Understanding your health
Understand what
your tests can tell you.
Each diagnostic adds a different kind of information. Some examine the signals in your blood. Others look at your organs, measure physical capacity, or follow patterns in daily life.
The medical team brings that information together with your history, symptoms, and goals, then explains what deserves attention and what to do next.
How this fits your membership
Core establishes a broader diagnostic baseline. Elite adds depth across additional areas. Continuum begins with your existing records and results, with complementary diagnostics added when clinically indicated.
The labels below show where each category appears in our membership descriptions. The medical team confirms the exact tests and timing for you. A listed resource is not a recommendation that every member needs it.
Compare the memberships01 / 4 explanations
Blood tests and hormones
Understand the signals behind your health, with the context that makes them useful.
Comprehensive and advanced biomarkersA connected view of the signals in your blood, beyond an isolated result.
Core and Elite; expanded testing in Elite
Why it may be useful
Blood tests can help explain a symptom, identify a risk worth addressing, or establish a starting point for follow-up. Their value comes from connecting the findings with your history and priorities. The medical team considers which results could change your care, rather than treating a larger panel as an end in itself.
What it measures
A biomarker is something measurable that gives information about the body. Common examples include blood sugar, cholesterol, blood-cell counts, and measures related to kidney or liver function. A broader assessment can examine additional questions about nutrients, inflammation, or cardiovascular risk. The exact markers depend on the panel ordered.
How it works
A professional collects a blood sample and sends it to a laboratory. Some tests require fasting or a particular collection time. Follow the instructions for your order and tell the team about medicines and supplements; do not stop them on your own.
How the results inform care
The medical team looks for patterns across related results and previous measurements. A finding may lead to a discussion about daily habits, a repeat measurement, or a more focused evaluation. Follow-up helps distinguish a persistent change from a temporary fluctuation.
What to keep in mind
A result outside the laboratory range is not automatically a disease, and a result inside it does not explain every symptom. Laboratories use different methods and ranges. More testing can also produce uncertain findings that need careful follow-up.
Hormone assessmentUnderstand hormone signals in the context of symptoms, life stage, and timing.
Core and Elite; advanced panel in Elite
Why it may be useful
Hormones carry messages between organs. When symptoms or medical history suggest a hormone-related question, testing can help the medical team investigate it. The starting point is what you are experiencing and what needs to be understood, not a universal target for every hormone.
What it measures
Testing may examine thyroid, reproductive, adrenal, or other hormone signals, depending on the order. An advanced panel explores a more specific question in greater detail. It is not a single standardized test that means the same thing at every laboratory.
How it works
Many hormones are measured in blood; some questions call for urine or saliva samples. Collection time matters for certain hormones, including cortisol. The team explains the preparation for your particular test and reviews factors such as medicines and relevant life-stage changes.
How the results inform care
Results help the medical team decide whether a finding fits your symptoms, needs confirmation, or warrants a focused evaluation. A result is one part of that decision. It does not, by itself, establish the need for hormone treatment.
What to keep in mind
Hormone levels vary with timing and clinical context. A single measurement can be misleading if those factors are overlooked. Broad claims about balancing every hormone or choosing treatment from one number do not reflect how the results should be used.
Sources and further reading
Link to this explanationBlood collection and preparationThe practical step that helps make your laboratory results reliable.
At-home or in-clinic phlebotomy listed in Core
Why it may be useful
A well-planned collection makes it easier to complete the tests and helps avoid results distorted by incorrect preparation. Phlebotomy simply means collecting blood. It is a service that supports testing, rather than a separate diagnostic measure.
What it measures
The laboratory examines the samples for the tests on your order. The collection location does not determine which biomarkers are included; that comes from the order agreed with the medical team.
How it works
A trained professional usually takes blood from a vein in your arm. Before the appointment, confirm any fasting, timing, and sample instructions. Share medicines and supplements with the team so they can tell you whether any preparation changes are necessary.
How the results inform care
When the report is available, the medical team brings the results together with your history. If a sample cannot be analyzed or an unexpected result needs confirmation, another collection may be necessary.
What to keep in mind
At-home collection depends on the arrangements for your membership and location. The team confirms logistics beforehand. A convenient blood draw does not remove the need for preparation, interpretation, or follow-up.
Galleri: multi-cancer early detectionA blood test that looks for a cancer signal, with a plan for understanding either result.
Elite, when clinically appropriate
Why it may be useful
Some cancers have established screening tests; many others do not. Galleri adds a different way to look for a possible cancer signal before symptoms appear. The medical team considers your age, risk, existing screening, and willingness to pursue follow-up before deciding whether it is appropriate for you.
What it measures
Galleri examines patterns in fragments of DNA circulating in the blood. It can detect a signal shared by more than 50 cancer types and, when a signal is found, predicts where it may be coming from. It is not a hereditary genetic test and does not predict your future inherited cancer risk. Detection varies substantially by cancer type and stage.
How it works
The test requires a prescription and a blood draw of two tubes. GRAIL's patient brochure describes results arriving about two weeks after the laboratory receives the sample; your team confirms current timing and collection arrangements. The medical team reviews the report with you and explains any next steps.
How the results inform care
There are two possible results. No Cancer Signal Detected means the test did not find the signal it looks for in that sample. Cancer Signal Detected means a possible signal was found, with a predicted origin to help guide investigation. Neither result should be interpreted in isolation.
What to keep in mind
Galleri does not detect all cancers. False positives and false negatives occur, and a negative result does not rule out cancer. It supplements recommended screening rather than replacing it. The test has not been cleared or approved by the FDA. Finding additional cancers is not the same as proving that screening reduces cancer deaths.
If a cancer signal is detected
The result is not a diagnosis. The medical team explains the finding and arranges the appropriate diagnostic evaluation, which may include imaging, laboratory tests, or a biopsy. GRAIL also describes provider consultation and patient-support resources that may assist this process. Follow-up services, access, and costs need to be confirmed for the individual; they should not be assumed to be covered by the screening test.
If no cancer signal is detected
Continue the screening recommended for your age and risk, and bring new or persistent symptoms to the medical team. Some cancers release little DNA into the blood, particularly at an early stage. A reassuring result is information about this sample, not an all-clear for every cancer or for the year ahead.
Who the test is intended for
GRAIL describes Galleri for adults at elevated cancer risk, such as those aged 50 or older. It is not recommended during pregnancy, at age 21 or younger, or during active cancer treatment. Suitability and the timing of any repeat test are decisions to make with the medical team.
What the research tells us so far
The brochures describe studies showing that Galleri can find cancer signals and help guide follow-up. More recent randomized evidence adds an important distinction. In the NHS-Galleri trial, involving more than 142,000 adults aged 50 to 77, results reported in May 2026 showed fewer stage IV diagnoses in later screening rounds, but no reduction in combined stage III and IV cancers overall, the trial's main goal. Whether screening reduces cancer deaths requires longer follow-up. These findings support a considered discussion of potential benefit and uncertainty, rather than a promise of prevention.
02 / 4 explanations
Imaging and body composition
Look at structure, bone density, body composition, and cardiovascular risk.
Whole-body MRIImages of internal structures, interpreted with a plan for what comes next.
Core and Elite; 3T imaging listed in Elite
Why it may be useful
Imaging can add information about internal structures that a conversation or blood test cannot show. Before an MRI, the medical team considers what it may clarify for you and how any findings would be followed up.
What it measures
MRI uses a strong magnet and radio waves to create images of organs and soft tissues, without ionizing radiation. Whole-body protocols examine several regions, but coverage and detail vary. The term 3T describes the magnet's strength; it does not mean the scan detects every condition.
How it works
You lie on a moving table inside the scanner and remain still during image collection. The imaging team screens for implants and other safety considerations, explains noise and enclosed-space precautions, and confirms whether contrast is needed for the protocol.
How the results inform care
A radiologist interprets the images. The medical team then explains which findings need attention, comparison with older scans, monitoring, or a more specific test. The report becomes part of the wider assessment.
What to keep in mind
A normal scan cannot rule out every disease. Screening can reveal incidental findings that lead to additional tests without a health benefit. The American College of Radiology says evidence is insufficient to recommend total-body screening for people without symptoms, risk factors, or a relevant family history. Selection deserves an individual discussion.
Sources and further reading
Link to this explanationBrain MRIA closer look at brain structure, distinct from testing memory or attention.
Core and Elite imaging
Why it may be useful
A brain MRI can help investigate a question about the brain's structure. Its role differs from a cognitive assessment: one produces images, while the other evaluates how you perform thinking tasks. The medical team decides whether either or both are relevant.
What it measures
The scan produces detailed images of the brain and surrounding structures. The information depends on the sequences ordered. Images of structure do not directly measure how well you remember, concentrate, or manage daily life.
How it works
You lie still with your head positioned in a dedicated coil inside the MRI scanner. The team provides hearing protection, checks implant safety, and explains whether the examination includes contrast. Tell the team about claustrophobia before the visit so arrangements can be discussed.
How the results inform care
The radiologist's report is reviewed alongside symptoms, medical history, and any prior imaging. A finding may call for a focused examination or specialist input rather than an immediate conclusion from the image alone.
What to keep in mind
A brain MRI cannot promise future cognitive health. It may reveal changes whose significance is uncertain. A scan and a cognitive test answer different questions, so neither should be treated as a complete measure of brain health.
Cardiac imaging and coronary calcium scoringAdd information about cardiovascular risk when it can help clarify a decision.
Elite imaging; exact protocol confirmed by the medical team
Why it may be useful
Age, blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking history, and family history help establish cardiovascular risk. In selected situations, imaging adds information that can help the medical team decide how strongly to pursue prevention or whether further evaluation is needed.
What it measures
A coronary calcium score measures calcified plaque in the arteries supplying the heart. It uses a CT scan, not MRI. Other cardiac imaging examines different aspects of the heart. Heart, lung, and whole-body imaging are not interchangeable examinations.
How it works
For calcium scoring, you lie on a CT table while images are taken, usually without an injected contrast agent. The scan uses x-rays. Your medical and imaging teams confirm which examination is planned and explain preparation and radiation considerations.
How the results inform care
The score is considered alongside the rest of your cardiovascular assessment. It can inform a conversation about risk reduction and treatment. The purpose is a clearer prevention decision, rather than collecting a score without knowing how it will be used.
What to keep in mind
A zero score does not exclude soft, non-calcified plaque or guarantee that heart disease is absent. Calcium scoring does not directly show how narrowed an artery is. New symptoms need clinical evaluation rather than reassurance from an earlier screening result.
Sources and further reading
Link to this explanationDEXA: bone density and body compositionLook beyond body weight to bone density and estimates of fat and lean tissue.
Core and Elite
Why it may be useful
A scale cannot tell you whether a change in weight reflects fat or lean tissue, and it cannot measure bone density. DEXA can add information relevant to preserving physical capacity and assessing bone health over time.
What it measures
DEXA, also called DXA, uses low-dose x-rays. A bone-density examination measures bone mineral density at selected sites, commonly the hip and spine. A whole-body composition examination estimates fat, lean soft tissue, and bone mineral. These are related applications with different protocols.
How it works
You lie on an open table while a scanning arm passes over you. There is no enclosed tunnel. The imaging team confirms preparation and pregnancy precautions, and which measurements are being collected.
How the results inform care
Bone findings contribute to fracture-risk assessment. Composition findings can be considered alongside nutrition, exercise, and physical-function measures. When scans are repeated, consistent equipment and methods help the team judge whether a change is meaningful.
What to keep in mind
Lean soft tissue is not a direct measurement of muscle strength. Small differences between scans can reflect measurement variation. Bone density is also only one contributor to fracture risk; falls, history, and other factors still matter.
Sources and further reading
Link to this explanation03 / 2 explanations
Genetics and aging measures
Explore inherited risk and emerging ways of studying changes with age.
Genetics and genomicsUnderstand inherited information that may influence risk or care decisions.
Core and Elite; expanded testing in Elite
Why it may be useful
Family history sometimes raises questions that inherited genetic information can help clarify. A useful genetic finding may influence screening, specialist evaluation, or medication decisions. The medical team first considers what question the test is meant to answer.
What it measures
Genetic tests look for differences in DNA. Some examine selected genes; others examine a wider portion of genetic information. A result may identify a known risk-related variant, an uncertain finding, or no relevant finding within the test's coverage.
How it works
The laboratory analyzes a sample such as blood or a cheek swab. Before testing, discuss the scope, possible results, privacy considerations, and whether findings could have implications for relatives. The exact collection method depends on the test.
How the results inform care
A meaningful result is interpreted alongside family history and other health information. It may support a different monitoring plan or a discussion with a genetics professional. Wider testing does not automatically mean that every additional finding will be useful.
What to keep in mind
Genetic risk is not destiny. An uncertain variant should not be treated as a confirmed cause of disease. A negative result also cannot eliminate every inherited or non-inherited risk, and interpretation can change as scientific knowledge develops.
Biological age and systems ageEmerging estimates of aging patterns, interpreted alongside established health measures.
Elite
Why it may be useful
People of the same calendar age can have different health and functional profiles. Aging research explores whether biological signals can describe some of those differences. These measures can add context to a discussion, but their value depends on what they contribute beyond established assessments.
What it measures
Some tests analyze DNA methylation, chemical markings associated with gene regulation, and use a statistical model to estimate age-related patterns. Systems-age approaches estimate patterns associated with different body systems. They are model-derived estimates, not direct measurements of an organ's age.
How it works
A sample, commonly blood for these approaches, is analyzed and compared with the model's reference data. The method matters: different clocks measure different patterns. Ask which test is being used and whether repeat results can be compared reliably.
How the results inform care
The medical team considers the result alongside your conventional risk measures, symptoms, and physical function. A score may prompt a closer look at that wider picture. An apparent improvement should be checked against meaningful changes in health rather than accepted on its own.
What to keep in mind
A younger score does not prove that aging has been reversed or predict how long you will live. Technical variation can affect results. Research associations across groups do not establish that changing an individual's score improves health outcomes. Clinical use remains an evolving field.
04 / 2 explanations
Fitness and metabolism
Measure how your body uses oxygen and energy, at rest and during exercise.
VO₂ max testingMeasure how your heart, lungs, and muscles work together during exercise.
Elite
Why it may be useful
Cardiorespiratory fitness influences what you can comfortably do in daily life and during exercise. Testing provides a measured starting point for discussing endurance and following changes over time, rather than relying only on how fit you feel.
What it measures
The test measures oxygen use as exercise becomes harder. VO₂ max describes maximum oxygen consumption; some assessments report peak oxygen use when a true maximum is not established. The number is one part of the exercise response.
How it works
You exercise on a treadmill or bicycle while wearing a mask or mouthpiece connected to measurement equipment. The testing team checks suitability, explains the protocol, and monitors your response. Follow the specific preparation instructions provided by the testing service.
How the results inform care
Results help frame a conversation about current exercise capacity and appropriate training. Repeat testing with a comparable method can help evaluate change. The medical team considers your symptoms, history, and the quality of the effort before interpreting the result.
What to keep in mind
Protocol, exercise mode, and effort affect comparisons. This is not a complete fitness grade: it does not directly measure strength, balance, or mobility. The number alone cannot identify the cause of a limitation or provide a complete assessment of cardiovascular risk.
Sources and further reading
Link to this explanationResting metabolic rateEstimate the energy your body uses at rest, as one input to a nutrition plan.
Elite
Why it may be useful
An equation gives an estimate based on characteristics such as age and body size. Measuring resting energy use can provide a more individual starting point when discussing nutrition, body-composition goals, and changes over time.
What it measures
Resting metabolic rate is the energy used while the body is at rest. A breathing-based assessment estimates it from gas exchange, a method called indirect calorimetry. It is different from the total energy you use across a day that includes eating and activity.
How it works
You rest quietly while your breathing is measured through the testing equipment. Recent food, exercise, stimulants, and the testing environment can affect the measurement. Follow your provider's preparation instructions rather than assuming another facility's protocol applies.
How the results inform care
The result can help inform a nutrition discussion when combined with activity, body composition, goals, and the wider clinical picture. It is a starting estimate that should be checked against how you feel and respond over time.
What to keep in mind
The result is not a fixed calorie prescription or a complete account of your energy needs. A single measurement cannot explain every difficulty with weight change. Comparable conditions matter when assessing whether resting energy use has changed.
05 / 3 explanations
Gut, exposure, and cognition
Investigate specific questions about digestion, environmental exposure, and thinking skills.
Gut microbiome assessmentExplore a snapshot of gut microorganisms, with careful limits on interpretation.
Elite
Why it may be useful
The gut microbiome is an active area of research into digestion and health. Testing may add exploratory information to a specific clinical discussion, but the first step remains understanding symptoms, history, diet, and any need for established gastrointestinal testing.
What it measures
A microbiome profile describes microorganisms or their genetic material in a stool sample. It is different from a targeted test for a known infection or another established cause of digestive symptoms. The report depends on the laboratory method and reference data.
How it works
You collect a stool sample using the laboratory's kit and follow its storage and shipping instructions. The medical team needs relevant context, including recent medicines and changes in diet, to interpret the snapshot.
How the results inform care
The result can be discussed alongside your digestive history. A report should not become an automatic list of supplements, restrictions, or treatments. Any next step needs a clinical reason and a way to judge whether it helps.
What to keep in mind
There is no single agreed ideal microbiome for everyone. An international clinical consensus highlights limited evidence for routine clinical utility and the need for standardized methods. A diversity score or a list of organisms cannot, on its own, diagnose the cause of symptoms or establish the best treatment.
Sources and further reading
Link to this explanationEnvironmental exposure testingInvestigate a plausible exposure, rather than treating detection as proof of harm.
Elite environmental toxicant screening
Why it may be useful
An occupational, household, or other exposure history can raise a specific question about a chemical. Testing is most useful when the medical team knows what exposure is being investigated and how the result could change the response.
What it measures
Laboratory methods can measure selected substances or their breakdown products in samples such as blood or urine. The substances measured, the period of exposure reflected, and the interpretation depend on the particular test.
How it works
The team reviews the exposure history and selects the appropriate sample and collection conditions. A broad commercial panel is not automatically a complete or clinically useful assessment of environmental exposure.
How the results inform care
An interpretable finding may lead to further exposure assessment, repeat testing, or specialist advice. Reducing a confirmed source can be more useful than trying to act on every detectable substance. The next step depends on evidence about that chemical and the person's situation.
What to keep in mind
Detecting a chemical does not by itself prove poisoning, disease, or a need for treatment. The CDC emphasizes that measured levels require separate evidence to establish health effects. Results should not be used alone to prescribe detoxification or chelation.
Sources and further reading
Link to this explanationNeurocognitive assessmentAssess thinking skills and decide whether a concern needs closer evaluation.
Elite
Why it may be useful
Memory, attention, and other thinking skills affect independence and daily life. An assessment can help give structure to a concern and identify whether a more detailed clinical evaluation is needed.
What it measures
Cognitive tests use questions and tasks to examine skills such as recall, attention, language, or problem-solving. A brief screening test and a full neuropsychological evaluation differ in depth. The medical team confirms which assessment is appropriate.
How it works
You complete structured tasks, which may be spoken, written, or computer-based. The method determines the time needed and what is measured. Share relevant information about sleep, medicines, hearing, vision, and language so the results can be interpreted fairly.
How the results inform care
Findings are considered with your history and daily functioning. A result may justify further assessment to understand a change and its possible causes. Reassessment can sometimes help follow a concern, using an appropriate method and interval.
What to keep in mind
A screening score is not a diagnosis of dementia and does not predict future independence. Several conditions can affect thinking. A normal score should not dismiss a persistent concern, and an abnormal score requires interpretation rather than a label on its own.
06 / 2 explanations
Patterns in daily life
Bring glucose, sleep, activity, and recovery patterns into the conversation.
Continuous glucose monitoringSee glucose patterns across the day, rather than only at one blood draw.
Elite
Why it may be useful
A single laboratory measurement cannot show every change over a day. Continuous glucose monitoring can add a view of timing and patterns. The medical team defines the question before using it, and considers how the information relates to your health and other glucose measures.
What it measures
A small sensor estimates glucose in the fluid between cells. It records readings throughout the day and night. This differs from directly measuring glucose in a blood sample, and the two readings may not always match.
How it works
A sensor is worn according to the device instructions, commonly on the upper arm or abdomen, and sends readings to an app or receiver. The care team explains the monitoring period and how to record relevant context such as meals and activity.
How the results inform care
The team reviews patterns with you rather than reacting to every peak. For people with diabetes, CGM has an established management role. Outside that setting, the purpose and the limits of any proposed use need an individual discussion.
What to keep in mind
Sensor readings can be inaccurate or differ from blood glucose, especially during rapid change. A graph alone does not diagnose diabetes or establish that a particular food is harmful. Symptoms or concerning readings may require confirmation and clinical evaluation.
Sleep, activity, and wearable dataUse patterns from everyday life to make follow-up more informed.
Oura Ring in Continuum; wearable integration in Core and Elite
Why it may be useful
An appointment captures a small part of your life. Wearable data can support a conversation about routines between visits, including sleep timing, activity, and perceived recovery. The most useful pattern is one that helps connect a daily habit with how you feel and function.
What it measures
Depending on the device, reports may include estimated sleep duration, activity, heart rate, or recovery-related scores. These are derived from sensors and algorithms. The device's score is not the same thing as a clinical assessment.
How it works
Wear the device consistently according to its instructions. The team can review available trends alongside your own observations. If symptoms suggest a sleep disorder, a dedicated clinical assessment or sleep study may be more appropriate than adding more consumer data.
How the results inform care
Trends can help make follow-up concrete: whether your schedule became more consistent, what changed during travel, or whether a persistent concern deserves evaluation. The team considers the pattern and your experience together.
What to keep in mind
Consumer sleep estimates are not equivalent to a laboratory sleep study. Accuracy and validated uses differ by device. A readiness score does not diagnose illness or establish whether you should change treatment, and a reassuring score should not override symptoms.
Sources and further reading
Link to this explanationWhat happens after the test matters.
Your results belong in one conversation. The medical team explains which findings need follow-up, which can be monitored, and how they affect your plan. Your questions and experience remain part of that process.
Request a conversationSources checked September 7, 2026. This guide explains testing; individual decisions are made with your medical team.