Health checks & blood tests

Health check: find out which blood test you need

Name: Health check blood test – which test do you need?
Creator: Labkollen

A health check is a blood test that measures markers for haemoglobin, blood lipids, blood sugar, liver, kidneys and thyroid, among others. Answer six short questions and we will suggest the tests that suit you.

Find out which test you need – in 2 minutes Read why you should get tested

Sampling at an accredited sampling unit
Analysis at Sweden's largest laboratories
Digital results with a doctor's comment

Why have a health check?

A health check is done to detect deviations before they cause symptoms. High blood lipids, elevated blood sugar, iron deficiency and an unbalanced thyroid can go on for years without you noticing anything – but show up immediately in a blood test.

Many of the conditions that affect long-term health the most develop slowly and silently. Type 2 diabetes is often preceded by years of gradually rising blood sugar, and high blood lipids normally cause no symptoms at all until they have already affected the blood vessels. A blood test makes the invisible measurable, and gives you a baseline to compare against the next time you test.

There are also everyday complaints worth investigating even when they feel vague. Fatigue that does not go away with sleep, feeling cold, hair loss, difficulty concentrating, breathlessness on light exertion or unusually heavy periods can be caused by iron deficiency, B12 deficiency, vitamin D deficiency or a thyroid working too slowly. All four are common, all four show up in a blood test and all four can be addressed.

Age and heredity affect what is reasonable to look at. From the age of 40, blood lipids, blood sugar and blood pressure become more relevant to follow regularly. If you have cardiovascular disease, diabetes or thyroid disease in the family, there is reason to start earlier and test more often. If you train hard or eat a vegetarian or vegan diet, iron, ferritin and B12 are particularly worth keeping an eye on.

A health check does not replace healthcare. It gives you a basis: measured values over time, a doctor's comment on what deviates and a clearer footing when you do contact care. If you have acute or serious symptoms you should always seek care immediately – call 1177, or 112 for emergencies, in Sweden.

How it works

You order a test online, give a blood sample at a sampling unit, the sample is analysed at an accredited laboratory and you receive a doctor-reviewed result digitally within a few days.

1. Choose a test
Choose a health check based on age, symptoms and what you want to know. If you are unsure, the test guide gives you 2–3 suggestions in two minutes.
2. Give a sample
You receive a referral digitally and visit a sampling unit, with drop-in or a booked time. The sampling itself takes a few minutes. Some tests require fasting – this is stated in the order.
3. Laboratory analysis
The sample is analysed at an accredited laboratory, meaning a lab reviewed by Swedac against quality requirements for medical analysis.
4. Doctor-reviewed result
The result is published digitally together with reference ranges and a comment from a licensed physician about what the values mean and whether anything should be followed up.

Which blood test should I take?

Short questions about age, sex, goals and risk factors – with follow-up questions adapted to your answers. You get three recommended tests with reasoning, markers and price.

The questions in the guide:

How old are you?
What is your gender?
What would you like to find out?
Do you have any known risk factors? (Optional)
Have you had a health check before? (Optional)
Would you like the result emailed to you? (Optional)

Which blood test fits which question?

Every answer option in the test guide corresponds to a concrete question. Below they are answered one by one: which markers are relevant and which health checks at Labkollen include them.

The answers are generated from the same product data and the same scoring as the test guide, which means a question here always gives the same recommendation as the guide gives when you choose the matching option. The marker lists are taken directly from the contents of each test.

Efter vad du vill ta reda på

Vilket blodprov ska jag ta för trötthet och energi?

För trötthet och energi mäts de markörer som direkt speglar området – ett blodprov gör det mätbart även när du inte har tydliga symtom. Relevanta markörer: B-Hemoglobin, S-Ferritin, Järn, Vitamin D-25-OH, Kobalamin (B12), Folat och TSH. Rekommenderade hälsokontroller hos Labkollen: Standard (37 markörer, 1 895 kr), Kvinna + (44 markörer, 2 195 kr) och Uthållighetssport (16 markörer, 1 599 kr).