Your Do Health membership includes three blood tests across the year, every four months.
- The first test is the Do Health Annual Screen: a 50+ marker panel that includes the 11 Do Health Core markers plus additional markers covering metabolic, cardiovascular, kidney, liver, hormonal and thyroid health.
- The tests at month 4 and month 8 are the 11 Do Health Core markers only.
- The cycle then repeats yearly, so the broader panel runs again at month 12.
The Do Health Core tests the following biomarkers (every test):
| HbA1C | HbA1c is a marker that is a key diagnostic tool for type 2 diabetes. It indicates an average blood glucose level over 3 months by measuring how much glucose has been exposed to the haemoglobin component of red blood cells. |
| hs-CRP | hs-CRP is a non-specific marker that represents systemic inflammation. It can act as a proxy for atherosclerotic risk given the result of vascular inflammation in this setting but is not a standalone diagnostic test in itself. |
| Fasting insulin | Fasting insulin levels act as a proxy for insulin resistance and is more sensitive than other metrics to indicate dysfunction in blood glucose control. It is seen as both a cause and a consequence of metabolic disease. Higher levels of fasting insulin can indicate risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. |
| HDL | HDL is a protein responsible for transportation of cholesterol away from the peripheries. Consequently, it has an inverse relationship with atherosclerotic risk. |
| Triglycerides | Triglycerides (TGs) are circulating lipids that act as an energy store for the body. High levels of TGs can contribute towards atherosclerosis. Furthermore, the ratio of TG:HDL-C has been shown to be a reliable surrogate for insulin resistance and independently predict atherogenic risk. |
| Homocysteine | Homocysteine is a circulating amino acid that has been implicated as an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic disease. There are also links to Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes. Whether or not it is the cause or the effect of worse outcomes is undetermined. |
| ALT/AST | Alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) are liver enzymes used to measure damage to liver cells. They are commonly used to identify non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and risk of progression to chronic liver disease, as well as a general reflection of metabolic health. ALT is generally more specific to the liver and more responsive to metabolic changes. |
| ApoB | ApoB is a lipid-carrying protein that acts as a direct marker for atherosclerotic potential and, as a result, cardiovascular disease risk. |
| Vitamin D | Vitamin D is a dietary hormone that is activated via sun exposure. It is vital in the regulation of serum calcium concentration. Deficiency in the active form may result in bone disorders, with evidence of correlation with cardiometabolic disorder risk. |
| Uric acid | Uric acid is the end product of purine metabolism. Elevated levels are linked to gout, insulin resistance, and increased cardiovascular and kidney disease risk. |
The Do Health Annual Screen (first test, then yearly thereafter) also includes:
- Blood sugar: Glucose, HOMA-IR
- Cardiovascular: Total Cholesterol, LDL, Non-HDL Cholesterol
- Blood cell health: Ferritin, Haemoglobin, Haematocrit, RBC, MCV, MCH, MCHC (FBC)
- Kidney function: Creatinine, eGFR, Urea, Sodium, Potassium (U&E)
- Liver function: ALP, Bilirubin, Albumin, Total Protein (LFT)
- Inflammation: WBC, Neutrophils, Platelets (FBC)
- Hormones: Total Testosterone, Free Testosterone, Prolactin, FSH, LH, Oestradiol, SHBG, FAI
- Thyroid: TSH, fT4
- Vitamins: Active B12