Essential Blood Tests To Get Annually
1. CBC (Complete Blood Count):
This checks the health of your white blood cells (immune system health) and red blood cells (oxygen circulation in the body).
2. Complete Metabolic Panel (CMP):
This test checks your kidney and liver function, as well as a snapshot of your electrolyte levels and blood sugar levels.
3. Lipid Panel (Cholesterol Panel):
This checks your cholesterol levels and assesses your risk of cardiovascular disease.
4. Key Nutrients:
Each of these are individual tests and measure important key nutrients.
- Vitamin D: 25-hydroxy vitamin D or 25(OH)D.
- B12
- Folate
- Calcium
- Copper (optional)
- Zinc (optional)
- RBC Magnesium (optional)
5. Iron Panel:
This test helps determine whether you're deficient in iron or have an excess in iron (both ends of the spectrum can cause health problems)
- Iron
- Ferritin
- Total Iron-Binding Capacity
- Transferrin Saturation
6. Thyroid Panel:
- TSH
- Free T4
- Free T3
- Reverse T3 (optional)
- Thyroid Anti-bodies (TPO) (optional)
Your thyroid gland produces hormones that influence:
- Metabolism: regulates how your body converts food into energy
- Heart rate: influences the speed & strength of your heartbeat
- Body temperature: maintains a normal body temperature
7. Cardiovascular Risk Markers:
- hs-CRP (inflammation)
- Homocysteine (cardiovascular & cognitive health)
- ApoB (optional → better than LDL for assessing cardiovascular risks)
8. Metabolic Health Markers:
- HbA1c (measures avg. blood sugar levels over the past 3 months)
- Fasting Insulin
- eGFR (kidney function)
9. Hormone Panel:
👨 Men - Essentials:
- Testosterone - Total
- Testosterone - Free
👨 Men - Complete:
- Testosterone - Total
- Testosterone - Free
- Estradiol (E2)
- SHBG
- DHEA-S
- Prolactin
- LH
- FSH
- Morning Cortisol (optional)
👩🦰 Women: When doing a blood test, make sure to note where you are in your cycle (Menstrual, Follicular, Ovulation, or Luteal Phase).
- Estradiol (E2)
- SHBG
- LH
- FSH
- DHEA-S
- Progesterone
- Morning Cortisol (optional)
- Testosterone - Total (optional)
- Testosterone - Free (optional)
Read on here to learn how to interpret your blood test results: