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 triglycerides
- Fasting Glucose + HbA1c – diabetes screening
- TSH (Thyroid) – thyroid function affects nearly everything
Recommended Additions
- Vitamin D – deficiency is extremely common
- Vitamin B12 – especially if you're vegetarian/vegan
- Iron/Ferritin – energy and anemia insight
- hsCRP – inflammation marker tied to heart disease risk
- Homocysteine – cardiovascular risk
Worth Considering
- Testosterone (men especially)
- Insulin fasting – earlier diabetes warning than glucose alone
- ApoB – more precise heart disease risk than standard cholesterol
Where to Get Tested
- Your primary care doctor – most affordable via insurance
- Function Health – comprehensive annual membership (~$500)
- Labcorp/Quest – order tests yourself affordably
- InsideTracker – includes personalized recommendations
Always review results with a doctor rather than interpreting them alone.