Verbatim response from Claude
Annual Blood Tests for a Complete Health Picture
Here are the key panels to discuss with your doctor:
Core Panel (Most Important)
- Complete Blood Count (CBC) – checks for anemia, infection, immune issues
- Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) – kidney, liver, blood sugar, electrolytes
- Lipid Panel – cholesterol and heart disease risk
- Fasting Glucose + HbA1c – diabetes screening
- Thyroid (TSH) – thyroid function affects energy, weight, mood
Hormones
- Testosterone (men especially), estrogen/progesterone (women)
- Cortisol – stress hormone levels
- DHEA-S – adrenal health
Nutrients Often Missed
- Vitamin D – most people are deficient
- B12 and Folate
- Iron/Ferritin
- Magnesium
Inflammation & Heart
- hsCRP – inflammation marker
- Homocysteine – cardiovascular risk
- ApoB – better heart risk predictor than standard cholesterol
Where to Get These
- Quest Diagnostics or LabCorp – widely accepted, doctor-ordered
- Function Health – comprehensive 100+ biomarker panel, subscription-based
- Marek Health – great for hormone optimization
- LetGetChecked or Ulta Lab Tests – order yourself without a doctor
Talk to your primary care doctor first – many of these are covered by insurance annually.