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Good plan — an annual blood-checkup gives a strong baseline and can catch problems early. Which exact tests you need depends on your age, sex, medical history, meds, and risks (smoking, family history, etc.). Below is a practical “annual baseline” panel most adults should consider, plus age/sex/risk-based additions and where to get them.
Core annual blood tests (most adults)
- Complete blood count (CBC) — looks for anemia, infection, platelet problems.
- Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) — kidney function (creatinine, eGFR), electrolytes, liver enzymes (AST/ALT), and glucose; gives general organ-function info.
- Lipid panel (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides) — cardiovascular risk. Fasting recommended if you want accurate triglycerides/LDL calculation.
- Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) — average blood sugar over ~3 months; checks for diabetes or prediabetes.
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) — screens for under- or overactive thyroid (add free T4 if abnormal or if symptomatic).
- 25‑hydroxy Vitamin D — low D is common and easy to correct.
- Vitamin B12 (and folate if indicated) — especially important if fatigue, neuropathy, or if you’re vegan/vegetarian.
- High-sensitivity C‑reactive protein (hs‑CRP) — a marker of inflammation and cardiovascular risk (helps when assessing overall risk).
Common additions by sex/age/risk
- Ferritin (iron stores) — especially for premenopausal women, heavy periods, or unexplained fatigue.
- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) — men: discuss screening with your clinician; commonly considered starting ~50 (earlier—40–45—if high risk/family history).
- Testosterone (total/free) — men with low libido, fatigue, muscle loss; not routine for everyone.
- Lipoprotein(a) — one-time test for stronger inherited cardiovascular risk info.
- Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) or advanced lipid testing (NMR) — if strong family history of early heart disease or unclear lipid risk despite statins.
- HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis — screen if new partner, high-risk exposures, or per guidelines for your birth cohort (some hepatitis C screening recommended once for certain ages).
- Pregnancy test (hCG) where relevant.
How often
- Annual: CBC, CMP, lipid panel, HbA1c, TSH (if normal), vitamin D/B12 for most people.
- More often: A1c every 3–6 months if diabetic; liver tests and lipids more frequently if on statins or other meds.
- One-time or less frequent: Lp(a) once in adulthood; hepatitis/HIV per risk or guideline intervals.
Practical notes
- Fasting: aim for 8–12 hours before lipid panel if you want triglycerides/LDL accurate. A1c and many other tests don’t require fasting.
- Bring prior results if you have them — trends matter more than single numbers.
- Abnormal results should be discussed with your clinician for confirmation and next steps (meds, lifestyle changes, repeat testing, or specialist referral).
Where to get tests (brands/services)
- Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp — large national lab networks, accepted by most doctors and insurance; reliable and good for full clinical panels.
- HealthLabs.com or Walk-In Lab — let you order common wellness panels directly if you don’t have a physician order (availability varies by state).
- Everlywell or LetsGetChecked — convenient at-home kits for some wellness tests (good for screening or convenience but limited vs full clinical lab in scope).
- InsideTracker — consumer-focused service combining lab testing and personalized lifestyle recommendations (popular for fitness-minded users).
- For a full medical/annual executive-style check: consider clinics such as One Medical, Cleveland Clinic Executive Health, or local hospital preventive medicine clinics — they bundle labs with history, exam, and follow-up.
Next steps
- Start by discussing this list with your primary care provider — they’ll personalize which tests you need and how often.
- If you don’t have a PCP, you can order many of these through the services above, but plan to share results with a clinician for interpretation.
If you want, tell me your age, sex, major health issues or medications, and any family history (heart disease, diabetes, thyroid disease, early cancers) and I’ll give a tailored list and suggest which tests are most important for you.