Annual Blood Work Checklist — The Sensible Baseline
Content last reviewed 2026-09-12 · Educational information — not medical advice
Quick answer
A defensible annual baseline for healthy adults: CBC, CMP, lipid panel, HbA1c, TSH, vitamin D — six tests covering cellular health, organs, sugar regulation, cholesterol, thyroid, and the modern deficiency epidemic. Roughly $180–350 cash-pay, one draw, next-day results.
The core six
| Test | Answers | Cash range |
|---|---|---|
| CBC | anemia? infection? clotting cells? | $25–45 |
| CMP | organs, electrolytes, glucose running right? | $30–60 |
| Lipid panel | cardiovascular trajectory | $30–60 |
| HbA1c | 3-month sugar average / prediabetes | $30–50 |
| TSH | thyroid direction (energy/metabolism master) | $30–55 |
| Vitamin D | the deficiency epidemic check | $50–90 |
Worthwhile additions by profile
- Women 40+/men 45+: PSA discussion (men), ferritin if fatigue-prone
- Vegans/vegetarians: B12 + ferritin + iron panel mandatory-tier
- Strength athletes/hormone-curious: testosterone (morning draw)
- Family-history-driven: lipoprotein(a) ONCE lifetime; APOE conversations belong with genetic counselors
- Statins/metformin/thyroid-medication users: respective monitoring panels per prescribing logic
Timing optimization
Morning draws after 12-hour overnight fast maximize lipid/glucose interpretability; schedule Monday–Thursday avoiding weekend courier gaps; repeat SAME-season yearly for comparable baselines (vitamin D swings seasonally, lipids drift winterward mildly).
What to do with results
File PDFs in one folder building your personal trend database — year-over-year deltas reveal trajectories single snapshots hide. Borderline values repeat in 3–6 months before reacting; abnormal clusters route through clinical review promptly.
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Frequently asked questions
Isn't annual testing over-testing?
For SYMPTOM-FREE low-risk adults the debate is genuine — but baseline establishment costs little and trend-data value compounds; the anti-testing argument applies strongest to exotic panels, not the core six.
Can I add tests later to the same draw?
Only prospectively — labs archive serum briefly (days-weeks) allowing ADD-ON testing sometimes; call the lab quickly if something occurs to you post-draw.