About the Standard Health Panel
Purpose of the test
Primary care providers order this panel to screen for the most common chronic disease risk areas in one fasting visit: cardiovascular health, metabolic and organ function, blood and immune health, urinary and kidney health, and thyroid balance.
The panel can flag any abnormal results related to diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, anemia, high cholesterol, infections, immune disorders, and blood clotting problems. These are medical conditions that affect the heart, liver, kidneys, circulatory system, bones, nerves, muscles, and thyroid gland. This is a screening panel, not a diagnostic tool. Any abnormal results require follow-up testing to get a final diagnosis.
The panel serves three purposes:
- Screening: A standard part of routine annual wellness care for adults, especially those with risk factors for metabolic, cardiovascular, or thyroid disease.
- Diagnosis: Consider testing if you have fatigue, unexplained weight changes, swelling, easy bruising, or signs of a thyroid problem, like feeling cold all the time or sudden mood shifts.
- Monitoring: Tracks known conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, kidney disease, liver disease, and thyroid disorders, and shows how well treatment is working.
What does the Standard Health Panel measure?
This panel covers five sub-panels from a single fasting visit at a CLIA-certified lab, combining blood and urine samples.
Lipid Panel: measures fats in the blood that determine the risk for heart disease or stroke.
- Total cholesterol: The overall amount of cholesterol in your blood, used as a baseline cardiovascular risk marker.
- HDL cholesterol: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is often called the “good” cholesterol. HDL can reduce the build-up of excess cholesterol in your blood.
- LDL cholesterol: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is often called “bad” cholesterol. Excess LDL builds up in your arteries to form plaque (atherosclerosis), which may lead to medical conditions such as coronary artery disease (affects the heart), cerebrovascular disease (affects the brain), peripheral artery disease (affects the legs/arms), or aortic aneurysm (weakens the aorta).
- Triglycerides: Fats (needed to store excess energy) in the blood that come mainly from food you eat and add to cardiovascular or cerebrovascular risks.
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP): includes 14 different lab tests that provide an overview of your body’s metabolism and chemical balance.
- Glucose: The main sugar in your blood, reflecting how your body processes energy from food.
- Calcium: A mineral that supports bone strength, nerve signaling, muscle function, and heart rhythm.
- Sodium: An electrolyte that helps regulate fluid balance and blood pressure.
- Potassium: An electrolyte that works with sodium to support fluid balance, nerve function, and heart rhythm.
- Bicarbonate (CO2): A measure of carbon dioxide in the blood that reflects your body’s acid-base (pH) balance.
- Chloride: An electrolyte that helps balance fluids inside and outside your cells.
- Blood urea nitrogen (BUN): A waste product from protein breakdown that your kidneys filter out of the blood.
- Creatinine: A muscle waste product your kidneys remove, used to gauge how well they’re filtering.
- Albumin: A liver-made protein that keeps fluid in your bloodstream and carries hormones, vitamins, and enzymes.
- Total protein: The combined level of albumin and globulin proteins in your blood.
- ALT (alanine aminotransferase): A liver enzyme whose blood level rises when liver cells are damaged.
- AST (aspartate aminotransferase): An enzyme in the liver and other tissues that rises when those tissues are stressed or damaged.
- ALP (alkaline phosphatase): An enzyme in the liver and bones that can signal liver disease or bone disorders when high.
- Total bilirubin: A yellow waste product from red blood cell breakdown that the liver processes and removes.
Complete Blood Count (CBC) With Differential: consists of 10 parts that can identify abnormalities with your blood cells.
- Red blood cell count (RBC): The number of red blood cells, which carry oxygen to tissues throughout your body.
- White blood cell count (WBC): The number of immune cells in your blood, reflecting infection-fighting activity.
- Hemoglobin: The protein inside red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body.
- Hematocrit: The percentage of your total blood volume made up of red blood cells.
- Mean corpuscular volume (MCV): The average size of your red blood cells, which helps classify types of anemia.
- Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH): The average amount of hemoglobin in each red blood cell.
- Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC): The average concentration of hemoglobin within a given volume of red blood cells.
- Red cell distribution width (RDW): How much your red blood cells vary in size.
- Platelet count: The number of platelets, the small cells responsible for clotting.
- White blood cell differential (neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils): A breakdown of white blood cell types showing which part of your immune system is most active.
Comprehensive Urinalysis With Microscopic Examination: a 12-part evaluation of your urine that can identify the presence of certain chemical elements, blood cells, or bacteria in your urine.
- Color: The visible color of your urine, which can reflect hydration or certain substances.
- Appearance: Whether your urine looks clear or cloudy due to the abnormal presence of blood or epithelial cells, crystals, bacteria, or other particles.
- Specific gravity: How concentrated your urine is, reflecting how well your kidneys balance water.
- pH: The acidity or alkalinity of your urine, which can vary with diet, medications, or kidney function.
- Protein: Protein in urine is normally very low, but can increase when the kidneys are stressed, damaged, or have a medical condition (diabetes, preeclampsia, hypertension, inflammatory/immune disorder).
- Glucose: Sugar in urine, which can appear when blood glucose is high enough to spill over.
- Ketones: Byproducts of fat breakdown that show up when your body burns fat for fuel instead of glucose.
- Occult blood: Hidden blood cells not visible to the eye that can signal kidney, bladder, or urinary tract issues.
- Leukocyte esterase: An enzyme released by white blood cells in urine, suggesting possible infection or inflammation.
- Nitrite: A chemical produced by certain bacteria in the urinary tract, used as a marker for bacterial infection.
- Bilirubin: A liver waste product that can appear in urine when the liver isn’t processing it normally.
- Urobilinogen: A byproduct of bilirubin breakdown that can reflect liver function or red blood cell turnover when abnormal.
Thyroid Panel With TSH: A 4-component panel that indicates how well your thyroid is working.
- TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone): A hormone made by the pituitary gland that regulates the thyroid gland in producing, storing, and releasing hormones that control your metabolism.
- T3 uptake: A marker of how much thyroid hormone is bound to thyroxine binding globulin (TBG), a protein that carries T3 and T4 in the blood. It does not measure T3 levels.
- T4 (thyroxine): The main hormone the thyroid gland produces, regulating metabolism, heart rate, body temperature, and energy.
- Free Thyroxine Index (FTI; T7): A calculated value combining T3 uptake and total T4 to estimate how much circulating free thyroxine hormone is available to your tissues.
When should I get a Standard Health Panel?
Consider testing if any of these apply:
- Easy bruising or bleeding that seems unusual
- A family history of heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, or thyroid disorders
- A chronic condition like diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or thyroid disease that needs monitoring
- Fatigue, weakness, or tiredness lasting more than a few weeks
- No recent bloodwork and a desire to set a health baseline
- A provider recommendation for annual wellness bloodwork
- Swelling in the legs, feet, or face
- Unexplained weight gain or weight loss
For routine screening, major medical organizations recommend:
- Adults 18 and older: a lipid panel approximately every five years as a baseline for average-risk adults, more often if cardiovascular risk factors are present, per U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF lipid screening guidance)
- Adults with diabetes or prediabetes: periodic CMP monitoring to track glucose, kidney function, and liver health, with frequency determined by your provider based on glycemic control and treatment changes, per the American Diabetes Association Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes
- Adults with high cholesterol or on statin therapy: a lipid panel every three to 12 months to track treatment response
- Adults with known or suspected thyroid disease: TSH testing at intervals your provider sets based on your condition and treatment
- Anyone setting a health baseline: this five-panel combination gives a broad starting point for future comparisons
How It Works
How to get tested
This panel is available through a health care provider, clinic, or hospital lab. CLIA-certified labs, including LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics, process most U.S. lab tests of this type. Testing.com connects you with labs in your area.
Here’s the typical process: a provider orders the panel, you visit a nearby patient service center for a blood draw and a urine sample. Results are typically ready within one to three business days after the lab receives your samples, though timing can vary by lab. Most CLIA-certified labs accept walk-ins or same-day appointments.
All five panels come from a single visit. The blood portion uses two to three tubes filled from one draw. You don’t need multiple separate draws. The urine sample is collected on-site in a small cup.
Before the test
- Fast for at least eight hours before your draw. Water is fine and encouraged, since staying hydrated makes the draw easier and doesn’t break the fast.
- Schedule the draw first thing in the morning. An overnight fast covers most of the eight hours while you sleep, so you won’t need to skip daytime meals.
- Take most medications as usual. But if yours must be taken with food, ask your provider whether to hold the dose until after the draw.
- Avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours before the draw. Alcohol can raise triglycerides and AST, affecting both the lipid panel and CMP. Caffeine may affect cholesterol, triglycerides, iron, kidney function markers, and liver enzyme levels
- Skip intense exercise for 24 hours before the draw. Hard workouts can temporarily raise AST, ALT, and creatine kinase, making liver enzyme results harder to interpret.
- Let your provider know if you’ve had a fever or active infection in the past week. Illness can temporarily raise your white blood cell count on the CBC.
Some medications, including statins, diuretics, and corticosteroids, can affect lipid, glucose, and electrolyte readings. Tell your provider about all medications and supplements before the test.
During the test
- Bring a photo ID and your order confirmation. Check in at the patient service center.
- A phlebotomist (a lab technician trained in blood collection) draws blood from a vein in your arm, usually the inside of the elbow. You’ll feel a brief pinch.
- The lab fills two to three tubes from that single draw. No multiple needle sticks.
- You’ll provide a urine sample in a small cup on-site. It takes less than a minute.
- A small bandage covers the draw site. Keep it on for at least 15 minutes to ensure bleeding stops.
The whole visit takes about 15 to 30 minutes. Some people feel lightheaded after fasting. Sitting for a few minutes after the draw helps. Bring a snack to eat right after. If you notice lasting pain, swelling, or signs of infection at the draw site, contact your provider.
After the test
Results are typically ready within one to three business days after the lab receives your samples, though timing can vary by lab. They’ll come through your ordering provider’s patient portal or office.
Your lab report will have five labeled sections, one per panel, each with its own reference ranges. Some values, like glucose, appear on both the CMP and the urinalysis. Your provider reads all five sections together to get a full picture.
If your results differ significantly from expected ranges, your provider or a health care coordinator may reach out directly.
What Do My Results Mean?
Results come back as five separate sections on your lab report, each with its own reference ranges. Ranges can vary slightly between labs. Your provider reads results in the context of your full health history, medications, and symptoms. A single abnormal value doesn’t equal a diagnosis. Patterns across all five panels matter most.
CBC results
| Marker | Typical Reference Range |
| RBC | 4.2–5.9 million cells/µL (varies by sex) |
| Hemoglobin | 12.0–17.5 g/dL (varies by sex) |
| Hematocrit | 36–52% (varies by sex) |
| MCV | 80–100 fL |
| WBC | 4,500–11,000 cells/µL |
| Platelet count | 150,000–400,000/µL |
Ranges are approximate and vary by lab.
All cell counts within reference ranges suggest your blood is producing and circulating cells normally. Immune function appears intact. The MedlinePlus CBC overview describes what each component measures and why it matters for routine health screening.
When results fall outside those ranges:
- Low hemoglobin or hematocrit: may suggest anemia; follow-up often includes an iron panel, B12, and folate
- High WBC: may point to infection, inflammation, blood cancer, or an immune disorder; the differential helps narrow it down
- Low WBC: may suggest immune suppression, viral illness, autoimmune disorder; your provider may refer you to a specialist
- Abnormal platelet count: may indicate a clotting problem, blood cancer; coagulation tests are often ordered next
CMP results
| Marker | Typical Reference Range |
| Glucose (fasting) | 70–99 mg/dL |
| BUN | 7–20 mg/dL |
| Creatinine | 0.6–1.2 mg/dL (varies by sex) |
| eGFR | ≥60 mL/min/1.73m² |
| Sodium | 136–145 mEq/L |
| Potassium | 3.5–5.1 mEq/L |
| ALT | 7–56 U/L |
| AST | 10–40 U/L |
| ALP | 44–147 U/L |
| Total bilirubin | 0.1–1.2 mg/dL |
| Albumin | 3.4–5.4 g/dL |
| Total protein | 6.0–8.3 g/dL |
| Calcium | 8.5–10.2 mg/dL |
Ranges are approximate and vary by lab.
Organ function markers within range suggest no signs of kidney or liver stress. Electrolytes and blood sugar appear balanced. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases explains how fasting glucose and insulin resistance relate to prediabetes risk.
When results fall outside those ranges:
- Fasting glucose at 100 mg/dL or higher: may suggest prediabetes or diabetes; an A1c test is often ordered next
- High creatinine or low eGFR (estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate): may point to kidney stress; a repeat CMP, urine albumin test, or kidney imaging may follow
- High ALT, AST, or ALP: may point to liver stress; a hepatic function panel or imaging is often the next step
- Electrolyte imbalances: may reflect dehydration, medication effects, or kidney issues; your provider reviews these alongside your medications and symptoms
Lipid panel results
| Marker | Desirable Level |
| Total cholesterol | Less than 200 mg/dL |
| HDL cholesterol | 40 mg/dL or higher (men); 50 mg/dL or higher (women) |
| LDL cholesterol | Less than 100 mg/dL (optimal) |
| Triglycerides | Less than 150 mg/dL |
Ranges reflect ACC/AHA guidance
Cholesterol and triglycerides within desirable ranges suggest cardiovascular risk appears low based on lipid values alone. The American Heart Association’s cholesterol guidance explains how these values factor into overall cardiovascular risk assessment.
When results fall outside those ranges:
- High LDL: your provider will discuss lifestyle changes and may consider statin therapy based on your overall cardiovascular risk score, not LDL alone (2018 AHA/ACC Guideline on the Management of Blood Cholesterol)
- Low HDL: linked to higher cardiovascular risk; exercise and dietary changes are the usual first step
- High triglycerides: may reflect diet, alcohol use, or metabolic syndrome; dietary changes and a retest are common next steps
- Very high triglycerides (above 400 mg/dL): LDL on a standard panel is calculated, not directly measured; at very high triglyceride levels, that calculation becomes less accurate, and your provider may order a direct LDL test
Urinalysis results
Normal urine is pale yellow, clear, and shows no significant protein, glucose, blood, or signs of infection, as described in the MedlinePlus urinalysis reference. Abnormal findings prompt follow-up:
- Protein in urine: may signal kidney stress; a repeat test and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio are common next steps
- Glucose in urine: can appear when blood glucose is high; your provider will cross-reference your CMP glucose result
- Leukocyte esterase or nitrite: may indicate a urinary tract infection; a urine culture is usually ordered to confirm
- Blood in urine: may reflect kidney stones, infection, or other urinary tract issues; imaging or a urology referral may follow
Thyroid panel results
| Marker | Typical Reference Range |
| TSH | 0.4–4.0 mIU/L |
| T4 (thyroxine) | 4.5–12.0 µg/dL |
Ranges are approximate and vary by lab. T3 uptake and FTI (T7) are interpreted together with T4.
TSH and T4 both within range generally suggest your thyroid is producing hormones normally. The MedlinePlus TSH test overview describes how TSH reflects the relationship between the pituitary gland and thyroid output.
When results fall outside those ranges:
- High TSH with low T4: may suggest hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid); your provider may order a free T4 and thyroid antibody panel
- Low TSH with high T4: may suggest hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid); thyroid imaging or antibody testing may follow
- Borderline TSH: often repeated in three to six months before any treatment decision
FAQs
Sources
MedlinePlus. Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP). National Library of Medicine.
MedlinePlus. Complete Blood Count (CBC). National Library of Medicine.
MedlinePlus. Lipid Panel. National Library of Medicine.
MedlinePlus. TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone) Test. National Library of Medicine.
MedlinePlus. Urinalysis. National Library of Medicine.
American Diabetes Association. Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2025.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Recommendation Topics. USPSTF.