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The Executive Blood-Test Checklist
Want to stay on top of your biomarkers? Consider including these.
Carlyle Jenkins, AHPRA registered chiropractor and lifestyle medicine practitioner
Blood count and iron
| Test | What it tells you | Usually included? |
|---|---|---|
| Full blood count | Red cells, white cells and platelets in one test | Standard |
| Ferritin | Your iron stores | Standard on request |
| B12 and folate | Nutrients for nerves and building blood | Common, ask |
Metabolic
| Test | What it tells you | Usually included? |
|---|---|---|
| HbA1c | Your average blood sugar over about the last two to three months | Standard |
| Fasting glucose | Your blood sugar on the morning of the test | Standard |
| Fasting insulin | How hard your body works to hold sugar steady | Ask specifically |
| Vitamin D | Sunlight-dependent, mainly for bone health | Ask specifically |
Heart and blood vessels
| Test | What it tells you | Usually included? |
|---|---|---|
| Full lipid panel | Cholesterol and blood fats, including triglycerides | Standard |
| ApoB | Counts the particles that drive artery plaque | Ask specifically |
| Lp(a) | Largely inherited, so one test usually covers you for life | Ask specifically |
Inflammation
| Test | What it tells you | Usually included? |
|---|---|---|
| hs-CRP (high-sensitivity CRP) | Background inflammation across the body | Ask specifically |
Hormones and organ function
| Test | What it tells you | Usually included? |
|---|---|---|
| TSH, plus free T4 if needed | How your thyroid is pacing your metabolism | Standard |
| Testosterone with SHBG (men) | A hormone for drive, muscle and mood | Ask |
| Oestradiol and FSH (women, where relevant) | Read alongside your symptoms, which often tell more | Ask, not always needed |
| Liver and kidney function | Two organs that quietly do the clearing | Standard |
Before the test
- Book a morning appointment. Glucose and insulin need a fast. Testosterone is best measured in the morning. If your triglycerides have been high before, fasting is preferred for them too. Ask your doctor or the lab how long to fast, and what to do about any medication you take in the morning.
- Ask your doctor or the lab how long to fast, and what to do about any medication you take in the morning.
- A recent cold, infection or injury can lift inflammation results. Mention it, and mention any unusually hard training in the days before.
- Some of these may not attract a Medicare rebate without a clinical reason. Ask what is covered before you order.
Questions worth asking
- "Given my family history, is Lp(a) worth testing once?"
- "My cholesterol came back fine. Would ApoB tell you anything my lipid panel didn't?"
- "Is my HbA1c where you'd want it, or has it been drifting up over the last few years?"
- "Which of these would be covered for someone like me, and which would I pay for?"
Keep in mind
Your doctor interprets your results against your own history and their laboratory's reference range. This page helps you have that conversation. It doesn't replace it.
If any result falls outside your laboratory's reference range, take it to your doctor. Very high vitamin D levels can cause harm, so talk to your doctor before taking high-dose supplements.
Nothing here is a diagnosis, a treatment or medical advice, and it does not replace your GP or your specialist. I am a lifestyle medicine practitioner reading your data, not your treating doctor.
Blood tests are only part of the picture.
Xone Health brings your bloods, genetics, glucose response, food and wearable data into one Decoded Report, with your priorities ranked so you know what to work on first.
Where to go from here
- 1Take the Energy Check
Five minutes, scored on the spot.
- 2Discover more about Xone Health
How I work, who it suits and what it costs.
Sources
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- Pathology Tests Explained. Ferritin. Pathology Tests Explained. Accessed 12 October 2026. ptex.au/ptests.php?q=Ferritin
- Pathology Tests Explained. Vitamin B12 and folate. Pathology Tests Explained. Accessed 12 October 2026. ptex.au/ptests.php?q=Vitamin%20B12%20and%20folate
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