Having regular blood tests is the most effective way to keep on track of your overall health. They are a quick and straightforward method to assess your general state of health and also find out your risk of disease and infection. Regular blood tests will help you understand how your body changes over time and give you the opportunity to make informed decisions about your health.
The home doctor experts at House Call Doctor have all the information you need to know.
What is a blood test?
Blood tests simply involve taking a sample of blood and analysing it in a lab. It is typically recommended that you get a routine blood test at least once a year, however your doctor may suggest that you get more regular blood tests for different reasons. These reasons may include:
- You’re experiencing unusual, persistent symptoms that need monitoring
- You want to optimise your health by understanding your levels of various blood components
- You want to reduce your risk of disease or complications which can often be diagnosed early through blood tests.
Some of the most common routine blood tests include:
- Complete blood count
- Chemistry (basic metabolic) panel
- Thyroid
- Nutrient tests such as iron or B vitamins
- Enzyme markers
- Sexually transmitted disease.
Benefits of blood testing
There are many benefits of getting regular blood tests, but the main one is that they are a reliable and effective form of data for measuring your health and wellness. Blood tests can identify disease and early detection is key when treating many conditions, including cancer.
Here are some other benefits:
- Monitoring your metabolism: this can determine whether you have diabetes which is one of the most common health issues.
- Monitoring liver function: your liver breaks down various toxins in your body, and a blood test can pick up on any issues.
- Monitoring organ health: this includes kidney function which is important for regulating blood pressure, pH level, mineral concentration and water composition of the blood.
- Checking hormone levels for both men and women.
- Checking general health and wellbeing: factors such as B vitamins and iron levels are important to regularly monitor.