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.
The panels, in plain English
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
For: People who want a broad snapshot they will repeatHormone panel
Checks hormones like thyroid, testosterone, estrogen and cortisol. Some hormones change through the day, so the time of your blood draw matters.
For: People with symptoms like low energy, or going through midlife changesGut 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.
For: The curious, as long as nothing big rides on the resultFood 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.
For: Not recommended by allergy expertsPrices that clinics publish on their own websites, across all the cities we cover. Prices change, so confirm with the clinic.
Checkups in Baltimore, by the numbers
The rate of yearly checkups in Baltimore is a bit higher than the national rate. In Baltimore, 79.9% of adults saw a doctor for a routine checkup in the past year, compared with 76.9% nationally. That leaves roughly 440,000 adults across five counties and the city of Baltimore who haven't had a routine checkup in the past year.
CDC estimates. PLACES figures are modelled from a national health survey, not counted from medical records, so read them as estimates.
See how the six areas compare
| Area | Yearly checkup | Cholesterol checked (past 5 years) | No health insurance (ages 18 to 64) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | 80.3% | 89.2% | 8.1% |
| Anne Arundel | 79.6% | 90.1% | 7.1% |
| Baltimore (city) | 80.4% | 87.5% | 10.1% |
| Howard | 80.8% | 91.6% | 5.7% |
| Harford | 79.7% | 89.8% | 6.8% |
| Carroll | 76.2% | 89.7% | 6.3% |
| Baltimore | 79.9% | 89.4% | 7.8% |
| United States | 76.9% | 86.2% | 11.0% |
Source: CDC PLACES, 2023 county estimates. Baltimore = Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Harford, Howard and Carroll counties and the city of Baltimore, 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.
