may overlook—offering a chance to truly understand your body and its needs.

So... this isn’t some new wellness trend?

You’ve likely heard the word functional floating around—on social media, in health podcasts, or from that friend who suddenly has more energy and swears it’s because of her new doctor. But functional medicine isn’t some flashy new fad. It’s a well-established, evidence-informed approach that’s been transforming patient care quietly—and powerfully—for decades.



Functional medicine has been around since the early '90s, rooted in science. Its foundation comes from biochemistry, systems biology, and a very basic (but often ignored) question: What’s really going on underneath the symptoms?

The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)—considered the gold standard in this field—has trained thousands of physicians around the world. These are licensed medical doctors who realized that conventional care alone wasn’t going deep enough. They didn’t settle for surface-level symptom management—they chose to investigate further, for the sake of their patients.

What started as a niche approach is now the method so many women turn to when their labs say they’re fine, but their bodies say otherwise.

Because when everything feels off and no one’s explaining why—you don’t need another dismissal. You need a model that listens, investigates, and actually gets it.

Still not sure? Here's a way to think about it:

• Holistic = “Let’s care for all of you.”
  
• Integrative = “Let’s mix the best of both worlds.”
  
• Functional = “Let’s figure out why this is happening and build a plan.”
  
  

If your symptoms don’t make sense, your tests always come back "normal," or you’re tired of being told “it’s just your age,” functional medicine is probably the approach you’ve been waiting for.

It’s not about trends. It’s about finally connecting the dots—and giving your body what it actually needs.

How to spot the real thing (and not just another wellness trend)

These days, anyone can throw around the word “functional.” But credentials? Those still matter. Especially when your health—and your trust—are on the line.

You deserve someone who didn’t just take a weekend course or copy-paste a protocol from a blog. You deserve a provider with real medical training and deep, ongoing education in the systems that make your body work—or struggle.

What sets a truly qualified functional medicine doctor apart?

• A medical license (MD, DO) that proves clinical training
• Functional Medicine certification from respected institutions like IFM
• A focus on the areas you’re struggling with most—like hormones, gut health, fatigue, or metabolic issues
• A trail of honest, heartfelt reviews from women whose lives have changed for the better
  

What real women say when they finally feel seen

You don’t need another app. Another supplement. Another “quick fix.”
What you need is someone who listens, understands, and builds a plan around you.

The most powerful proof of good care? The words of women who’ve lived it.

“She connected the dots no one else ever saw.”
“I felt like someone finally believed me.”
“I didn’t just get better labs—I got my life back.”

At Elle MD, this is the kind of transformation we work for. Because when you’re treated like a whole person—not just a list of symptoms—you begin to remember what it feels like to trust your body again.

Can functional medicine doctors prescribe medication?

Yes. At Elle MD, we are licensed medical physiciansThat means we can:

• Prescribe medications when needed
• Taper you off meds safely (if appropriate)
• Use pharmaceuticals as a tool—not the whole toolbox

It’s not either/or. It’s thoughtful care that meets you where you are.

Finding the right doctor means asking the right questions

Sure, Google can give you a list—but finding a functional medicine doctor who actually fits your life and listens to your body’s story? That takes more than a zip code.

It’s not about who’s closest. It’s about who’s qualified and aligned with what you need most.

Start by asking:

• Do they understand the complexity of midlife hormones?
• Are they certified in functional medicine—not just calling themselves holistic?
• Do they take the time to run the right labs—not just the basic ones?
• Do they actually sit with their patients—and stay for the hard parts?
  
  

If you find someone who answers “yes” to all of that? You’ve found more than a provider. You’ve found a partner.

So… is functional medicine legitimate?

Absolutely. Not because it’s trendy or alternative—but because it works when done with depth, training, and real partnership.

Functional medicine isn’t about gimmicks or guessing. It’s a medically-rooted, science-backed approach that asks why your symptoms exist—and helps you create a path toward sustainable healing.

If you’ve been curious, skeptical, or just overwhelmed by all the conflicting information out there, we get it. That’s why we wrote this blog: to give you clarity, not confusion.

Now that you know what to look for, the next step is yours.

Start your journey with our Functional Medicine Program. Request an appointment today.

We’ll help you uncover what your body’s been trying to say. And together, we’ll build a plan that actually helps you feel like you again.