My First Comprehensive Blood Test (and What I Learned)

My First Comprehensive Blood Test (and What I Learned)

By Cameron Smith

Quick note: This article is my personal experience and is for general information only. It’s not medical advice. If you have symptoms or any concerns about your results, talk to your GP or a qualified healthcare professional.

Disclosure: I’m the Head of Ecommerce at Bloody Good Tests. I joined recently and took this test to understand the end‑to‑end customer experience and learn more about biomarkers. My test was comped (although the lab testing still costs the business).

Why I did a baseline health test

I’d wanted to measure my baseline health for a while, but I honestly didn’t know how to get started. I also wasn’t keen on signing up for an ongoing subscription model to get a “before” snapshot.

I’m 42, and I’m treating this decade like a new performance challenge. From 30 to 40, my goal was simple: get stronger. Regular strength training helped me do exactly that.

Now, from 40 to 50, the challenge is different: I want to be fitter at 50 than I was at 40. That means keeping strength work in the mix, but adding more cardio and running. And if I’m pushing fitness harder, I wanted to make sure my biomarkers were in a good place too.

Context that matters

Over the last 12 months, I’ve been taking Mounjaro and I’ve lost about 15kg. That’s been a huge change—physically and metabolically—and I knew it would likely influence parts of my blood work.

One of my big questions going into this test was: “Am I on the right track internally?” I’d been in a calorie deficit for an extended period, and I wanted to make sure I wasn’t creating new issues while solving another.

What I expected vs what I actually got

Going in, I didn’t really know what to expect. I’d only just started working at Bloody Good, and biomarkers were still new territory—what matters, what’s noise, what the numbers mean in real life.

I was slightly worried the test would reveal something critical. It didn’t.

What it did give me was something I didn’t realise I was missing: a clear baseline. A starting point I can repeat in the future and actually track changes over time.

My results

Reminder: ranges and flags are based on the lab reference intervals shown on my report. Interpretation depends on your personal context and should be discussed with your healthcare professional.

The good news

  • Blood sugar/insulin markers looked strong:
    • Fasting glucose: 4.3 mmol/L
    • Fasting insulin: 9 mU/L
    • HbA1c: 4.4%
    • HOMA‑IR: 1.72
  • Inflammation looked low overall:
    • hs‑CRP: 0.2 mg/L
    • ESR: 2 mm/hr
  • Liver, kidney, thyroid, and full blood count were all reassuring (nothing jumped out as alarming).

  • Biological age result was a fun (and motivating) surprise:
    • DNAm PhenoAge: 34 years (at age 42)

The markers I’m focusing on improving

If you want the short version: my cholesterol markers and homocysteine are the two areas I’m taking seriously before I retest.

  • Cholesterol markers:
    • HDL cholesterol: 0.94 mmol/L (flagged low)
    • LDL cholesterol: 2.9 mmol/L (flagged high vs the reference range shown)
    • Cholesterol ratio: 4.5
    • Non‑HDL cholesterol: 3.26 mmol/L (near the upper end of the reference)
    • Triglycerides: 0.8 mmol/L (in range)
    • ApoB: 0.8 g/L (in range)
    • Lipoprotein(a): 19 nmol/L (in range)

  • Homocysteine:
    • Homocysteine: 20.5 umol/L (flagged high)
    • Vitamin B12: 252 pmol/L (in range)
    • Serum folate (B9): 15.5 nmol/L (in range)

    This one surprised me, mainly because B12 and folate weren’t obviously low. It’s a good example of why having the full picture matters—and why follow‑up with a clinician is important if something’s flagged.

  • Hormones (interesting, not alarming):
    • Total testosterone: 19 nmol/L (in range)
    • Free testosterone: 288 pmol/L (in range)
    • SHBG: 54 nmol/L (in range)

    Because I’d been in a calorie deficit for a long time, my free testosterone was lower than I personally expected. It wasn’t out of range, but it’s something I’m curious to track as my training and nutrition evolve.

  • A couple of “worth watching” nutrients:
    • Vitamin D: 56 nmol/L (above the lab’s minimum reference)
    • Zinc: 10 umol/L (right at the lower end of the reference)

Key markers at a glance

Marker My result Lab reference My takeaway
DNAm PhenoAge (Biological Age) 34 years < 42.2 Motivating baseline
HbA1c 4.4% < 6.1% Strong metabolic marker
Fasting glucose 4.3 mmol/L 3 – 6 Solid
Fasting insulin 9 mU/L < 25 Solid
hs‑CRP 0.2 mg/L < 6 Low inflammation marker
LDL cholesterol 2.9 mmol/L < 2.5 Focus area
HDL cholesterol 0.94 mmol/L > 1 Focus area
Triglycerides 0.8 mmol/L 0.3 – 2.2 Good
ApoB 0.8 g/L < 1.2 Reassuring context
Lipoprotein(a) 19 nmol/L < 100 Reassuring context
Homocysteine 20.5 umol/L < 15 Biggest surprise / follow‑up
Vitamin D 56 nmol/L > 49 Okay, but I’ll keep an eye on it
Zinc 10 umol/L 10 – 25 Borderline low end

What I’m doing next

This test was my baseline. The real value comes from repeating it and seeing what moves.

My plan: I’ll retest in 12 months.

My focus between now and then:

  • Improve cholesterol markers through training consistency (more cardio/running) and smarter nutrition choices.
  • Follow up homocysteine with a healthcare professional and decide on the right next steps (rather than guessing).
  • Shift out of long‑term calorie deficit and see how that impacts performance, recovery, and hormone markers over time.
  • Keep doing the unsexy basics: sleep, protein, steps, and strength training.

So… is it worth it?

For me, yes—because it replaced uncertainty with a clear starting point.

What you’re paying for isn’t “perfect health”. You’re paying for:

  • a structured baseline,
  • visibility across lots of systems (metabolic, cardiovascular, hormones, inflammation, nutrients), and
  • a way to track whether your lifestyle changes are actually working.

Who I think this is best for

  • People who feel “fine” but want to be proactive (especially 35+).
  • Anyone making big lifestyle changes—weight loss, new training goals, major diet shifts—who wants objective feedback.
  • People who love data but also want it organised (not just a confusing PDF full of numbers).

Who should think twice

  • If you’re prone to anxiety around health data, a big panel can feel overwhelming.
  • If you have symptoms or a specific health concern, don’t DIY it—start with your GP.
  • If budget is tight, you might prefer a smaller set of core tests first.

Final thought

I went into this thinking I’d either get a “thumbs up” or a scare.

Instead, I got something more useful: reassurance on the big stuff, plus clear targets for what to improve before I retest next year.

If my goal is to be fitter at 50 than I was at 40, this is now the scoreboard.

If you want to learn more about the test I took: The Bloody Good Test