The Simply Guide: Essential Annual Lab Tests for Optimal Health
Maintaining your health isn't just about eating right and exercising; it's also about keeping track of what's happening inside your body. One of the most effective ways to do this is through annual lab tests. These tests can help detect potential health issues before they become serious and provide a comprehensive picture of your overall health. Here’s a guide to the essential lab tests you should consider getting done each year.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Purpose: To evaluate your overall health and detect a wide range of disorders, including anemia, low immune infection, and many other diseases.
What it measures: The number of red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelets.
Why it’s important: Abnormalities in these levels can indicate various health conditions, from infections to blood disorders.
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
Purpose: To assess your body’s metabolism and chemical balance.
What it measures: Levels of glucose, calcium, blood proteins, electrolytes, liver enzymes and kidney function markers.
Why it’s important: Helps monitor conditions such as diabetes, liver disease, and kidney disease, and can detect imbalances in your body’s chemical and hydration levels.
Lipid Panel
Purpose: To evaluate your risk of cardiovascular disease.
What it measures: Cholesterol levels and triglycerides.
Why it’s important: High triglyceride levels and low HDL can be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, stroke, and more.
Apolipoprotein B (Apo B)
Purpose: To evaluate your risk of cardiovascular disease.
What it measures: The amount of Apolipoprotein B, a protein that transports cholesterol throughout the body
Why it’s important: High levels of Apo B can indicate a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, as it reflects the number of atherogenic particles in the blood.
Homocysteine
Purpose: To assess risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.
What it measures: Levels of homocysteine, an amino acid derived from metabolism of methionine.
Why it’s important: Elevated homocysteine levels can increase the risk of neurological disease, heart disease, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease. It is also often associated with methylation issues and indicates a need for methylated B vitamins.
High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP)
Purpose: To check for inflammation in the body.
What it measures: Levels of C-reactive protein.
Why it’s important: High hs-CRP levels become elevated in acute illness, but can also be due to poor diet/lifestyle or may be a sign of various conditions, including infections, chronic diseases, and cardiovascular issues.
Thyroid Panel (TSH), Free T3, Free T4, TPO Antibodies
Purpose: Assess thyroid function.
What it measures:
TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone): Regulates thyroid activity.
Free T3 and Free T4: Active thyroid hormones.
TPO Antibodies (Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies): Indicates autoimmune thyroid conditions.
Why it’s important: Thyroid imbalances can lead to various health issues, including weight changes, energy levels, metabolism, and autoimmune thyroid diseases like Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
Ferritin and Iron Panel
Purpose: To evaluate iron levels and diagnose conditions like anemia or iron overload.
What it measures:
Ferritin: The stored form of iron.
Serum Iron: The level of iron in the blood.
Total Iron-Binding Capacity (TIBC): The blood’s capacity to bind iron.
Transferrin Saturation: How much iron is bound to the protein transferrin.
Why it’s important: Proper iron levels are crucial for oxygen transport, energy production, and overall health. Abnormal levels can indicate anemia, chronic diseases, or iron overload disorders.
Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)
Purpose: To monitor blood sugar control over the past 2-3 months.
What it measures: The percentage of glucose attached to hemoglobin in your blood.
Why it’s important: High levels can indicate poor blood sugar control and increased risk of diabetes complications.
Insulin
Purpose: To evaluate blood sugar regulation, metabolic function and insulin resistance.
What it measures: The level of insulin in your blood.
Why it’s important: Insulin is a peptide hormone secreted by the pancreas that helps move glucose into the cells. High levels of insulin can indicate insulin resistance, which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) With Reflex
Purpose: To screen for autoimmune diseases.
What it measures: The presence of antinuclear antibodies in the blood, which can indicate an autoimmune response.
Why it’s important: Positive ANA results can prompt further testing for specific autoimmune diseases like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and others.
Vitamin D
Purpose: To ensure adequate levels of Vitamin D.
What it measures: The amount of Vitamin D in your blood.
Why it’s important: Vitamin D is crucial for bone health, immune function, and overall well-being. Deficiency can lead to bone disorders and has been linked to various chronic conditions.
Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT)
Purpose: To evaluate liver function and detect liver damage.
What it measures: Levels of GGT, an enzyme found mostly in the liver.
Why it’s important: High GGT levels can indicate liver disease, bile duct problems and may need additional testing.
Uric Acid
Purpose: To assess the risk of gout and kidney stones.
What it measures: The amount of uric acid in the blood.
Why it’s important: Elevated uric acid levels can lead to gout and are associated with other health issues like kidney stones and cardiovascular disease.
Extra tips:
Want to look at your thyroid a little more? Add in a thyroglobulin antibody and a Reverse T3 (RT3)
Want to further assess your cardiovascular risk?Add in a lp(a) - lipoprotein a.
All of these are blood tests that can be ordered by any medical provider. While blood tests are helpful, they do not tell you the whole story. So, while we suggest getting blood work done every year, you should also be looking for other aspects of health to assess your overall well being.
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself:
How well do you sleep?
Are you tired all the time?
Do you have a normal bowel movement every day?
Is your period regular?
Is your mood stable?
If you are having health issues and are told your labs are normal, consider getting an opinion from an Integrative Medicine Provider to do a deeper dive into your health.
Keeping track of these key health indicators through annual lab tests is a proactive step towards maintaining your well-being. Discuss the results with your healthcare provider to create a personalized health plan. Remember, early detection and prevention are crucial in managing your health effectively. Stay informed, stay healthy!
