Which blood test should I choose?
Start with a baseline. Understand where you are now, work from what the results show, then retest what matters.
If you are not looking for one specific biomarker, the best place to start is with a broad baseline.
The right blood test depends on what you are trying to understand.
If you already know the marker or system you need to check, a focused test may be enough. If you do not, testing one or two markers based on an assumption can leave large parts of the picture unexplored.
IMULAB Performance Baseline
Our most comprehensive starting point, measuring more than 60 biomarkers across blood health, iron status, nutrition, hormones, thyroid function, cardiovascular health, metabolism and other areas relevant to health and performance.
View Performance Baseline →Get your baseline first.
Blood results become much more useful when there is something to compare them with.
Your first IMULAB assessment gives you a picture of where your biology sits at that point in time, ideally measured under normal and repeatable conditions.
A broad baseline allows us to look across several systems rather than assuming that one result explains everything.
Fatigue, poor recovery, reduced endurance or a change in performance does not automatically point to one deficiency or one hormone.
There may be several contributing factors, or the blood results may show that the explanation is likely to sit elsewhere.
The baseline gives us somewhere sensible to start. It reduces the need to guess.
Work from what the results show.
If there is an area worth addressing, the next step may involve nutrition, supplementation, recovery, training or further clinical investigation where appropriate.
The important part is that there is a reason behind the change.
We would rather measure iron status before someone starts taking iron, or measure vitamin D before deciding whether supplementation is required.
Once an intervention has been made, the relevant markers can be measured again to see whether anything has actually changed.
Establish the wider picture.
Interpret individual results alongside related markers and context.
Make changes where there is a clear reason to do so.
Measure the relevant markers again after an appropriate period.
Once stable, keep an eye on the broader picture over time.
One result is a snapshot.
A laboratory reference range tells us how your result compares with a wider population. It does not tell us what is usual for you.
A ferritin result of 60 µg/L, for example, carries more information if your previous result was 110 µg/L than it does when viewed as an isolated number.
Both may sit within a laboratory reference range, but the direction of change may still be worth understanding.
IMULAB therefore considers the absolute result, related biomarkers, your circumstances and, where available, your previous results.
For performance testing, the trend can be as useful as the individual number.
Blood testing for athletes.
Training changes physiology. That needs to be considered when blood results are interpreted.
Exercise can influence blood volume, iron requirements, muscle enzymes, inflammatory markers, hormones and nutritional requirements. The timing of a blood test in relation to training can also influence the result.
This does not mean athletes need a different definition of what is medically normal.
IMULAB uses standard laboratory reference ranges and adds performance context where there is sufficient evidence to support it.
A result can sit within a laboratory reference range and still be worth monitoring in the context of training, symptoms or previous results.
Equally, a result outside the range does not automatically mean there is a problem. Recent training, hydration, illness and other factors can affect blood measurements.
Some of the areas we look at.
Iron and ferritin
Iron is required for haemoglobin production and normal oxygen transport. IMULAB considers ferritin alongside the wider iron profile, haemoglobin, red cell markers, inflammation and individual circumstances rather than treating ferritin as a standalone result.
Vitamins and nutritional status
Vitamin D, vitamin B12, folate and other nutritional markers can be measured directly. The purpose is not to chase the highest possible result. It is to establish whether there is a reason to intervene and then measure the response.
Hormones
Hormones need context. Sex, age, menstrual cycle timing, energy availability, sleep, training and medication can all influence results, which is why a single hormone measurement rarely tells the whole story.
Thyroid function
Thyroid hormones are involved in normal metabolism and energy regulation. IMULAB considers the thyroid profile alongside the wider blood picture rather than using one result in isolation to explain a change in health or performance.
You do not need to repeat everything.
If you already have a baseline and know exactly what you need to monitor, a focused IMULAB test may be more appropriate.
This could include iron and ferritin, vitamin D, hormones, thyroid function or another specific area.
This is particularly useful after an intervention.
The broad assessment establishes the picture. Focused testing then follows the areas that actually matter.
Testing conditions matter.
Hard exercise can temporarily change markers including creatine kinase, AST and some inflammatory markers. Dehydration can affect the concentration of several blood measurements.
Food, alcohol, illness, poor sleep and some supplements can also influence particular results.
For a baseline, IMULAB recommends following the preparation instructions supplied with the test and keeping conditions as normal and repeatable as possible.
Consistency becomes particularly important when you are comparing results over time.
Test when there is a reason to.
More testing is not automatically better. For most people, a sensible approach is:
- Establish a comprehensive IMULAB baseline.
- Identify anything that genuinely warrants attention.
- Make an appropriate change where required.
- Retest the relevant markers after a suitable period.
- Once stable, repeat a broader assessment once or twice a year.
Athletes may test more strategically around pre-season, competition periods, training blocks or a significant change in performance.
Get the baseline first. Work from there.
If you have not had comprehensive blood testing before, the IMULAB Performance Baseline gives you a broad starting picture and establishes the results that future testing can be compared against.
From there, address what genuinely needs attention, retest where necessary and monitor the broader picture once or twice each year.
View Performance Baseline →