Before we start: Lipa doesn't sell blood tests

We want to be clear about something. Lipa does not sell blood tests. We don't partner with labs to take a commission. We don't mark up the draw. We believe the value is in the analysis — not the blood draw itself.

This guide tells you exactly which markers to request, from wherever is cheapest and most convenient for you. Order from your GP, a private lab, an at-home kit, or any testing service in any country. Then upload the results to Lipa and get the full research-grounded analysis.

Our position
We don't charge you for the test. We charge you for understanding it. Other platforms bundle the blood draw and mark it up by €200-400. We think that's unnecessary. The test is a commodity. The analysis is the value.

How to use this guide

Find the panel that matches your goal. Each panel lists the exact marker names you should request. Green-highlighted markers are the most important for that specific goal — if your budget is limited, prioritize those. Then order the test, get drawn, upload to Lipa, and get your analysis.

Pro tip: Many of these markers can be ordered through your GP at no cost in European public healthcare systems. Print this guide and bring it to your appointment. Ask for the specific markers by name. Most GPs will add them to your order if you explain why.

The panels

For general health
Comprehensive wellness panel
The baseline panel everyone should get at least once a year. Covers the markers most likely to reveal something your GP's standard blood test doesn't include.
CBC (Complete Blood Count) CMP (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel) Lipid panel (TC, LDL, HDL, TG) HbA1c TSH Vitamin D (25-OH) Vitamin B12 Ferritin hs-CRP Fasting glucose Iron panel (serum iron, TIBC) Magnesium
Expected cost: €40-80 (private lab, Europe) · Often free through GP
This panel gives Lipa enough data to run a meaningful analysis with risk calculations, status classifications, and an initial action plan. It's the minimum recommended panel.
For longevity optimization
Longevity-grade panel
The markers longevity researchers (Attia, Patrick, Sinclair) consider essential for healthspan monitoring. Goes far beyond a standard GP panel — specifically targets the early markers of cardiovascular, metabolic, and inflammatory aging.
Fasting glucose HbA1c Fasting insulin Lipid panel (TC, LDL, HDL, TG) ApoB Lp(a) hs-CRP Homocysteine Vitamin D (25-OH) Vitamin B12 Ferritin Full thyroid (TSH, fT3, fT4) Testosterone or Estradiol DHEA-S Cortisol (AM) IGF-1 CBC CMP GGT Uric acid Omega-3 index Cystatin C
Expected cost: €80-180 (private lab, Europe) · Some markers require specific requests
This panel gives Lipa enough data to compute bio-age (KDM), SCORE2, HOMA-IR, FIB-4, AIP, Castelli, and every other risk calculation in our library. It also enables cross-marker pattern detection for metabolic syndrome, residual CV risk, and inflammation-metabolic patterns. Lp(a) only needs to be tested once — it's largely genetic and doesn't change.
For TRT / hormone optimization
TRT monitoring panel
Every marker your hormone protocol affects — not just total testosterone. This panel covers cardiovascular safety, liver impact, hematological changes, and metabolic effects that most TRT-prescribing physicians don't routinely monitor.
Total testosterone Free testosterone SHBG Estradiol (E2) CBC (hematocrit, hemoglobin) Lipid panel Liver enzymes (ALT, AST) PSA Fasting insulin hs-CRP DHEA-S LH, FSH Prolactin Thyroid (TSH, fT3) Ferritin
Expected cost: €60-140 (private lab) · Retest every 3-6 months while on protocol
Hematocrit is the most important safety marker on TRT — elevated hematocrit increases blood viscosity and cardiovascular risk. Estradiol should be monitored to catch aromatization. Lipid changes on TRT are common and dose-dependent. PSA should be checked at baseline and annually.
For GLP-1 medication monitoring
GLP-1 / weight loss medication panel
Semaglutide and tirzepatide affect more than weight. This panel tracks the markers most likely to shift on GLP-1 agonists — including markers most prescribing clinicians don't routinely check.
Fasting glucose HbA1c Fasting insulin Vitamin B12 Lipid panel Liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT) CBC CMP (kidney function) hs-CRP Ferritin Vitamin D Thyroid (TSH) Total protein, albumin
Expected cost: €50-100 (private lab) · Retest every 3-6 months on medication
B12 deficiency is a documented side effect of GLP-1 agonists — and most prescribers don't routinely check it. Lean body mass loss is a concern with rapid weight loss; protein and albumin give indirect signals. Liver enzymes should be monitored because rare cases of drug-induced liver injury have been reported.
For perimenopause / menopause
Hormonal transition panel
The full hormone panel for women navigating perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause. Covers the markers most commonly dismissed by GPs as "normal for your age" — when they may actually explain your symptoms.
FSH LH Estradiol (E2) Progesterone TSH, fT3, fT4 DHEA-S Cortisol (AM) Testosterone (total) SHBG Vitamin D Vitamin B12 Ferritin hs-CRP Fasting insulin Lipid panel CBC Calcium, PTH
Expected cost: €70-150 (private lab) · FSH/LH may need Day 3 timing in perimenopause
FSH and estradiol should ideally be drawn on Day 2-3 of the menstrual cycle in perimenopause (when cycles are still present). After menopause, timing doesn't matter. Thyroid disorders are 5-8x more common in women and often overlap with menopausal symptoms — always include a full thyroid panel, not just TSH. DHEA-S declines with age and is a marker of adrenal reserve.
For thyroid investigation
Full thyroid panel
Most GPs only order TSH. If your TSH is "normal" but you have fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, cold intolerance, or hair loss — request this full panel. It reveals conversion issues, autoimmune thyroid, and subclinical patterns that TSH alone misses.
TSH Free T3 (fT3) Free T4 (fT4) TPO Antibodies Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb) Reverse T3 (rT3) Ferritin (iron affects conversion) Selenium Vitamin D Cortisol (AM)
Expected cost: €50-90 (private lab) · Most labs include TSH, fT4 as standard; fT3 and antibodies usually require explicit request
TPO antibodies are the most common marker for Hashimoto's thyroiditis — the leading cause of hypothyroidism. Some patients are TPO-negative but TgAb-positive. Reverse T3 is controversial but useful when fT3 is low-normal and symptoms persist. Iron and selenium are both cofactors for T4-to-T3 conversion.
For metabolic health / insulin resistance
Metabolic panel
Catches insulin resistance years before diabetes is diagnosable. Most GPs check glucose and HbA1c — but fasting insulin is the early-warning marker that shifts first, and most physicians don't order it unless you ask.
Fasting glucose HbA1c Fasting insulin Lipid panel (TC, LDL, HDL, TG) hs-CRP ApoB Uric acid Liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT) Ferritin Vitamin D CBC
Expected cost: €40-80 (private lab) · Fasting insulin is the key marker most panels miss
From this panel, Lipa can compute HOMA-IR (the standard insulin resistance surrogate), TyG Index, TG/HDL ratio, and detect the early metabolic syndrome pattern across your markers. Fasting insulin is the single most important marker to add to a standard panel for metabolic health assessment.

Where to order in Europe

You don't need a special lab. Any of these work:

The cheapest option in Europe is typically a private lab in Poland or Germany. The most convenient is your GP or an at-home kit. The most comprehensive is a hospital lab or a large private chain like SYNLAB or Eurofins.

We don't charge you for the test. We charge you for understanding it.

After you get your results

Upload your blood test to Lipa — PDF, photo, or scan. We read it automatically (English, Dutch, German, Polish, Spanish), extract every marker, cross-reference the latest peer-reviewed research, compute your risk calculations, detect cross-marker patterns, and hand you a plain-English analysis with a personalized action plan. Every insight cited. Every recommendation grounded in published research.

That's the value. The test is the input. The analysis is the product.