Your yearly physical at a doctor’s office isn’t the only time or place where you can get a blood test.
Several labs and companies now offer blood testing services that can be purchased online, giving you greater accessibility and freedom of choice when it comes to this important method of measuring your health.
And tests like those provided with InsideTracker’s plans even go beyond what you’d get with traditional blood testing, including more comprehensive blood panel choices and important context to what your blood biomarker levels mean for your health and vitality.
Read on to explore the benefits of ordering your next blood test online and learn how the process works.
Why opt for an online blood test service?
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It’s convenient: Whether you’re on the go or at home, finding a blood test online is often easier than going through your doctor’s office.
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You can choose which tests are right for you: It’s not uncommon to receive pushback from your healthcare provider about getting certain tests done. Equip yourself with the data most relevant to your health goals by scheduling a blood test online.
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Access to your results: Online services provide you with your blood test data in a safe, and secure online portal that’s easily accessible once your blood test results are analyzed.
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Plan ahead for ongoing optimization: A blood test isn’t a one-and done analysis. Blood biomarkers are dynamic and shift over time in response to diet, lifestyle, and other physiological changes. Significant changes for some biomarkers take about 3 months to appear in bloodwork. Membership services, including InsideTracker, make it affordable to work routine blood testing into your annual health routine.
How it works
Blood testing is easy with InsideTracker. Once you're a member, you can purchase tests through us. You'll choose between an in-lab test or an at-home visit, and then you just pick a time that works for you.
Let’s walk through these simple steps.
1. Become a member
Membership costs $149 a year. That gives you access to low-cost blood tests, analytics tools, and personalized health recommendations.
» Learn more about InsideTracker Membership
If blood testing is your primary interest, you'll get the most out of your results dashboard. That's where you'll find your personalized optimization zones and, for unoptimized biomarkers, science-backed advice for driving them into the ideal range.
With an InsideTracker membership, you can also upload blood results you've received from your doctor or other providers.
2. Order your blood test and add-ons
Our Ultimate blood test is a comprehensive look at every aspect of your health. It looks at dozens of biomarkers across all 10 healthspan categories, which include heart health, hormone balance, endurance, and sleep.
This test looks at many well-known biomarkers, such as cortisol, ApoB, testosterone, HbA1C, and hsCRP. It also looks at many that may sound unfamiliar, but that provide insight that will help us give you specific recommendations for optimal health.
You can purchase your Ultimate test at the same time as your membership.
During checkout, you can also choose to add the following:
- InnerAge: Also known as biological age, InnerAge is a calculation that uses your biomarkers to determine how fast you're aging. Your result can be higher or lower than the age you see on your driver's license. Learn more about InnerAge.
- DNA kit: If you add DNA results to your InsideTracker account, we can use that to help make stronger, more personalized health recommendations. You can upload DNA results from 23andMe or Ancestry.com, or you can purchase a test directly through us.
- Estradiol and progesterone testing: These two sex hormones affect bone health, sexual health, and mood. For women, they often provide clues about symptoms related to menopause, menstruation, and reproductive health.
- Mobile blood draw: If you don't want to or can't drive to a nearby blood lab, we can send somebody directly to you at home or work. This option is available for members in the United States, and it's required for those in Canada. (See details below.)
3. Schedule your blood draw
For blood draws in a lab, you'll go to a Quest Diagnostics lab near you. We'll send you scheduling instructions after you purchase and activate your blood test.
On the day of the test, you'll just need to arrive with your photo ID. That's it. You've already paid for your test with InsideTracker, so no additional payment or insurance information is required.
If you choose the mobile blood draw option, the process is similar. The difference is that the phlebotomist will come to you.
Note: Members in New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Arizona, and Canada must purchase a mobile blood draw. This requirement is due to a law that local facilities can’t perform 3rd party discretionary bloodwork.
4. Access your results
After your blood draw, you will receive a complete analysis back within 5 to 7 business days, at which point you can set up your Action Plan.
InsideTracker plans include personalized recommendations that take into account your biomarker measurements, fitness-tracker data, DNA (if you opt to purchase or upload DNA test results), and answers from your Health Profile.
5. Plan for your next test
InsideTracker recommends getting a blood test every 3 to 6 months, as some biomarkers take that long to significantly respond to lifestyle changes.
Comparing blood work taken more than 6 months apart makes it more challenging to decipher what in your life may have had the most impact—positively or negatively—on your biomarkers, and some recommendations may no longer be applicable or necessary if your biomarkers shifted significantly.
Can you share results with your doctor?
Yes! You can share your blood test results with your physician by logging into your web account (not the app at this time). Particularly when it comes to biomarkers that are deemed “high risk” for being notably above or below the normal reference range, results from your lab tests can provide data to support a conversation about concerns or questions you have with a trusted medical professional.
InsideTracker’s analysis of your bloodwork is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Therefore if one of your biomarkers does fall outside of the normal range, your results will encourage you to reach out to a healthcare professional.
You can review your results with your doctor by accessing your InsideTracker account, and you can feel confident in the security of your data since InsideTracker is fully HIPAA compliant and SOC 2 certified.
Key takeaways
- Online blood tests offer convenience, freedom of choice, and accessibility when scheduling your next blood draw.
- Sharing results with your doctor is easy and can help facilitate important conversations about the state of your health.
- InsideTracker provides a comprehensive Ultimate test, InnerAge analysis, and other add-ons that help you take control of your health.
