Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM, FACFAS

Quick answer: Autoimmune diseases—where the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues—affect approximately 50 million Americans (more than cancer and heart disease combined) and are rising in prevalence at 3-9% annually. Functional medicine identifies and addresses the upstream triggers driving autoimmune activation—including molecular mimicry, intestinal permeability, vitamin D deficiency, microbiome dysbiosis, and environmental toxin exposure—achieving … Read more

Quick answer: Precision medicine uses genetic, genomic, metabolomic, and microbiome data to customize prevention and treatment strategies for each individual—rather than applying population-average recommendations. Pharmacogenomics testing (analyzing CYP2D6, CYP2C19, CYP3A4, and other drug-metabolizing enzyme genes) is clinically validated to prevent adverse drug reactions in 30-40% of patients started on standard medication doses, and MTHFR genetic … Read more

Quick answer: Functional neurology integrates evidence-based interventions targeting the root causes of cognitive decline, TBI recovery, and brain optimization—including zone 2 exercise (increases hippocampal BDNF 200-300% in 12 weeks), therapeutic ketosis (reduces neuroinflammation and provides an alternative fuel for glucose-deficient Alzheimer’s neurons), and high-dose omega-3 DHA (the primary structural lipid in neuronal membranes, achieving MRI-measurable … Read more

Quick answer: Integrative oncology combines evidence-based conventional cancer treatment with targeted lifestyle interventions, nutritional strategies, and complementary therapies that improve treatment outcomes and quality of life—without compromising oncological efficacy. The WHEL trial (Pierce 2007, JAMA, n=3,088) demonstrated that a plant-based diet rich in vegetables and fruit did not reduce breast cancer recurrence; however, women with … Read more

Quick answer: Total testosterone in American men has declined approximately 1% per year since 1980—meaning a 60-year-old man in 2026 has testosterone levels 20-25% lower than a 60-year-old in 1980 (Travison 2007, JCEM, n=1,532, population-based Massachusetts Male Aging Study)—a generation-over-generation decline independent of aging, driven by obesity, endocrine disruptor exposure, sedentary lifestyle, and chronic inflammation. … Read more

Quick answer: Environmental toxin exposure—including heavy metals, mycotoxins, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and persistent organic pollutants (POPs)—contributes to a spectrum of chronic conditions including neurodegenerative disease, hormonal dysfunction, autoimmunity, and metabolic syndrome. Mercury exposure doubles Parkinson’s risk (Park 2009, Neurotoxicology, n=5,765), mycotoxin illness affects an estimated 25% of population living in water-damaged buildings (Shoemaker CIRS data), … Read more

Quick answer: Regenerative medicine uses the body’s own biological materials—platelet-rich plasma (PRP), stem cells, exosomes, and growth factors—to repair damaged tissues rather than mask symptoms. PRP injections reduce pain by 60-75% in knee osteoarthritis at 12 months (Meheux 2016, Arthroscopy, n=514 systematic review), achieving outcomes superior to hyaluronic acid and corticosteroid injections while stimulating actual … Read more

Quick answer: Functional psychiatry integrates evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapy, nutritional psychiatry, and neurobiological optimization to address treatment-resistant mental illness—ketamine produces rapid antidepressant response in 70% of treatment-resistant patients within hours (Murrough 2013, NEJM, n=73), psilocybin-assisted therapy achieves 71% depression response at 4 weeks (Davis 2021, JAMA Psychiatry, n=24), and MDMA-assisted therapy produces PTSD remission in 67% … Read more

Quick answer: Omega-3 fatty acids at therapeutic doses (2–4 g EPA+DHA/day) reduce cardiovascular events by 25% (REDUCE-IT trial, n=8,179), lower triglycerides by 30–50%, and reduce inflammatory markers including hsCRP, IL-6, and TNF-α—making anti-inflammatory nutrition one of the highest-yield interventions in functional medicine with effects measurable within 8–12 weeks. The Inflammatory Basis of Chronic Disease Chronic … Read more

Quick answer: Standard diabetes testing — fasting glucose and HbA1c — misses the 75% of individuals with normal glucose but hyperinsulinemia (detectable only via Kraft Oral Glucose Tolerance Test with insulin measurement), while insulin resistance precedes the clinical diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes by 10-15 years and independently drives obesity, PCOS, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and … Read more