Comprehensive Blood Labs Research
I‘ve been wanting to do some kind of comprehensive blood panel for some time, but every time I tried to research it, it just became too large of a task to figure out which ones would be best and with the range of them costing anywhere from $150-$1500 roughly, if I was going to pay $1500 I wanted to know why. So I finally put something like 30 hours of research into it, and one thing I kept hoping to find was some kind of direct comparison table of the top ones…I couldn’t find one, so I made one! It’s not the prettiest, but I think it’s fairly readable and makes sense.
Sidebar, I am in no way a doctor, more like a pirate... Just an amateur healthy person trying to do good to my body. I welcome any questions or suggestions!
Spoiler alert, after all the research, I would say that Thorne Advanced is the most comprehensive with 89 biomarkers, but also potentially a little overboard depending on what your health situation is. I was surprised to find that Thorne Essential is definitely better than InsideTracker Ultimate AND is $310 less (going by list prices, no discount codes.) Even with a 25% discount code I found (OUTLIYRPRO25, thank you outliyr.com), Thorne Essential is $160 cheaper. The only thing I can’t comment on is which one has the most useful, actionable reports. All of them do have actionable reports though so you don’t need a doctor to understand the results. Also keep in mind that Thorne’s test used to be under the name WellnessFX. Thorne bought WellnessFX like in 2013 or something, but just recently sunset the name WellnessFX and put them all under Thorne.
I think I’m personally going to go with Thorne Essential, unless I can find a good discount code for Thorne Advanced. But at more than twice the price, I don’t think it’s worth it.
Below the table comparison I put my research notes on checking out some other health panel style tests. some focused on dna or biological age etc. After all the research I feel pretty confident that the most useful tests are blood panels and gut health tests. I already decided on Thorne’s gut health test based on https://www.lucymailing.com/a-comprehensive-guide-to-stool-and-microbiome-testing/. More info at the bottom.
In the More Info section of the table, I put my research into each biomarker that was not present in every blood lab panel I am comparing. For example, for the biomarker “Non-HDL Cholesterol”, Thorne Advanced and Thorne Essential DO test it, but InsideTracker Ultimate does not. So I did further research into that biomarker specifically and put relevant information I found in the More Info section for that biomarker to see if that specific biomarker mattered to me or not.
Here is a direct Biomarker comparison between Thorne Advanced Health Panel, Thorne Essential Health Panel and InsideTracker Ultimate
| Blood Panel Group | Biomarker | Thorne Advanced | Thorne Essential | InsideTracker Ultimate | More Info | Trevor's Thoughts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $830 | $390 | $550(with discounts) | |||
| Number of Biomarkers | 89 | 63 | 48 | |||
| Lipid Panel - Healthy lipid levels are essential for maintaining cardiovascular and liver health, as well as maintaining healthy hormone and nutrient levels. | ✓ | ✓ | Partial | |||
| Total Cholesterol | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| LDL Cholesterol | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Triglycerides | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| HDL Cholesterol | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| HDL Ratios | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | A high total cholesterol to HDL ratio indicates a higher risk for heart disease. It can be measured by dividing the total cholesterol by the HDL level. A desirable ratio is 5:1, and an optimal ratio is 3.5:1. The lower this number is, the healthier a person's cholesterol levels are.[reference] | So, can be figured from total cholesterol vs hdl cholesterol. If those are present, this is also present. | |
| Non-HDL Cholesterol | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | "A non-HDL cholesterol value includes all the atherogenic (artery-clogging) lipoprotein particles — not just LDL, but also very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL)." [reference] | ||
| Lipid Particles - Lipid particles provide an in-depth look at lipoprotein quantity and quality and provide detail about risk for cardiovascular disease. | ✓ | Partial | Partial | My family doesn't have a history of heart attacks. So I don't think going into detail on Lipid Particles is important for me personally. | ||
| LDL Particle Number | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | "Studies have shown that a person's LDL particle number can be a greater indicator of their risk for cardiovascular disease than the LDL level by itself."[reference] | ||
| Small LDL | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | "These particles are associated with an increased risk of heart disease; more of these small particles lead to greater risk."..."People are at the lowest risk when both your LDL-P number and your Small LDL-P number are low."[reference] | ||
| Medium LDL | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | "There is ...a 1.4-fold increased risk with the medium LDL trait." [reference] | ||
| LDL Pattern | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | Determine whether you have Pattern A or B. Pattern A is considered good, Pattern B could be bad. [reference] | ||
| LDL Peak Size | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | "An average size of LDL peak subclass particles measuring less than 218 angstroms, as measured with Ion Mobility, is associated with a 1.35-fold increased risk for CVD[cardiovascular disease]." [reference] | ||
| Large HDL | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | "large HDL particles appear to be protective in coronary artery disease." [reference] | ||
| Apolipoprotein A-1 | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | "You may need this test to see if you are at increased risk for heart disease. You may also need this test if you have already had heart problems, such as a heart attack. This test is not used as often as a lipid profile. A lipid profile measures HDL and LDL cholesterol. But some studies suggest that apolipoprotein A test results are a good measure of your heart disease risk." [reference] | probably could do without it. | |
| Apolipoprotein B | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | "Apolipoprotein B takes lipids where they’re going. But it only gives rides to the kind of lipids that have a bad reputation: low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and others. You won’t find the good cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins (HDL), hanging around with Apo B. When you see Apo B, you can be sure LDL is there, too." [reference] | This seems like the lipid test that matters...all the others in this test seem like a bonus. | |
| Lipoprotein (a) | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | "A lipoprotein (a) test measures the level of lipoprotein (a) in your blood. A high level of lipoprotein (a) may mean you have a high risk for heart disease and stroke." [reference] | ||
| Stress & Inflammation - Indicators of the stress and inflammation the body is experiencing. | ✓ | Partial | Partial | |||
| Cortisol | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Hs-CRP (High-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Homocysteine | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | "Homocysteine is a type of amino acid. Your body naturally makes it. But at high levels, it can damage the lining of arteries. It can encourage blood clotting. This may raise your risk for coronary artery disease, heart attacks, blood clots, and strokes."[reference] | Debatable importance for me since I have not noticed any problems as far as too much exterior blood clotting nor too little. | |
| Glucose Metabolism - This category is related to your ability to maintain normal blood sugar levels and how that relates to your risk for insulin resistance/prediabetes, diabetes mellitus, or metabolic syndrome. | ✓ | ✓ | Partial | |||
| Glucose | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| HbA1C (Hemoglobin A1c) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Insulin | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance) | ✓ | ✓ | Kind of |
"The HOMA-IR tool is a validated, non-invasive tool to assess the relationship between glucose and insulin. If elevated, it can guide you to make diet and lifestyle changes that will bring your HOMA-IR score down into the insulin-sensitive range, lose weight, and improve your health."[reference]
"HOMA-IR was calculated according to the formula: fasting insulin (microU/L) x fasting glucose (nmol/L)/22.5" [reference] |
Given the formula in the more info section, seems like this can be calculated based on glucose and insulin levels...but I would want to do a little more research into what would be a good range and exactly how to calculate it before I was comfortable making that calculation myself.
It's nice that the thorne tests calculate it for you. |
|
| Thyroid - Thyroid hormones regulate how fast or slow the body's cells work — everything from how fast or slow the heart beats to how quickly or slowly the intestines digest food. | ✓ | Partial | Partial | Understanding Thyroid Tests |
This is an important one to me personally because I have a history of thyroid cancer in my family and I've been susceptible to having a swollen throat even when I'm not sick.
All references in this section (except Reverse T3) come from the same article which is short and informative. |
|
| Free T3 | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | "High levels of free thyroid hormones in the blood may be a sign of an overactive thyroid, and low levels could be a sign of an underactive thyroid."[reference] | ||
| Free T4 | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | "High levels of free thyroid hormones in the blood may be a sign of an overactive thyroid, and low levels could be a sign of an underactive thyroid." [reference] | ||
| TSH - Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | "High TSH levels are a sign of an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). The pituitary gland produces more TSH in order to stimulate the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones. Very low TSH levels in the blood may be a sign of an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). The pituitary gland then produces less TSH, in order to stop “telling” the thyroid gland to make more hormones." [reference] | ||
| Reverse T3 | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | "Elevated reverse T3 (rT3) levels can be caused by almost any serious or prolonged illness. Low blood oxygen levels strongly increase reverse T3 levels in the serum. People with severe malnutrition (especially a lack of carbohydrates), severe diabetes, kidney, or liver disease have increased levels of rT3" [reference] | ||
| Reproductive Hormones - Helps provide insights into performance measures. An imbalance in these hormones can affect many important functions, including overall growth and muscle gain, metabolism, mood, libido, immune health, and reproductive health. | ✓ | Partial | Partial | |||
| DHEA-S (Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ (Female Only) |
"If your level of DHEA-S is high, it means that your body is making too much of the hormones. This excess may be related to adrenal cancer, tumors, or excess growth of adrenal hormone-producing tissue (hyperplasia).
If your DHEA level is low, it may mean that your adrenal glands are not making enough hormones." [reference] |
I'm not sure why InsideTracker only does this test for women....
"DHEAS is a male sex hormone that is found in both men and women. DHEAS plays an important role in making the male sex hormone testosterone and the female sex hormone estrogen. It’s also involved in the development of male sexual characteristics at puberty." [reference] |
|
| Estradiol | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ (Female Only) |
"In males, estradiol and/or estrone tests may be used to see whether too much estrogen is causing conditions, such as:
- Late puberty - Breast growth (gynecomastia) - Infertility - Erectile dysfunction (ED), problems having an erection" [reference] |
Again, not sure why InsideTracker only tests this in women. Although, it does seem more important to track in women. | |
| FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone) | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
"In men, these tests are most often used to:
Help find the cause of - infertility - Find the reason for a low sperm count - Find out if there is a problem with the testicles [...] If you are a man, you may need this test if: - You've been unable to get your partner pregnant after 12 months of trying. - Your sex drive is decreased. Both men and women may need testing if they have symptoms of a pituitary disorder. These include some of the symptoms listed above, as well as: - Fatigue - Weakness - Weight loss - Decreased appetite" [reference] |
||
| LH (Luteinizing Hormone) | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | This test is used in conjunction with FSH test for all the same reasons. [reference] | ||
| SHBG (Sex-hormone binding globulin) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Total Testosterone | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Free Testosterone | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ (Male Only) |
|||
| Liver - Liver health is essential to over 500 vital functions such as detoxication, blood sugar regulation, vitamin synthesis and more. Alcohol, fatty foods, being overweight, environmental toxins, and exercise all have an impact on the liver's health. | ✓ | Partial | Partial | |||
| Albumin | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| A/G Ratio (Albumin/globulin ratio) | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | "A total protein and A/G ratio test is often included as part of a comprehensive metabolic panel, a test that measures proteins and other substances in the blood. It may also be used to help diagnose kidney disease, liver disease, or nutritional problems." [reference] | Doesn't seem to be that important to me personally since I don't have other symptoms that may indicate kidney or liver disease. Read the whole referenced article for info on that. | |
| Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | "Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is an enzyme that’s found throughout your body. ALP blood tests measure the level of ALP in your blood that comes from your liver and bones, and it’s one of the tests included in a comprehensive metabolic panel. High levels of ALP in your blood may indicate liver disease or certain bone disorders." [reference] | Same as above. Don't think it would be important for me since I don't have any of the other symptoms that would indicate a problem. | |
| ALT (Alanine aminotransferase) [Also known as SGPT] | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| AST (Aspartate aminotransferase) [Also known as SGOT] | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| GGT (Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase) | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | "A gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) blood test measures the activity of GGT in your blood. GGT may leak into your bloodstream if your liver or bile duct is damaged, so having high levels of GGT in your blood may indicate liver disease or damage to your liver’s bile ducts." [reference] | Tests for liver disease or too much alcohol. I'm not concerned about these things so not important to me. | |
| Globulin | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | "Healthcare providers use globulin blood tests to measure protein levels in your blood. Your liver makes globulin, a protein. High levels may indicate autoimmune disease, infections or cancer. A low globulin reading may be a sign of liver or kidney disease. A globulin test may be part of liver function tests or a metabolic panel." [reference] |
Not super important to me...although it is used in a Total Protein test which can be used to identify inflammation.
"This test[Total Protein Test] measures alpha and beta globulins, which rise when there’s inflammation." [reference] |
|
| Total Bilirubin | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | "Higher than usual levels of bilirubin may indicate different types of liver or bile duct problems. Sometimes, higher bilirubin levels may be caused by an increased rate of destruction of red blood cells." [reference] |
"Help detect liver disease, particularly hepatitis, or monitor its progression." [reference]
I guess this could be important if I was trying to detect hepatitis...but I imagine some of the other tests would do that. |
|
| Total Serum Protein | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | "This test is often done to diagnose nutritional problems, kidney disease or liver disease." [reference] |
"Higher-than-normal levels may be due to: Chronic inflammation or infection, including HIV and hepatitis B or C" [reference]
I guess these protein tests could be useful since chronic inflammation is something I'd like to test for. |
|
| Creatine kinase (CK) | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | "Elevated CK levels may indicate skeletal muscle, heart or brain damage or degeneration — either chronic (long-term) or acute (short-term)." [reference] |
"Since muscle-related symptoms can be symptoms of several different conditions, your provider may order other tests along with a CK test, including:
- Electrolytes. - BUN (blood urea nitrogen). - Creatinine. - Urine myoglobin." [reference] So it sounds like this is a preliminary test, where if this came back weird, then you would want to test all those other things that Thorne does. But if you test all those other things, then this test becomes irrelevant. |
|
| Kidney - The kidneys detoxify the body of environmental pollutants and other harmful substances. Kidney health is critical for balancing hydration and minerals, red blood cell formation, activating vitamin D, regulating blood sugar, and maintaining homeostasis. | ✓ | Partial | ✕ | |||
| Blood Urea Nitrogen | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | "the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test reveals important information about how well your kidneys are working." [reference] | ||
| Creatinine | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | "A creatinine test is a measure of how well your kidneys are performing their job of filtering waste from your blood." [reference] | ||
| BUN/Creatinine Ratio | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | "Creatinine Ratio [BUN/Creatinine Ratio] is a renal (related to kidneys) function indicator, commonly used to diagnose acute or chronic renal (kidney) disease or damage." [reference] | ||
| GFR Estimate (eGFR[estimated glomerular filtration rate]) from Creatinine | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | "Healthcare providers use estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) to determine if you have kidney disease, and if so, what stage." [reference] |
"Kidney disease symptoms, such as frequent urination and muscle spasms, may not occur until you lose up to 40% of kidney function. eGFR helps providers detect the disease early so that you can start treatments to slow or stop kidney damage." [reference]
I do urinate somewhat more frequently than the average person, so maybe detecting potential early signs of kidney damage would be a good thing... |
|
| GFR Estimate (eGFR[estimated glomerular filtration rate]) from Cystatin C | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | "Cystatin C-based eGFR is less influenced by muscle mass than is creatinine-based eGFR, and therefore more appropriate for patients in whom creatinine-based results may lead to an incorrect diagnosis." [reference] | So doing the eGFR with creatinine could just mean I'm muscular, which I don't know if I fall into that category exactly, but I do workout a lot and have a decent amount of muscle. So really the combo of the two would be the real indicator of an issue. | |
| Cystatin C | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | See eGFR from Cystatin C | See eGFR from Cystatin C | |
| Blood - A detailed assessment of red and white blood cells, which are important for maintaining energy, normal immune function, and optimal circulation. | ✓ | ✓ (Except Fibrinogen) |
✓ (Except Fibrinogen) |
*Absolute _______ means the same thing as just saying the _______. Thorne and InsideTracker just call them different things...I'm kind of assuming, but that's what my research indicates to me. | ||
| Fibrinogen | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | Fibrinogen is a protein produced by the liver. This protein helps stop bleeding by helping blood clots to form.[reference] | Not important to me since my external blood clotting works great. | |
| Platelet Count | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| White Cell Count | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* |
"You will have this test to find out how many WBCs you have. Your provider may order this test to help diagnose conditions such as:
- An infection - Allergic reaction - Inflammation - Blood cancer such as leukemia or lymphoma" [reference] |
"WBCs are also called leukocytes. They help fight infections. There are five major types of white blood cells:
- Basophils - Eosinophils - Lymphocytes (T cells, B cells, and Natural Killer cells) - Monocytes - Neutrophils" [reference] All of the white blood cells are present in all 3 tests, so I think it's safe to assume this is implied in the InsideTracker test too. If all of the white blood cells are in a good range, then it would follow that their accumulated count would also be. Maybe not necessarily, but essentially. |
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| Neutrophils | ✓* | ✓* | ✓ | *since the thorne tests test for Absolute Neutrophils, they test for Neutrophils. They probably just missed referencing this one specifically on the website [reference] | ||
| Absolute Neutrophils | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | |||
| Lymphocytes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Absolute Lymphocytes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | |||
| Monocytes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Absolute Monocytes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | |||
| Eosinophils | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Absolute Eosinophils | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | |||
| Basophils | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Absolute Basophils | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | |||
| Red Blood Cell Count | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Hemoglobin | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Hematocrit | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| MPV (Mean platelet volume) [Thorne lists "MVP". misspelled MPV] | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| MCH (Mean cell hemoglobin) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| MCHC (Mean cell hemoglobin concentration) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| MCV (Mean corpuscular volume) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| RDW (Red cell distribution width) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Vitamins - These three vitamins play an important role in many systems of the body, including energy and metabolism, nervous system function, bone health, muscle health, immune function, methylation, healing, and recovery. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Folate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Vitamin B12 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Vitamin D | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Minerals & Electrolytes - Sodium, potassium, and chloride are electrolytes that help maintain chemical and electrical balance across all cells and nerves. Calcium and magnesium are essential minerals that support bones, nerve health, and muscle function. Testing RBC magnesium is the most precise way to evaluate magnesium in the cells. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ (Mostly) |
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| RBC Magnesium | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Calcium | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Carbon Dioxide (CO2) | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | If this is low, it could indicate ketoacidosis. I do eat a primarily keto diet so this might actually be a good test for me. Although, my understanding is that using fat as fuel is a good thing...might need to do more research into risks of a keto diet [reference] | ||
| Chloride | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | Essentially seems like just another electrolyte one can measure. more data, more detail. I could probably take it or leave it as a test. | ||
| Potassium | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Sodium | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Magnesium | ✕* | ✕* | ✓ | "In humans, red blood cell (RBC) magnesium levels often provide a better reflection of body magnesium status than blood magnesium levels. When the magnesium concentration in the blood is low, magnesium is pulled out from the cells to maintain blood magnesium levels within normal range" [reference] | Seems like if you're testing for RBC magnesium, then this test is mostly irrelevant. | |
| Iron - If these biomarkers are low, a person can begin to experience issues with energy, fatigue, weakness, restless leg syndrome, anxiety, and depression. If they are high, a person might be experiencing signs of liver damage, stomach or joint pain, or an irregular heartbeat. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Ferritin (Serum) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Iron | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| TIBC (Total iron binding capacity) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Fatty Acids - Optimal levels of omega fatty acids have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, dementia, and many other inflammatory diseases. | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | This one is a little hard to look up on it's own...It's a newer panel. |
Dr. Rhonda patrick recommends this saying that it shows the risk of cardiac-associated death. [reference]
I've never had a positive covid test, nor did I get the vaccine. If I had either of those things, I feel like this would be more important since both of those things have been hypothesized to cause cardiac-associated death. However, since covid was a thing that was kind of bad for the world and we still don't know all that much about it, it wouldn't be a bad idea. That being said, I think I could go without it. |
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| Omega-3 Index | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | |||
| Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | |||
| EPA to AA Ratio | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | |||
| AA | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | |||
| EPA | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | |||
| DHA | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | |||
| Free Fatty Acids | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | |||
| InsideTracker Other | ||||||
| Progesterone (Female Only) | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | I'm male, so it wouldn't apply to me anyway. | ||
| Transferrin saturation (TS) | ✕* | ✕* | ✓ |
*Also known as Serum Iron to TIBC Ratio [reference]
Both those things are tested in the thorne tests, so it could theoretically be calculated based on those. But I'm not super confident in that. |
Comparing those 3, Thorne Essential seems to do everything that InsideTracker Ultimate would and more, and it's around half the price. So I would choose Thorne Essential between those two.
Comparing Thorne Essential and Thorne Advanced. The only things I know I care about are:
GFR Estimate (eGFR[estimated glomerular filtration rate]) from Cystatin C
but it would really only apply if the other eGFR from creatinine looked problematic.
LH and FSH from the reproductive hormones panel
Free T3, Free T4 and Reverse T3 from the Thyroid Panel
Thorne has an a la carte Thyroid Panel, so maybe I could add that to the Essential panel, which would total out to $535…$295 less than the full Advanced panel…
Seems to be most popular
48 biomarkers
38 DNA markers (In DNA test)
Biological age markers (In InnerAge test)
$802.66 after tax with code HUBERMAN (20% off)
$752.49 for ultimate + dna + biological age, after tax with code OUTLIYRPRO25 (25% off)
Something like $550 for just the blood labs with the 25% off code
Formerly called WellnessFX
Their gut health test is the most recommended by https://www.lucymailing.com/a-comprehensive-guide-to-stool-and-microbiome-testing/ who is not affiliated with anyone and is apparently a doctoral gut researcher. To consult with her is $700/hr. She explains things well and from an apparent educated opinion. I trust her at this point. I don't see any marketing with how she communicates, just details. She also is not a fan of Viome which increases her credibility in my view because she's avoiding the popular crap.
98 biomarkers
Seems like the most comprehensive blood panel
Thorne doesn't have a DNA test, buuuut I don't really care at this point.
https://outliyr.com/best-online-home-health-testing-kits-review
This guy seems to know what he's talking about kind of, although he admits that he has invested in selfdecode so is very invested in it's success.
He also seems very affiliate driven...not sure I really trust him.
Super expensive given the subscription model
Focused on DNA
They do blood labs, and connect that to your dna data which goes into your report, but it's like $400 up front and then $100/month to maintain access.
Blood Labs are EXPENSIVE and they’re not very detailed on what biomarkers they’re getting. Like this Men’s Wellness Panel is still $651 as a member and I can’t even tell how many or exactly what biomarkers they’re testing for.
The $400 up front fee doesn't include any blood labs. It's only for the DNA analysis.
redditers saying they think selfdecode does better on the dna analysis and recommendations
that redditer is the outliyr.com dude.
Apparently peter attia recommends selfdecode for dna analysis
the problem with dna analysis, especially with a subscription model is that it is really only worth anything once. Your dna isn't changing so it will tell you your proclivities, but there's nothing you can do to change them. It's like taking a personality test except even less actionable.
A LOOOOT of effort put into marketing. Not very much effort at all in providing details of what it does or how it works. This says SALESMAN all over it and it's hard to find anything geared towards engineers, scientists and researchers.
Their support articles wiki is out of date and annoying.
Super big fan. (sarcasm)
https://www.lifeextension.com/lab-testing/itemlc322582/male-panel-blood-test
At first glance seems like a possible contender because of what it tests for, but the report is useless unless you're a doctor.
I guess if they test for like all 48 biomarkers that insidetracker does, this could be a slightly cheaper option? maybe? but probably would only save like $120...
looks interesting, but it seems like it's really just blood labs and not even that cheap at like $460 every time. It is $550 for one time blood labs, doesn't include dna or biological age.
Meh. Don’t like subscription models
Biological Age
https://trudiagnostic.com/products/truage-complete-epigenetic-collection
got here via https://www.reddit.com/r/Biohackers/comments/t0tkp3/alternatives_to_inside_tracker/, which one user countered with that he used both, i think he means tru age and self decode...and he liked self decode better... that _urban_ person is outliyr, he is invested in selfdecode, I don't really trust him. Too much marketing, not enough detail. Everything he recommends he has an affiliate code for.
I don't think I care about the biological age stuff too much. I don't feel like it'll be that useful. Blood and Gut Health Tests seem useful.
https://www.ultalabtests.com/test/wellness-men-s-select-with-lipoprotein-fractionation
This place seems to maybe be able to get all of the bloodwork that inside tracker would need to do their analysis. Which would bring the ultimate base cost down from $700 to like $300 possibly. $180 for the labs potentially, $120 for insidetracker analysis. I need to compare the tests though to see if they hit all of the same biomarkers.
Then again, when I talked with someone at the company about a potential insidetracker comparable test they sent me to this one... https://www.ultalabtests.com/test/insidetracker-ultimate-male-panel without a discount code it ends up being more expensive to do that for $450, plus $120 for the insidetracker analysis so $670. Might as well just do it through insidetracker for $550 with discount codes. Then again with a 20% discount code I got for ultalabs, it brings the ultalabs test down to $367.20. plus $120 insidetracker analysis is $487.20. so saving like $60 as opposed to just doing it straight from insidetracker for $550. HOWEVER, the ultalabs insidetracker test claims to have 84 biomarkers while the insidetracker one claims 48 biomarkers. So that's confusing. I guess I would get 84 biomarkers tested, but I would only get actionable analysis on 48 of those biomarkers. That’d be a waste. Too confusing, seems annoying, I’m out.
In regards to DNA analysis, based on this clip(https://peterattiamd.com/how-useful-are-home-dna-kits/) from Dr Peter Attia, I'm pretty convinced that knowing your dna proclivities isn't actually that helpful. It's not actionable really. It might say something like "you're prone to high cholesterol so you should eat a lot of spinach" ...but how do I know when I'm eating enough spinach? How would I know if my cholesterol was actually good or not with my current diet? Those answers would come from blood labs. Blood labs tell you how you're doing right now, as opposed to dna telling you what you might be prone to.
Although, I think DNA ones will show food sensitivities and I don't think blood tests will...
If you read all that…you’re a beast and a nerd. I salute you 🫡. Hope some if it was helpful! Hit me up if you have any questions or suggestions!