Lab Tests

Complete Blood Count (CBC)

The CBC 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)

BUN — Blood Urea Nitrogen (mg/dL)

Creatinine (mg/dL)

eGFR — Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (mL/min)

Sodium (mEq/L)

Potassium (mEq/L)

Calcium (mg/dL)

Albumin (g/dL)

Total Protein (g/dL)

ALT — Alanine Aminotransferase (U/L)

AST — Aspartate Aminotransferase (U/L)

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)

LDL Cholesterol (mg/dL)

HDL Cholesterol (mg/dL)

Triglycerides (mg/dL)

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.

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. HbA1c reflects your average blood sugar over the past 2-3 months, while fasting glucose and insulin provide a snapshot of current metabolic status.

HbA1c — Hemoglobin A1c (%)

Fasting Glucose (mg/dL)

Fasting Insulin (µIU/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.

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

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

ESR, 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)

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

aPTT — Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (seconds)

Kidney Function (BUN, Creatinine, eGFR, Cystatin C)

BUN, creatinine, and eGFR 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 eGFR in non-standard body composition (frail elderly, athletes, amputees). Together they stage chronic kidney disease (CKD G1–G5) and detect acute kidney injury. Read the full Kidney Function guide →

Cystatin C (mg/L)

eGFR — CKD Staging (mL/min/1.73 m²)

Deep dives: BUN · Creatinine · eGFR · 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)

GGT — Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (U/L)

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.

hs-CRP — 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 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 hs-CRP guide →

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

Measures EPA + DHA 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 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.

MTHFR Gene Mutation (C677T / A1298C) (genotype)

Identifies inherited variants that reduce the MTHFR 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 MTHFR genotyping to assess functional impact. Read the full MTHFR 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 MI. Read the full Cardiac Troponin guide →

Tissue Transglutaminase 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 IgA to detect IgA deficiency, which invalidates all IgA-based results. Positive serology in adults requires duodenal biopsy confirmation. Read the full Celiac Disease Panel guide →