Lab Tests

Complete Blood Count (CBC)

The complete blood count is the most frequently ordered blood test. It evaluates red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets to detect infections, anemia, clotting disorders, and immune system conditions.

WBC — White Blood Cells (×10³/µL)

RBC — Red Blood Cells, Male (×10⁶/µL)

RBC — Red Blood Cells, Female (×10⁶/µL)

Hemoglobin, Male (g/dL)

Hemoglobin, Female (g/dL)

Hematocrit, Male (%)

Hematocrit, Female (%)

Platelets (×10³/µL)

MCV — Mean Corpuscular Volume (fL)

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)

The CMP is a group of 14 tests that evaluate kidney function, liver function, electrolyte balance, and blood sugar — providing a broad overview of your body's chemical balance and metabolism.

Glucose, Fasting (mg/dL)

Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) — Blood Urea Nitrogen (mg/dL)

Creatinine (mg/dL)

Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) — Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (mL/min)

Sodium (mEq/L)

Potassium (mEq/L)

Calcium (mg/dL)

Albumin (g/dL)

Total Protein (g/dL)

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) — Alanine Aminotransferase (U/L)

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) — Aspartate Aminotransferase (U/L)

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) — Alkaline Phosphatase (U/L)

Bilirubin, Total (mg/dL)

Lipid Panel

The lipid panel measures fats and fatty substances in the blood to assess cardiovascular disease risk. It is one of the most important screening tests for heart health.

Total Cholesterol (mg/dL)

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) Cholesterol (mg/dL)

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol (mg/dL)

Triglycerides (mg/dL)

Very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) Cholesterol (mg/dL)

Thyroid Panel

The thyroid panel evaluates how well your thyroid gland is functioning. Thyroid hormones regulate metabolism, energy, body temperature, heart rate, and many other vital processes.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) — Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (mIU/L)

Free T4 — Thyroxine (ng/dL)

Free T3 — Triiodothyronine (pg/mL)

Iron Panel

The iron panel measures how much iron is in your blood and how well your body stores and transports it. Iron is essential for oxygen delivery, energy production, and immune function.

Serum Iron (µg/dL)

Ferritin, Male (ng/mL)

Ferritin, Female (ng/mL)

TIBC — Total Iron-Binding Capacity (µg/dL)

Transferrin Saturation (%)

Diabetes Markers

These markers assess blood sugar regulation and diabetes risk. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) reflects your average blood sugar over the past 2-3 months, while fasting glucose and insulin provide a snapshot of current metabolic status.

Hemoglobin A1c — Hemoglobin hemoglobin A1c (%)

Fasting Glucose (mg/dL)

Fasting Insulin (µinternational units (IU)/mL)

Inflammatory Markers

Chronic low-grade inflammation is linked to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune conditions. These tests help identify hidden inflammation before it progresses to serious disease.

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) — High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (mg/L)

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Male — Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (mm/hr)

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, Female — Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (mm/hr)

Homocysteine (µmol/L)

Hormone Panel

Hormones regulate virtually every process in your body — from energy and mood to reproductive health and body composition. Imbalances can cause fatigue, weight gain, depression, and many other symptoms.

Testosterone, Male (ng/dL)

Testosterone, Female (ng/dL)

Estradiol, Premenopausal (pg/mL)

Cortisol, Morning (µg/dL)

DHEA-S, Male (µg/dL)

DHEA-S, Female (µg/dL)

Vitamins & Minerals

Nutrient deficiencies are surprisingly common and can cause wide-ranging symptoms — from fatigue and brain fog to nerve damage and bone loss. These tests identify the most critical nutritional gaps.

Vitamin D (25-OH) (ng/mL)

Vitamin B12 (pg/mL)

Folate (ng/mL)

Magnesium (mg/dL)

Urinalysis

A urinalysis checks the appearance, concentration, and content of urine. It can detect kidney disease, urinary tract infections, diabetes, and other metabolic conditions.

pH

Specific Gravity

Protein

Glucose

Coagulation Panel

Coagulation tests measure how well your blood clots. They are essential before surgeries, for monitoring blood-thinning medications, and for diagnosing bleeding or clotting disorders.

PT — Prothrombin Time (seconds)

International normalized ratio (INR) — International Normalized Ratio (therapeutic on warfarin: 2.0–3.0)

aPTT — Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (seconds)

Kidney Function (Blood Urea Nitrogen, Creatinine, Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate, Cystatin C)

Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and estimated glomerular filtration rate appear on every Comprehensive Metabolic Panel and form the screening backbone for kidney function. Cystatin C is a muscle-mass-independent filtration marker that detects mild renal impairment earlier than creatinine and refines estimated glomerular filtration rate in non-standard body composition (frail elderly, athletes, amputees). Together they stage chronic kidney disease (chronic kidney disease (CKD) G1–G5) and detect acute kidney injury. Read the full Kidney Function guide →

Cystatin C (mg/L)

Estimated glomerular filtration rate — chronic kidney disease Staging (mL/min/1.73 m²)

Deep dives: blood urea nitrogen · Creatinine · estimated glomerular filtration rate · Cystatin C

Other Important Tests

These additional tests are frequently ordered during annual physicals and can reveal conditions such as gout, liver dysfunction, and prostate issues.

Uric Acid, Male (mg/dL)

Uric Acid, Female (mg/dL)

Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) — Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (U/L)

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) — Prostate-Specific Antigen, Male (ng/mL)

Specialized Cardiovascular & Hormonal Tests

These tests go beyond the standard annual panel to provide deeper insight into inflammation, cellular omega-3 status, and reproductive hormone reserve — tools increasingly used in preventive cardiology, integrative medicine, and fertility planning.

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein — High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (mg/L)

The most clinically useful marker of low-grade chronic vascular inflammation and independent cardiovascular risk. Detects inflammation invisible to standard C-reactive protein (CRP). Target for optimal cardiovascular health: below 0.5 mg/L. Elevated by smoking, obesity, sleep apnea, periodontal disease, and metabolic syndrome. Read the full high-sensitivity C-reactive protein guide →

Omega-3 Index (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in red blood cell membranes) (%)

Measures eicosapentaenoic acid + docosahexaenoic acid as a percentage of total fatty acids in red blood cell membranes — reflecting true 3-month average omega-3 tissue status. Predicts sudden cardiac death risk, arrhythmia, depression, cognitive aging, and preterm birth. Most Americans fall in the high-risk 4–5% range. Target: above 8%, optimal above 10%. Read the full Omega-3 Index guide →

AMH — Anti-Müllerian Hormone (women, age 35) (ng/mL)

Primary marker of ovarian reserve — how many eggs remain. Stable across the menstrual cycle; can be drawn any day. Declines with age, smoking, endometriosis surgery, and chemotherapy. Elevated in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (>4–5 ng/mL). Reference ranges are age-specific — an AMH of 1.0 ng/mL means very different things at 28 vs. 40. Read the full AMH guide →

Genetic, Cardiac Injury & Autoimmune Tests

These tests assess genetic methylation risk, acute heart muscle injury, and autoimmune intestinal damage — three areas where targeted testing can dramatically change clinical management.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) Gene Mutation (C677T / A1298C) (genotype)

Identifies inherited variants that reduce the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase enzyme responsible for converting folate to its active form (methylfolate) and recycling homocysteine. Homozygous C677T or compound heterozygous carriers need methylated B vitamins (methylfolate, methylcobalamin) and should monitor homocysteine. Always test homocysteine alongside methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genotyping to assess functional impact. Read the full methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase guide →

Cardiac Troponin I & T (hs-cTnI / hs-cTnT) (ng/L)

The gold-standard marker of heart muscle injury. Elevated in acute myocardial infarction, myocarditis, heart failure, pulmonary embolism, and sepsis. High-sensitivity assays detect injury 10–100x earlier than conventional tests and enable 0h/1h rule-out protocols in emergency settings. A rising-and-falling pattern on serial measurements confirms acute myocardial infarction (MI). Read the full Cardiac Troponin guide →

Tissue Transglutaminase immunoglobulin A (IgA) (tTG-IgA) — Celiac Panel (U/mL)

The first-line serological test for celiac disease. Must be drawn while the patient is eating a gluten-containing diet — a gluten-free diet normalizes antibodies and causes false negatives. Always include total immunoglobulin A to detect immunoglobulin A deficiency, which invalidates all immunoglobulin A-based results. Positive serology in adults requires duodenal biopsy confirmation. Read the full Celiac Disease Panel guide →