Do I have to be a competitive athlete?
No. Performance Baseline was written for active adults, recreational athletes, and anyone who wants to know their aerobic capacity, strength, and body composition. The sport-specific labs and Elite 360 are there when you need more.
Why can I not pay for a package online?
Because exercise testing needs a screening first. When you send a request, we reach out within one business day to confirm the right package, run a short health and injury-history screen, and schedule you. You pay at your visit.
Does insurance cover this?
Programs at Aether Medicine are cash-based. Some laboratory work may be covered by your insurance, and we provide documentation for HSA and FSA reimbursement where applicable.
What do I need to do before test day?
We send preparation instructions when you book. Results depend on consistency, so timing of meals, hydration, and your last hard workout matters, and the same conditions are repeated at every follow-up test.
When do I get results?
Your measurements are recorded on test day. The physician-reviewed report follows, and packages with a results consultation include time with Dr. Christian to go through it and decide what to change.
Can any of this be done by telehealth?
Testing happens in person at our King of Prussia clinic. Results and follow-up consultations can be done by video for patients in Pennsylvania.
I am tested for anti-doping. Is that a problem?
No. Tell us when you book. Testing itself does not involve any substance, and any treatment considered afterward gets a sport-specific anti-doping review before it is recommended.
Package, single test, or membership: how do I choose?
A single test answers one question. A package answers how your systems work together and includes a physician read. A membership is for after that, when you want the same numbers measured again on a schedule and the plan adjusted. If you are unsure, send a request and say so; the screening call is where we sort it out.
Do I need an evaluation before joining a membership?
Yes. Both memberships start after an initial assessment, which is purchased separately: a performance package for the Performance Continuum, a hormone or metabolic evaluation for the Hormone & Cardiometabolic Continuum. The membership is everything that comes after it.
How often should I retest?
For performance, the Continuum schedule is the practice's answer: VO₂ max and resting metabolism twice a year, force plates, InBody and grip quarterly. For hormone and metabolic treatment, labs are rechecked on the schedule your protocol calls for, and body composition changes typically show over 8 to 12 weeks of treatment.
Can hormone or metabolic care be done by video?
Yes, for patients in Pennsylvania, including the first visit. We send the lab order to a draw site near you, go through the results and the plan on screen, and handle follow-ups and dose adjustments the same way. Testing on the devices happens in King of Prussia.
Do you prescribe peptides?
Where the research and your evaluation support it, yes, through licensed pharmacies only. Dr. Christian has written a five-part series on what the research shows for each peptide. Many people who come in asking for a peptide need something else first, and some need none. Look up a peptide.
Can you share my results with my coach, trainer or doctor?
Yes, with your consent. Reports are written to be used by the people working with you, and the memberships include coordination with them.
