Quick Facts
- Sample: Blood
- Fasting: 12–14 hours required
- Turn-around: 3–5 business days. May take longer based on weather, holiday, or lab delays.
Benefits
- Optimize athletic performance with detailed insights into cardiovascular, hormonal, and metabolic markers that directly impact strength, endurance, and recovery.
- Detect hidden health risks early through advanced lipid particle analysis and inflammation testing before symptoms appear.
- Personalize your training and nutrition using 74 precise biomarkers to tailor your fitness strategy.
- Track hormonal balance with LC-MS/MS testosterone testing to maintain muscle mass, energy, and vitality.
- Monitor muscle health and recovery through specialized enzyme markers that reveal tissue damage and repair status.
Who Is This Test For?
- Athletes and bodybuilders seeking comprehensive performance optimization data
- Fitness enthusiasts starting or intensifying aggressive training programs
- Individuals monitoring recovery from muscle injuries or intense exercise
- People with family history of heart disease, diabetes, or hormonal disorders
- Anyone experiencing fatigue, decreased strength, or hormonal imbalance symptoms
- Health-conscious individuals pursuing preventive wellness and early risk detection
How It Works – Just 3 Steps
- Order online and prepare — Fast for 12–14 hours; discontinue biotin supplements 72 hours before testing; rest 30 minutes before your appointment.
- Visit a lab — Blood drawn via venipuncture at a certified lab.
- Receive results — Access detailed biomarker data online within 3-5 days to help guide your next steps.
FAQ
What exactly does this panel measure? Nine comprehensive tests covering 74 biomarkers including advanced lipid particles, hormones, muscle enzymes, metabolic function, and inflammation markers.
How is this different from a standard physical exam blood test? This panel includes specialized tests like NMR LipoProfile® for detailed cardiovascular risk assessment and LC-MS/MS testosterone testing not typically included in routine physicals.
Do I need a doctor's order? No physician visit required—order directly online and get tested at your convenience with confidential results.
Will this test show if my workout routine is working? Yes, biomarkers like testosterone, aldolase, and inflammatory markers reveal how your body responds to training and recovers from exercise.
Can women use this test too? Absolutely—hormonal balance, cardiovascular health, and metabolic function are critical for female athletes and fitness enthusiasts as well.
How should I prepare for accurate results? Fast 12–14 hours, maintain your regular diet for 2–3 weeks prior, stop biotin supplements 72 hours before, and rest before blood draw.
More Details
What is the purpose of this test?
The Fitness #3 Extreme Blood Test Panel provides an advanced, comprehensive evaluation of critical biomarkers that influence physical performance, cardiovascular health, hormonal balance, muscle integrity, metabolic function, and systemic inflammation. This 9-test panel analyzes 74 distinct markers to create a detailed physiological profile that reveals biochemical conditions affecting your fitness, endurance, and recovery capacity (Mayo Clinic 2024).
By measuring sophisticated markers like NMR LipoProfile® lipid particles, free and total testosterone via LC-MS/MS, muscle enzymes, growth hormone, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, this panel delivers actionable insights far beyond standard blood work. The comprehensive data empowers you to make informed decisions about training intensity, nutrition strategies, supplementation, and recovery protocols. Early detection of cardiovascular risk factors, hormonal imbalances, metabolic dysfunction, or elevated inflammation allows for timely interventions before these conditions impair performance or health (American Heart Association 2023).
Who would benefit from this test?
This panel is designed for individuals demanding in-depth evaluation of their physiological status to optimize training outcomes and health. Athletes engaged in intense physical training, bodybuilding, or competitive sports benefit from precise hormonal and metabolic data that guides performance enhancement. Fitness enthusiasts starting or intensifying workout programs gain baseline health assessments to track progress and prevent overtraining injuries.
Individuals experiencing symptoms like persistent fatigue, difficulty building muscle mass, decreased workout performance, mood changes, or reduced libido can identify underlying hormonal or metabolic causes. Those with family history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or hormonal disorders benefit from early risk detection (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2024). Anyone pursuing aggressive wellness regimens or monitoring the impact of diet, exercise, or hormone therapy interventions will find this comprehensive panel invaluable for data-driven health optimization.
When should I order the Fitness #3 Extreme Blood Test Panel?
Consider ordering this panel before starting or significantly intensifying fitness programs to establish baseline biomarker values for future comparison. If you're experiencing symptoms such as persistent fatigue, low energy, difficulty maintaining muscle mass, decreased strength or endurance, mood changes, reduced libido, or unexplained muscle soreness, this comprehensive evaluation can identify potential causes.
Order this test when monitoring recovery from muscle injuries or tracking how your body responds to training modifications. Individuals with family history of cardiovascular disease or metabolic disorders should consider testing for early risk detection. If you're evaluating the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions—such as new diet protocols, supplementation regimens, or hormone therapy—this panel provides objective data to measure progress (National Institutes of Health 2024). Regular monitoring every 6–12 months helps maintain optimal health and performance during ongoing fitness programs.
How do I interpret the results?
Your results compare your biomarker values against established reference ranges specific to your age and sex. Values within normal ranges generally indicate healthy function, while deviations may signal areas requiring attention. The NMR LipoProfile® provides detailed lipid particle counts and sizes—elevated LDL particle numbers indicate higher cardiovascular risk even when cholesterol levels appear normal (American Heart Association 2023).
Lipid particles (NMR)
- What it means: Cardiovascular risk beyond standard cholesterol measurements
- Typical action: Discuss dietary changes, exercise modifications, or medication with your provider
Testosterone levels
- What it means: Hormonal balance affecting muscle mass, energy, and overall vitality
- Typical action: Evaluate sleep, stress, and lifestyle factors; consider hormone therapy if deficient
Aldolase enzyme
- What it means: Possible muscle damage, overtraining, or muscle disease
- Typical action: Adjust training intensity; investigate muscle disorders if levels are elevated
hs-CRP (inflammation)
- What it means: Systemic inflammation that may impair recovery and increase cardiovascular risk
- Typical action: Modify diet, increase recovery time, and address inflammatory triggers
Metabolic panel
- What it means: Overall metabolic health including glucose control, kidney and liver function, and electrolyte balance
- Typical action: Optimize nutrition and hydration; investigate organ function if results are abnormal
Elevated LDL particle number measured by NMR is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular events than LDL cholesterol levels alone, making this advanced testing particularly valuable for athletes with normal lipid panels (AHA 2023).
Disclaimer: Reference ranges may vary by laboratory. Listed ranges are general guidelines and may differ from those used by the performing lab. Always consult your healthcare provider for interpretation.
Pre-test preparation
Proper preparation ensures accurate, reliable results. Fast for 12–14 hours before your blood draw—water is permitted but avoid all food, beverages, supplements, and medications unless specifically approved by your healthcare provider. Maintain your typical diet for 2–3 weeks prior to testing to reflect your actual physiological state rather than short-term dietary changes.
Discontinue biotin supplements at least 72 hours before testing, as biotin can interfere with certain assays and produce inaccurate results. Arrive well-hydrated to facilitate blood draw. Rest for approximately 30 minutes before your appointment to normalize stress hormones and cardiovascular parameters. Avoid intense exercise 24 hours before testing, as strenuous workouts can temporarily elevate muscle enzymes and inflammatory markers (Mayo Clinic 2024). Schedule your test in the morning when hormone levels are most stable and comparable to reference ranges.
How often should I get tested?
- Starting a new fitness program: Baseline testing, then repeat at 3–6 months
- Optimizing performance: Test every 6–12 months
- Monitoring hormone therapy: Every 3–6 months initially, then annually
- Managing cardiovascular risk: Every 6–12 months or as directed by a provider
- Post-injury recovery tracking: Every 4–8 weeks during active recovery
- General wellness maintenance: Annually
Why early detection matters
Early identification of cardiovascular risk factors, hormonal imbalances, metabolic dysfunction, and chronic inflammation allows for intervention before these conditions compromise performance or cause irreversible health damage. Testosterone deficiency impairs muscle mass, strength, energy, and recovery—detecting low levels early enables corrective therapy to preserve athletic capacity (NIH 2024).
Elevated lipid particle numbers detected by NMR testing predict heart disease risk years before symptoms appear, providing time to implement preventive strategies (Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2023). Chronic inflammation measured by hs-CRP associates with impaired exercise recovery and increased cardiovascular morbidity—early detection allows targeted interventions to reduce inflammation and protect long-term health. Metabolic abnormalities identified early can prevent progression to diabetes or organ dysfunction. Proactive monitoring transforms data into actionable strategies that optimize both immediate performance and lifelong wellness.
Related tests you may consider
Micronutrient Panel — Assesses nutrients critical for muscle function, immune health, and energy metabolism that complement fitness optimization efforts.
Thyroid Panel — Evaluates thyroid hormones that regulate metabolism, energy levels, and body composition, particularly useful if experiencing unexplained weight changes or fatigue.
Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) — Measures average blood glucose over three months to assess diabetes risk and glycemic control affecting energy and performance.
Cortisol Test — Evaluates stress hormone levels that impact recovery, sleep quality, and training adaptation when dysregulated.
