What the method looks like in real cases.
Real patient stories from public reviews, plus illustrative reference cases that show how the Method works in practice.
How to read this page.
These aren’t testimonials. Each case is a real pattern we measured, what the numbers told us, and what we did about it — data, interpretation, and action, in that order. Names and identifying details are changed; the labs and the reasoning are real.
The page runs in two parts. First, the short version of each case — the pattern at a glance. Then the full breakdown, where you can follow the biochemistry from the first lab to the final plan. Skim the top if you want the gist; read on if you want to see exactly how we think.
SECTION 1
Patient stories.
Expanded narratives from patients who publicly shared their stories via Google review. The quoted passages are verbatim. Surrounding clinical context describes the kind of workup typical of cases like theirs — not specific details about these individuals.
PATIENT STORY · NINETEEN YEARS OF ILLNESS
“I have been ill for the last 19 years.”
Some patients arrive at TCM after nearly two decades of seeking answers — having seen many well-meaning doctors who couldn’t figure out what was driving their chronic illness. This patient was one of them.
The clinical pattern behind long-history cases like this typically involves multiple intersecting systems — chronic inflammation, gut dysfunction, hormonal disruption, nutrient deficiencies, and often a layer of HPA-axis depletion that accumulated over years. The workup for chronic-illness cases is intentionally comprehensive: extensive blood chemistry, GI-MAP, DUTCH hormone/cortisol panel, intestinal permeability testing, targeted nutrient and methylation analysis, and inflammatory markers.
Their words, from their public review:
“When I went to see Dr Larsen I was so sick and desperate for help. I have been ill for the last 19 years and always seeking ways to improve my health. Of course I was skeptical, as I had seen so many doctors (well meaning for the most part) but wrong in my diagnosis. The test panel was extensive and gave us real answers. We are currently working on correcting and improving my overall health. If you are anything like me, searching for someone who cares and is knowledgeable, I HIGHLY recommend Dr Larsen.”
— John B., Google review
Individual results vary — one patient’s experience.
What this case illustrates about the Method: Long-history chronic illness rarely has one cause. The advantage of a comprehensive workup is that it surfaces multiple intersecting drivers at once — which can then be addressed in sequence rather than chased one symptom at a time.
Individual results vary — this is one patient’s experience. Twin Cities Metabolism does not diagnose, treat, or cure disease, and does not prescribe or adjust medications; any medication changes are made by your own prescribing physician.
SECTION 2
Illustrative reference cases.
The clinical scenarios below are not real patients. They’re reference cases used internally by our lab-analyst system for clinical development and training. We’re publishing them here so you can see what a complete Metabolic Blueprint actually looks like — the assessment depth, the cascade thinking, the priority findings, the treatment options.
Each reference case represents a recognizable clinical pattern. The lab values, findings, and recommendations shown are representative of typical Blueprint output — not specific to any individual patient.
REFERENCE CASE · MULTI-SYSTEM CASCADE
First-visit Blueprint: multi-system metabolic cascade
An adult patient presenting with three interconnected patterns: foundational nutrient depletion (low vitamin D with iron transport elevated), gut barrier compromise combined with microbiome shifts, and a cortisol clearance pattern linking the two. Layered on top: an iron-overload coordination step requiring outside referral before iron support can begin.
The Blueprint output for this case includes:
- Systems-at-a-Glance view showing 7 colored cards across needs-attention, monitor, and meaningful categories
- A 4-step cascade visualizing the nutrient → gut → cortisol → downstream connection
- Priority findings table ranked by clinical impact
- Full systems review chart spanning 14 body system categories
- Treatment options comparison: The Reset vs. Self-Guided
See the actual Blueprint pages embedded throughout the Metabolic Blueprint and how it works.
REFERENCE CASE · FOLLOW-UP BLUEPRINT
Follow-up Blueprint at month six: pattern resolution
A patient who has been working through The Reset for six months. At follow-up, what was originally a multi-system metabolic pattern has resolved across three of the most affected areas — body composition + metabolic engine restored, gut microbiome recovered, estrogen metabolism normalized — with one remaining priority area continuing to improve.
The follow-up Blueprint output shows:
- “What’s Improved” hero page with three bright-spot cards
- Priority finding cards now marked with trend arrows: improved · steady · declined · new
- Updated cascade reflecting current state, not original presentation
- Recommendation pill on Page 5 swapped to “Continuing on The Reset” reflecting in-program status
REFERENCE CASE · COMPREHENSIVE METABOLIC ASSESSMENT
CMA scenario: scan + RMR + interpretive report
For patients who book the $195 Comprehensive Metabolic Assessment, the output is a 3-page written report covering body composition findings, resting metabolic rate analysis, and Dr Jared’s interpretive notes.
A typical CMA report includes:
- InBody numbers in context — body fat %, lean mass, visceral fat, segmental balance
- RMR number with interpretation — is your metabolic engine running at expected rate?
- Short interpretive section from Dr Jared highlighting what stood out and what to think about next
- Designed for non-clinician reading; suitable to share with other clinicians
Illustrative Blueprint output — representative of the patterns described above, built for our internal lab-analyst system. Not a specific patient.
Illustrative Scenario
A composite example built from common clinical patterns, not a specific patient. Lab values shown are representative ranges typical of this presentation.
The perimenopausal case that looked like “just stress”
ILLUSTRATIVE SCENARIO · PERIMENOPAUSE + METABOLIC SHIFT
A woman in her late 40s arrives with a cluster of symptoms she has been managing separately for two to three years: fatigue that doesn’t resolve with sleep, a 12–15 lb weight shift she can’t reverse despite no diet changes, disrupted sleep (especially the 2–4 AM window), brain fog by mid-afternoon, and cycle irregularity over the past 8 months. Her PCP ordered a basic thyroid panel (TSH only) and standard blood work — both returned normal. She was advised to “manage stress.”
What the Blueprint typically finds in this pattern:
The multi-axis perimenopausal presentation almost always involves more than estrogen decline alone. In cases matching this pattern, Blueprint findings commonly include:
- DUTCH hormone panel: Estrogen dominance relative to progesterone (low progesterone, often normal total estrogen but shifted ratio); elevated or suppressed cortisol rhythm depending on HPA-axis stage; androgens often low-normal
- Thyroid (expanded panel): TSH may be normal, but free T3 is low-normal or suppressed, reverse T3 elevated — classic subclinical conversion problem that a TSH-only test misses entirely
- GI-MAP: Microbiome diversity reduction (common in perimenopause), often with beta-glucuronidase elevation (drives estrogen recirculation), and reduced short-chain fatty acid producers
- Blood chemistry: Fasting insulin elevated (8–14 mIU/L range), HbA1c creeping (5.4–5.7%), ferritin either low or high depending on cycle status, vitamin D deficient
What the cascade typically looks like:
Cortisol dysregulation → disrupted sleep → insulin resistance → weight redistribution → further HPA suppression → worse fatigue. The estrogen-progesterone imbalance amplifies every node. Treating any single piece (sleep aids, a statin, more exercise) misses the system.
What changes:
Protocol for this pattern is sequenced: stabilize sleep and cortisol first (adrenal support, circadian anchoring), then address thyroid conversion, then gut microbiome restoration, then metabolic repair. Body composition tracking (InBody) every 8 weeks shows lean mass preservation vs. fat redistribution — critical for GLP-1 patients in perimenopause or those using hormone replacement.
No specific outcomes are implied or guaranteed. Individual results vary.
or book a free consult to talk it through →
Coming soon: full consented case studies.
We’re in the process of developing fully consented deep-dive case studies — real patients who’ve agreed to share their complete journey: presenting concerns, lab findings, the protocol they followed, the retest data, and what changed.
Each case study is reviewed and signed off by the patient before publication. We expect to publish the first series of consented deep-dive cases in the coming months.
If you’re a current patient and would be interested in sharing your story (with full editorial control over the final piece), let us know.
Your case might look like one of these. Or it might not.
These are the kind of answers the full Metabolic Blueprint is built to find.
See the full Metabolic Blueprint or book a free consult to talk it through See how it works
Important: Patient comments shown here are individual experiences and are not typical or guaranteed results. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Twin Cities Metabolism provides functional medicine consultation, not emergency care. Always consult with your qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about your health, medications, or treatment plan. Medically reviewed by Dr. Jared Larsen, LN, CNS, DC, MS.