Traditionally, getting bloodwork done has required going to your doctor’s office, the hospital or a specialized lab. Now at-home blood tests have made it even easier to gain insight into your health. You can check on loads of health markers, from your vitamin D levels to potential allergies, cholesterol and more, no prescription or insurance required.
These tests come with everything you need to make the process easy, sterile and pain-free. All it takes is a simple finger prick. After you mail back your kit, a doctor will review your results and post them on a digital platform. This way you can easily read them and understand what they mean. (You know what else is easy? Saving money on your medications with Optum Perks.)
For some people, the at-home testing process can be way more convenient than going to a lab, says Vivek Cherian, MD. He’s an internal medicine doctor affiliated with the University of Maryland Medical System in Baltimore. That may be especially true for those who are homebound or who don’t live near a lab.
The best part: You don’t even need to leave your house or worry about insurance. Prices are transparent. And you’ll always know exactly what you’re getting for the cost.
“It’s a great opportunity to be more engaged with your own health,” Dr. Cherian adds. “And it provides a way to closely monitor certain health conditions.”
That said, at-home tests should never replace seeing a doctor. “Consider at-home testing as a supplement to your own doctor, never a replacement,” Dr. Cherian says. “Lab results are only one component [of health care]. Doctors take the patient’s history, physical exam findings and lab results and develop plans based on all the findings combined.”
Using at-home tests can give you valuable insights into various aspects of your health. You and your doctor can then use this information to develop a plan of action and optimize your health moving forward.
Ready to see where your health stands — and what you can do to be your best self? Here are 7 health tests you can do at home.
EverlyWell Comprehensive 204 Food Sensitivity Test
Got stomach pains, bloating, headaches or other symptoms you suspect might be caused by your diet? This food sensitivity test can get to the bottom of it. It works by testing your IgG antibody reactivity to a wide range of foods — 204 of them, to be exact.
The test rates each food on a scale of 0-3, with 0 being normal reactivity and 3 being high. This way you can know what foods to start with when talking with your health care team about your symptoms or planning an elimination diet. (The elimination diet may be the next step you choose to confirm your sensitivities.)
Price: $259
EverlyWell Heart Health Test
If you’re worried about your risk for heart disease, this test will give you insight into your most important markers of heart health. One of the most reliable indicators? Your levels of cholesterol. This includes HDL, LDL and triglycerides — all important numbers for gauging overall heart health and risk of diseases, including heart disease, stroke, hypertension and diabetes. The test also measures your A1C, which can tell you about your risk for diabetes.
Price: $99
EverlyWell Indoor & Outdoor Allergy Test
More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year. This is according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Depending on the specific thing you’re allergic to, your symptoms can strike seasonally. Or they can stick around all year long.
If you still haven’t been able to nail down exactly what’s causing your sneezing and itchy eyes and throat, this simple blood test can help you sort it out. It works by testing your body’s IgE antibodies that your immune system overproduces in response to an allergen. This test kit can also help you keep tabs on your IgE over time. (That information can be helpful for people who are being treated with allergy shots.)
Price: $199
LetsGetChecked Thyroid Antibody Test
For being such a small gland, the thyroid has a big job. It’s responsible for making hormones that control your metabolism.
If it makes too many hormones, it can make the metabolism overactive. This can cause weight loss, rapid heart rate, anxiety and more. If the thyroid underproduces thyroid hormones, it is considered underactive. And this can cause weight gain, a slow heart rate, depression, muscle weakness and fatigue, says the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
So if you’ve been feeling off lately, this may be a worthwhile test. It’ll measure levels of 3 essential thyroid hormones to gauge how your thyroid is functioning. And it will tip you off if something is amiss.
