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Behind the Scenes of Blood Testing
Blood testing is what health tracking devices always wanted to be.
They all show you aspects of what’s happening in your body so you could make better lifestyle choices to be healthier, but blood testing tells a deeper story than a mobile app or wristband could tell on their own. With all these devices and services becoming more accessible, healthcare is finally shifting from your doctor’s hands to your own, and advancements in blood testing are opening even greater doors.
Most of us have had our blood drawn at some point, whether it was a doctor’s appointment or a donation with the Red Cross, so you probably have a general idea of how it goes down. But, have you wondered what happens from the moment the needle pricks your arm to the time you get your results in the mail?
Turns out, it is an intricate process. Blood needs to be collected, stored, packaged, transported, and analyzed with very particular, nuanced methods. Read on to learn everything you never realized you wanted to know about the wonderful complexity of blood testing.
What is Blood Testing?
Blood tests reveal how our health is doing by showing what is in our blood. That deep red fluid is packed with different substances, like proteins, nutrients, and hormones. Analyzing them requires a fresh blood sample, a very careful and sterile process, and fancy tools and machinery at specialized labs. Giving a blood sample normally takes less than 3 minutes (1) and is painless, though some people may experience temporary discomfort and bruising from the needle shortly after the blood draw (2).
Why Get Blood Tests?
Blood tests can uncover the risk or development of health problems that would otherwise go unnoticed. This is crucial for preventing disease or stopping it in its tracks. If you use any medication, blood tests also let you know how well treatments are working (3).
Tracking disease is important, but did you know blood tests could also track the quality of your health?
Track Health, Not Just Disease
Traditionally, we get blood tests once a year during our annual physical exam. These tests are generic and focus on a limited set of biomarkers related to disease, while falling short on assessing your health. This is no longer good enough.
