Comprehensive Health Testing Guide

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The 80/20: Tests Everyone Should Get Start Here

If you do nothing else, get these. They catch 80% of actionable issues for 20% of the cost.

Test	Cost	Why It Matters	Frequency
Whole Genome Sequencing (30x)	$399	APOE (Alzheimer's), MTHFR (methylation), Lp(a) (cardiac), pharmacogenomics. Informs everything.	Once
Lp(a)	$30-50	Genetic cardiovascular risk. 20% of people are elevated and don't know. Doesn't change.	Once
ApoB + Lipid Panel	$100-150	THE driver of heart disease. More predictive than LDL-C. The #1 actionable cardiac marker.	Annual
Fasting Insulin + HbA1c	$50-100	Catches insulin resistance and pre-diabetes years before standard glucose tests.	Annual
Vitamin D	$30-50	70%+ are deficient. Affects immune, bone, mood. Dirt cheap to test and fix.	Annual
Total Baseline Cost		~$600-750 (one-time genome + first annual labs)

🎯 If You're 40+, Add One More:

Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Score ($75-150): A simple CT scan that shows calcium buildup in your arteries. One of the best predictors of heart attack risk. Do it once at 40, repeat every 3-5 years if score is 0.

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Annual Foundation Panel Everyone

Before optimization tests, everyone needs these basics annually. They catch silent issues cheaply.

Test	What It Catches	Cost
CBC (Complete Blood Count)	Anemia, infection, blood cancers, clotting	$15-30
CMP (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel)	Electrolytes, kidney, liver, blood sugar	$20-40
Urinalysis	UTI, kidney disease, diabetes signs	$10-20
uACR (Urine Albumin/Creatinine)	Early kidney damage, vascular damage	$20-40
Lipid Panel	Basic cholesterol	$20-40
TSH	Thyroid function	$20-40
Total Foundation Panel		~$100-200

Why this matters: Many skip to fancy tests while missing basic abnormalities. The foundation panel catches the "boring" stuff that kills people.

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One-Time Genetic Tests Do Once

Test	Cost	Key Insights
Whole Genome Sequencing (30x)	$399	APOE, MTHFR, Lp(a), pharmacogenomics
Lp(a)	$30-50	Genetic cardiovascular risk (doesn't change)

Privacy note: Life/disability insurance not protected by GINA. Consider implications before testing.

❤️

Cardiovascular & Metabolic Everyone

Advanced Lipids

Marker	Target	Why
ApoB	<90 mg/dL (ideal <80)	THE driver of atherosclerosis
LDL-C	<100 mg/dL	Standard marker
Triglycerides	<100 mg/dL	Metabolic health signal
hs-CRP	<1.0 mg/L	Inflammation marker

Metabolic Health

Marker	Target	Why
Fasting Insulin	<6 uIU/mL	Catches dysfunction 10+ years early
HbA1c	<5.4%	3-month glucose average
Fasting Glucose	<95 mg/dL	Point-in-time snapshot

♂️

Male Hormones & Health Male 30+

Hormone Panel (Start at 30)

Marker	Target (25-35)	Target (40+)
Total Testosterone	500-900 ng/dL	450-800 ng/dL
Free Testosterone	15-25 pg/mL	12-20 pg/mL
Estradiol (sensitive)	20-40 pg/mL	20-40 pg/mL
Prolactin	<15 ng/mL	<15 ng/mL

Timing: Test morning fasted (T peaks 7-9 AM). Request "sensitive" E2 assay for men.

Prostate Health (Start at 40)

Marker	Target	Notes
PSA	<2.5 ng/mL (age 40-49)	Discuss with doctor; earlier if family history

♀️

Female Hormones & Health Female

Critical: Female hormones fluctuate throughout the cycle. Single blood draws are often useless. Cycle-mapped testing is gold standard.

Cycle-Mapped Testing

Test	Cost	Best For
DUTCH Test	$400-500	PMDD, PMS, hormonal acne (Days 19-22)
FUTURE WOMAN	$740	9 samples across full cycle

Thyroid (5-8x higher disorder rates in women)

Marker	Target
TSH	0.5-2.5 mIU/L (not 0.4-4.5)
TPO Antibodies	Negative

Cervical Cancer Screening

Age	Test	Frequency
21-29	Pap smear alone	Every 3 years
30-65	Pap + HPV co-testing	Every 5 years

Iron (Women Need More Monitoring)

Target Ferritin: 50-150 ng/mL. Below 30 = fatigue, hair loss (very common in menstruating women).

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Cancer Screening (40+) Age 40+

Test	When	Cost
Colonoscopy	Age 45 (updated guidelines), every 10 years	$200-500
Coronary Calcium Score (CAC)	Age 40+, every 3-5 years	$100-200
Mammogram (women)	Age 40+, every 1-2 years	$100-300
PSA (men)	Age 40+ (discuss with doctor)	$30-50
DEXA Scan	Baseline at 30-40, then as needed	$45-100

Note: Colonoscopy now starts at 45 per updated guidelines, not 50.

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Target Ranges Quick Reference

Optimal Suboptimal Action Needed

Marker	Green	Yellow	Red
ApoB	<80	80-100	>100
HbA1c	<5.4%	5.4-5.6%	>5.7%
Fasting Insulin	<6	6-10	>10
Fasting Glucose	<95	95-99	100+
Vitamin D	40-60	30-40	<30
hs-CRP	<1.0	1.0-3.0	>3.0
TSH	0.5-2.5	2.5-4.0	<0.5 or >4.0
Ferritin	50-150	30-50	<30 or >200

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Providers Deep Dive

🎯 My Current Thinking

Whole Genome Sequencing: Sequencing.com ($399). Own your data forever, no subscription.

Annual Blood Panels: Quest via Ulta Lab Tests. Best price for à la carte tests.

DEXA Scans: BodySpec ($45-75). Mobile trucks in major cities.

Omega-3 Index: OmegaQuant. At-home finger prick, $50.

Hormones (if needed): Marek Health. Telemedicine + comprehensive panels.

🧬 Whole Genome Sequencing Providers

One-time test. You'll have this data forever. Choose wisely.

Sequencing.com ✓ My Pick $399

✅ Pros

30x coverage (clinical grade)
Own your raw data (FASTQ, BAM, VCF)
No subscription needed for data access
Can download full files to local storage
Best price-to-depth ratio

⚠️ Cons

Less polished UI than Nebula
Interpretation reports cost extra
~60GB download for full FASTQ

Nebula Genomics $299-999

✅ Pros

Slick interface and reports
Regular research updates
Good ancestry + trait analysis

⚠️ Cons

Subscription model for full features
Data access can be gated
Lower depth at entry price

23andMe / Ancestry $99-199

✅ Pros

Cheapest entry point
Good for ancestry/relatives
Simple consumer experience

⚠️ Cons

NOT whole genome: genotyping only (~0.1% of genome)
Miss rare variants entirely
23andMe bankruptcy concerns (data risk)
Limited raw data export

❌ Not recommended for health optimization. Too shallow.

🩸 Blood Testing Providers

Quest Diagnostics (via Ulta Lab Tests) ✓ My Pick $$ (varies)

✅ Pros

Most comprehensive test catalog
Best à la carte pricing via brokers
Locations everywhere
Results in 1-3 days
Can order exactly what you want

⚠️ Cons

No AI interpretation
Have to know what to order
Interface is dated

Best for: People who know what they want, optimizers, researchers

Function Health $499/year

✅ Pros

100+ biomarkers in one panel
Beautiful dashboard
Tracks trends over time
Includes ApoB, fasting insulin, etc.
Concierge support

⚠️ Cons

Waitlist (demand is high)
Less flexible than à la carte
Overkill if you only need a few markers

Best for: People who want everything done for them, beginners, executives

InsideTracker $249-589/test

✅ Pros

AI-powered recommendations
Integrates with wearables
Good trend analysis
"InnerAge" biological age score

⚠️ Cons

Expensive per test
Recommendations can be generic
Upsells supplements aggressively

Best for: Athletes, people who want actionable advice baked in

Marek Health $250-400/panel

✅ Pros

Hormone optimization focus
Telemedicine consultations included
Can prescribe TRT, peptides, etc.
Comprehensive male panels

⚠️ Cons

Primarily male-focused
May push interventions
More expensive than brokers

Best for: Men optimizing hormones, people considering TRT

💰 Discount Lab Brokers (Order Yourself, Save 50-70%)

These companies sell Quest/Labcorp tests at a discount. Same labs, lower prices.

Provider	Network	Best For	Notes
Ulta Lab Tests	Quest	Often cheapest prices	My go-to for à la carte
Walk-In Lab	Quest + Labcorp	Good sales, flexibility	Check both networks
Life Extension	Labcorp	Members get better pricing	Good hormone panels
PrivateMDLabs	Quest + Labcorp	Privacy-focused	No account required
DirectLabs	Labcorp	Simple ordering	Good for basics

Pro tip: Compare prices across 2-3 brokers before ordering. Prices vary significantly by test.

🎯 Specialty Testing Providers

Test Type	Provider	Cost	Notes
DEXA Scan	BodySpec	$45-75	✓ My pick. Mobile trucks, cheap, fast.
DEXA (alt)	DexaFit	$75-150	Fixed locations, more detailed reports
Omega-3 Index	OmegaQuant	$50-75	✓ My pick. At-home finger prick.
Gut Microbiome	Viome	$149-349	Comprehensive, but actionability debated
Gut Microbiome (alt)	Thorne Gut Health	$198	Simpler, more clinical
DUTCH (Hormones)	DUTCH Test	$400-500	Gold standard for cycle mapping (women)
FUTURE WOMAN	Future Woman	$740	9-sample full cycle map
CAC Score	Local imaging center	$75-200	Call around. Prices vary wildly.
Sleep Study	Lofta / WatchPAT	$150-300	At-home sleep apnea testing

🤔 How to Choose: Decision Framework

If You Are...	Go With...
Just starting out, want it simple	Function Health. Comprehensive, no decisions needed.
Budget-conscious optimizer	Quest via Ulta Lab Tests. Pick exactly what you need.
Athlete wanting performance data	InsideTracker. Integrates with wearables, action-focused.
Man optimizing hormones	Marek Health. Telemedicine + can prescribe.
Woman with cycle issues	DUTCH + Function Health. Hormone mapping + basics.
DIY everything, own your data	Sequencing.com + Ulta Lab Tests. My approach.

The 80/20: Tests Everyone Should Get Start Here

🎯 If You're 40+, Add One More:

Recommended Testing Protocol

Annual Foundation Panel Everyone

One-Time Genetic Tests Do Once

Cardiovascular & Metabolic Everyone

Advanced Lipids

Metabolic Health

Male Hormones & Health Male 30+

Hormone Panel (Start at 30)

Prostate Health (Start at 40)

Female Hormones & Health Female

Cycle-Mapped Testing

Thyroid (5-8x higher disorder rates in women)

Cervical Cancer Screening

Iron (Women Need More Monitoring)

Cancer Screening (40+) Age 40+

Target Ranges Quick Reference

💰 Test Cost Calculator

Providers Deep Dive

🎯 My Current Thinking

🧬 Whole Genome Sequencing Providers

✅ Pros

⚠️ Cons

✅ Pros

⚠️ Cons

✅ Pros

⚠️ Cons

🩸 Blood Testing Providers

✅ Pros

⚠️ Cons

✅ Pros

⚠️ Cons

✅ Pros

⚠️ Cons

✅ Pros

⚠️ Cons

💰 Discount Lab Brokers (Order Yourself, Save 50-70%)

🎯 Specialty Testing Providers

🤔 How to Choose: Decision Framework