Get Clear on Your Biochemistry
Why I Recommend Running a Comprehensive Lab Panel Every Year
Because feeling your best starts with knowing what’s going on inside.
Your body is constantly changing—and so are your needs. Whether you're navigating fertility, parenthood, natural aging, perimenopause, work stress, or just trying to feel better in your skin, it’s easy to miss subtle signs that something’s off. That’s where lab testing comes in.
I recommend running a comprehensive panel once a year to get a full picture of your metabolic, hormonal, and nutritional health. These labs offer insight into your energy levels, immune function, inflammation, blood sugar balance, and so much more. They help us get clear on what your body needs—so we’re not guessing or chasing symptoms.
Let’s walk through what’s included in my annual labs and why it matters:
Iron Panel (Ferritin, Iron, TIBC, Transferrin)
Iron plays a big role in how you feel every day—it impacts energy, brain function, thyroid health, and even mood. Ferritin (your iron storage) can drop long before anemia shows up, especially for women with heavy cycles or digestive issues. These four markers together tell us if you’re absorbing iron properly and storing enough to thrive.
Core Nutrients (Vitamin D, B12, Folate, Magnesium)
These are foundational for immune strength, energy, sleep, stress resilience, and hormone production. When they’re low, you might feel foggy, tired, or off—but the good news is, these are very responsive to personalized nutrition and supplement support.
Inflammation (hs-CRP, Homocysteine, ESR, Uric Acid)
Chronic, low-grade inflammation can fly under the radar but still impact your metabolism, brain, skin, and joints. These markers help us catch it early—before it shows up as something bigger.
Blood Sugar + Insulin (HbA1c, Glucose, Insulin)
Even subtle shifts in blood sugar can affect your energy, mood, cravings, and weight. These three tests help us see how your body handles carbs and insulin—key info if you’re working on body composition, brain clarity, or hormone balance.
Thyroid Health (TSH, Total T3/T4, Free T3/T4)
Your thyroid is like the control center for metabolism, temperature, digestion, and energy. This full panel shows us how well your thyroid is functioning—not just whether it meets the “normal” range.
Heart + Metabolic Health (Total Cholesterol, LDL, HDL, Triglycerides, ApoB, Lp(a), Ox-LDL)
These go deeper than a standard cholesterol test. We look at genetic risk factors and inflammatory markers that give a clearer view of your cardiovascular risk.
Note: Ox-LDL is currently unavailable in NY State.
Core Panels (CBC with Differential, CMP, GGT)
These tests help us check in on hydration, kidney and liver function, electrolytes, white blood cell activity, and protein status. They form the base of a full-body health check.
Hormones (Cortisol, DHEA-S, Testosterone, Free Testosterone)
These give us a snapshot of how your stress and sex hormones are functioning—important if you’re feeling burned out, low libido, or like your energy just isn’t bouncing back the way it used to.
Timing Matters: These Should Be Fasted Labs
To get the most accurate picture—especially for glucose, insulin, and lipids —these labs should be drawn fasted. That means no food or drink (except water) for 8–12 hours before your appointment. You can still take most medications and drink water prior to these labs.
Why It’s Worth It
You catch imbalances before they turn into symptoms
You get a true baseline to track progress over time
You can personalize your food, supplements, and lifestyle in a way that actually works
Reference Range vs. Optimal Range: Why I Look Deeper
When I review your labs, I’m not just scanning to see whether you’re “in range.” Standard reference ranges are designed to flag disease—they're wide, population-based, and often include people who aren’t thriving.
In contrast, I evaluate your results through a functional lens—looking for optimal ranges that reflect true health and vitality.
For example:
A ferritin of 15 might be “normal” on paper—but it can leave you exhausted and struggling to focus.
A fasting glucose of 99 is still technically “okay”—but it can be a red flag that your blood sugar is creeping up.
A TSH of 4.0 may not get flagged—but you might already feel cold, sluggish, or foggy.
Start with Clarity. Stay Ahead of Symptoms.
This shift in perspective helps us catch imbalances earlier and fine-tune your nutrition, lifestyle, and supplement plan before symptoms become bigger issues. It’s about getting ahead of things, not waiting for a diagnosis.
Testing once a year gives us the data we need to support your health in a way that’s proactive—not reactive. You don’t have to wait until something feels “wrong” to take control. This is about feeling empowered, informed, and aligned with what your body needs most.
If you’re ready to get curious about what’s going on under the surface—and start building a roadmap that reflects you—I’d love to support you.
Ready to run your labs?
Have questions? Book a complimentary discovery call and get your questions answered—I’m happy to answer your questions and help you get started.
Current regulations prohibit me from providing services to individuals living in Alabama, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee. For this residing in these states, Functional Health is a great alternative for you. 