The best all-around blood test is typically a combination of a Complete Blood Count (CBC) for general health, infection, and anemia, plus key metabolic panels (liver, kidney, cholesterol, blood sugar) and inflammation markers, often bundled as an Essential Health Check or Basic Metabolic Panel, providing a broad baseline for overall wellness and identifying common issues like diabetes, heart risk, and organ function. For deeper insights, functional medicine tests add hormones, nutrient levels, and gut health, but the CBC + Metabolic/Lipid panel is the standard comprehensive starter.
Complete Blood Count Test (CBC Test)
A CBC is a blood test that determines general health and diagnoses several health conditions, such as blood cancer, anaemia, and infection. A CBC test measures: Red blood cells (RBC): These cells carry oxygen in the blood.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
The test identifies issues with infections or inflammation, clotting abnormalities, anemia, nutritional deficiencies, blood cancer, immune system disorders and more, so your doctor can order follow-up tests if necessary or make a diagnosis.
It's used to look at overall health and find a wide range of conditions, including anemia, infection and leukemia. A complete blood count test measures the following: Red blood cells, which carry oxygen. White blood cells, which fight infection.
This comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) blood test measures essential components in your blood (including sugars, minerals, electrolytes, enzymes and waste products) that contribute to your overall health and provide information on the functioning status of your metabolism, liver and kidneys.
A complete blood count (CBC)
A CBC looks at components of blood that indicate if you have various conditions, such as anemia, infection, and blood cancers.
A complete body checkup is considered important for people ageing 35 years or above to avoid future health risks. Swasth Super - 4 consists of 59 tests including Thyroid, CBC, LFT , KFT, LIPID, Blood Sugar Fasting, HbA1c. and Vitamins.
A comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) is a routine blood test that measures 14 different substances in a sample of your blood. It provides important information about your metabolism (how your body uses food and energy) and the balance of certain chemicals in your body.
As a result, early-stage nutrient deficiencies, thyroid issues, or hormonal shifts might not be flagged if they haven't yet reached clinical thresholds. Patients may experience symptoms, but their test results still come back “within range”.
Complete blood count (CBC).
A CBC can detect some blood or immune system cancers like leukemia and lymphoma.
5 Common Lab Tests and How To Read Them
Blood tests are very common. They are ordered by doctors to: Find out how well organs, such as your kidneys, liver, heart, or thyroid, are working. Help diagnose diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS.
A chem 7 panel, or basic metabolic panel, is a common blood test checking for key substances in your blood to assess general health. It's often ordered before surgery. It measures glucose, electrolytes, and certain kidney function indicators to help identify potential health issues that might need addressing.
What Do Common Blood Tests Check For?
Red Flags: are essentially clinical prediction guides: they are not diagnostic tests and they are not necessarily predictors of diagnosis or prognosis. The main role of red flags is that when combined they help to raise the clinician's index of suspicion.
One of the most comprehensive drug tests is the 12-panel drug test, which can screen for 12 different substances in the body. These include illicit drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine, and PCP, as well as prescription medications like opioids, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates.
Don't Exercise For Accurate Blood Test Results
A workout can negatively impact blood test results. For the most accurate blood test results, your blood should be drawn when you're rested, Dr. Krajcik says. A workout before a fasting blood test can alter the results of cholesterol and glucose tests.
In simple terms, an FBC is a blood test that checks the number and types of cells in your blood. It provides an overview of your red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets to determine if everything looks normal or if something might need a closer look.
These hard-to-diagnose diseases often include digestive and autoimmune disorders.
During your annual check-up at your regular doctor's visit, they usually do some important blood tests like Full Blood Count (FBC), Urea and Electrolytes, and Liver Function tests.
By measuring the levels of c-reactive protein in your blood, a CRP test can tell your health care provider how much inflammation you have in your body. High CRP levels may mean you have an acute or chronic health condition, such as: Infections from bacteria or viruses.
What are the most common blood tests?
The vitamin B12 blood test measures the amount of vitamin B12 in your blood. Your folate level is usually tested at the same time. Vitamin B12 is one of the B group of vitamins. It is also known as cobalamin.
A T4 test alone can't provide enough information to diagnose thyroid problems. So, it's usually done with a TSH blood test. TSH stands for thyroid stimulating hormone. It's a hormone made by your pituitary gland, a small gland at the base of your brain.
The main harms are overdiagnosis, detrimental psychological effects, negative effects on health behaviours (for example, failure to quit smoking due to reassurance of good health), complications related to follow-up tests, and unnecessary treatments.