The panels, in plain English
A biomarker panel is one blood draw read across heart, metabolism, hormones, inflammation and more. More markers isn't automatically better. What matters is which markers are on the list, whether your own doctor already checks them, and who explains the results.
A long panel is like a car dashboard with a hundred lights. It's only useful if someone tells you which lights matter and what to do when one turns yellow.
Comprehensive blood panel
One draw covering cholesterol, blood sugar, kidneys, liver, thyroid, vitamins and inflammation. Expect a few results just outside the normal range. Most of them mean nothing.
Cash price: $50 to $1,000
Hormone panel
Checks hormones like thyroid, testosterone, estrogen and cortisol.
Gut microbiome test
A stool sample that lists the bacteria in your gut. Different labs can give different results on the same sample, and there is no agreed picture yet of a healthy mix.
Food sensitivity test
Usually measures IgG antibodies to foods. Allergy experts say these tests are not proven, and IgG is likely a normal response to eating a food.
Prices that clinics publish on their own websites, across all the cities we cover. Prices change, so confirm with the clinic.
Checkups in Raleigh-Durham, by the numbers
The rate of yearly checkups in Raleigh-Durham is a bit higher than the national rate. In Raleigh-Durham, 80.2% of adults saw a doctor for a routine checkup in the past year, compared with 76.9% nationally. That leaves roughly 330,000 adults across seven counties who haven't had a routine checkup in the past year.
By county
| County | Yearly checkup | Cholesterol checked (past 5 years) | No health insurance (ages 18 to 64) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake | 80.2% | 89.1% | 7.9% |
| Durham | 80.4% | 87.4% | 9.6% |
| Johnston | 79.3% | 87.4% | 11.4% |
| Orange | 79.1% | 87.1% | 7.5% |
| Chatham | 82.6% | 90.5% | 9.3% |
| Franklin | 80.2% | 87.8% | 11.1% |
| Person | 81.1% | 87.9% | 10.8% |
| Raleigh-Durham | 80.2% | 88.5% | 8.8% |
| United States | 76.9% | 86.2% | 11.0% |
Source: CDC PLACES, 2023 county estimates. Raleigh-Durham = Wake, Durham, Johnston, Orange, Chatham, Franklin and Person counties, weighted by adult population.
longevityclinicshub.comA yearly visit with your regular doctor covers the basics, including blood pressure and cholesterol. The tests above add more markers if you want a fuller picture.
