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How Often Should You Get Blood Work Done? I Asked MDs

Author:

Hannah Frye

February 21, 2024

Assistant Beauty & Health Editor

By Hannah Frye

Assistant Beauty & Health Editor

Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more.

A female doctor discusses a young patient's diagnosis with the patient's mother. They are reviewing the patient's test resutls.

Image by SDI Productions / iStock

February 21, 2024

Getting blood work can help you detect vitamin deficiencies, spot hormonal imbalances, and even identify chronic diseases. What's more, getting a peek inside your body can help you decide how to fuel it, move it, and generally treat it in your day-to-day life.

This raises the question: How often should we face the needle and get our blood drawn for optimal health? Here's what highly credentialed experts who are well-versed in functional medicine have to say on the topic, plus their tips on how to advocate for yourself at your next appointment.

Meet the experts

Mark Hyman, M.D.: Functional medicine doctor and co-founder and chief medical officer of Function Health
Florence Comite, M.D.: Clinician, scientist, and founder of the Comite Center for Precision Medicine & Healthy Longevity
Anant Vinjamoori, M.D.: Board-certified internal medicine physician and chief medical officer at Modern Age

The best cadence for blood work

Spoiler alert: There's no one right answer to this question, but here are a few situations when you might want to get blood work done:

For general health

Experts recommend getting a blood test at least once annually but ideally twice if you can swing it and your insurance covers it.

"I recommend individuals undergo comprehensive blood work at least annually to monitor changes in key biomarkers, detect potential health issues early on, and receive personalized care tailored to their unique needs and health goals," says Vinjamoori.

Comite agrees, "Annual blood work provides a baseline for comparison over time to assess trends and allows for early detection of potential health issues, as well as a method to determine suboptimal levels that can be improved."

This recommendation goes for folks who have no outlying health concerns like diseases, nutrient deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, and so on.

Summary

Experts suggest getting a blood test annually (or even twice if you can). This will help catch potential issues early and tailor care to your unique needs and goals.

For chronic or occasional health concerns

This likely goes without saying, but as a reminder, anyone with a chronic health condition or active health struggle should follow the advice of their physician, as more frequent blood work is probably in order.

In many cases, you can't find out whether a treatment is working without looking at the numbers. Still, it's no secret that blood work can be expensive. If you have financial concerns, discuss them with your physician so you can work together to build a plan that works for your health and your wallet.

Summary

If you have a chronic health condition or specific health concern, consider more frequent blood work. Work with your physician to find the best plan for your situation, and be sure to communicate any financial limitations.

For lifestyle changes

Now, let's talk about the middle ground. Imagine you're in decent health but want to work on a few areas. In this case, it's about tailoring your blood testing to your goals, with your doctor's guidance of course.

You may be surprised just how quickly changes in diet, exercise, or stress levels can impact your blood markers. For example, according to Hyman, tweaking your diet can alter cholesterol levels in just weeks to months 1. Even vitamin D levels can bounce up in three months with the right supplements. So, yes, even subtle lifestyle changes may call for retesting more than once or twice annually.

Still, Comite recommends implementing interventions or lifestyle changes for at least four to six months before resting blood markers—so don't pay for another test after just one month of a new regimen.

Keep in mind, though, that everyone's pace of change is unique. When you get your baseline blood test, make sure to leave with practical steps (like eating more iron-rich foods or getting into a better sleep routine) and plan a follow-up test that aligns with your focus. It's not just a test; it can be a motivator for sticking to those new habits too.

Summary

Lifestyle changes, like diet tweaks or supplement use, can quickly impact blood markers, making more frequent testing potentially helpful and motivating. Comite suggests implementing any lifestyle changes for at least four to six months before retesting.

What to ask for

"If you haven't had blood work recently, establishing a baseline is advised," Comite says, adding, "Equally important is knowing which biomarkers to check."

Here is a quick list of the tests recommended by the experts I spoke with:

Vitamin D levels (psst...these aren't always covered in a standard test. Learn more here.)
Blood sugar markers, including fasting glucose and HbA1c
Hormone tests (which vary depending on your sex)
Lipid panel and cholesterol risk ratio
Inflammatory markers, like CRP (C-reactive protein)

These are the basic blood markers, but your physician may decide to run other tests to assess any nutrient deficiencies like B12, omega-3, iron, etc. Certain situations may call for testing of heavy metals like lead and mercury, Hyman adds.

Comite adds, "If your family has a history of diabetes or heart disease, you are at greater risk of a cardiometabolic disorder even if your doctor says your blood work came back 'normal.'" If it's not already in your chart, be sure to tell your doctor about any family history of disease before testing.

So, should I get a blood test?

Still unsure about getting a test? If it's been over a year since your last one, it's a good idea.

Even if results are normal, there may be room for improvement. After all, according to Hyman, there's a difference between "normal" and "optimal" levels of certain nutrients and hormones. These "normal" values are based on population averages, not your unique health needs.

It's equally important to remember that a single abnormal result doesn't necessarily indicate a serious condition, Comite says. Don't jump to conclusions if your tests raise a yellow flag—just be sure to talk it over with your doctor.

Summary

At the end of the day, getting a blood test is a powerful way to see what's going on inside the body. When possible, start with annual blood work and go from there depending on your doctor's recommendation, and always voice your health and financial concerns to your physician—this just may get you another important blood test you didn't know you needed or save you a few bucks on something unnecessary.

The takeaway

Experts generally recommend annual or biannual blood tests for healthy individuals, but those with chronic health conditions, occasional concerns, or a family history of certain diseases may need to test more frequently. Understanding and adapting the testing frequency to your specific health needs is like creating a personalized, caring strategy for your well-being. Here, a deeper dive into the best tests to ask for at your next visit.