Essential Blood Test

The Essential panel checks 30+ biomarkers covering thyroid function (TSH), iron stores (ferritin), vitamin D, vitamin B12, folate, HbA1c (blood sugar control), a full cholesterol panel, liver function (ALT), kidney function (creatinine, eGFR), and a full blood count. It is a comprehensive baseline health check.

The Essential panel covers the foundations that everyone should test: thyroid, vitamins, metabolic health, liver, kidney, and cholesterol. If you also want hormones (testosterone, cortisol), inflammation (hs-CRP), magnesium, and omega-3, upgrade to the Performance panel. For a first-time test, Essential gives you a thorough starting point.

A typical NHS health check tests around 5–10 markers (usually cholesterol, blood sugar, and sometimes kidney or liver function). The Essential panel tests 30+, includes markers GPs rarely check (vitamin D, B12, ferritin, thyroid), and reports results against optimal ranges rather than the wide NHS reference ranges designed to catch disease.

A 9–12 hour overnight fast is recommended for the most accurate cholesterol and HbA1c results. Water, black tea, and black coffee (no milk or sugar) are fine during the fasting period. If you cannot fast, your results will still be clinically useful — just note it when registering your sample.

For most people, testing every 3–6 months provides a useful picture of how your health is changing. A baseline test followed by a retest at 3 months is ideal if you are making lifestyle or supplement changes — it shows whether those changes are working. After that, every 6–12 months is sufficient for ongoing monitoring.