What Your Doctor's Lab Panel Doesn't Test
Standard annual blood work gives you a basic metabolic panel, a lipid panel, maybe a CBC. It's designed to catch disease — not optimize health. Here's what's typically missing:
Advanced Cardiovascular
ApoB, Lp(a), LDL particle size. LDL cholesterol alone misses up to 40% of cardiovascular risk. ApoB is the single best predictor of heart attack risk, and Lp(a) is 90% genetic — you only need to test it once.
Inflammation Markers
hs-CRP, homocysteine, ESR. Chronic low-grade inflammation drives heart disease, cancer, and neurodegeneration. Your standard panel doesn't measure it at all.
Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamin D, B12, folate, magnesium, zinc, selenium, omega-3 index. You might be supplementing blind. Without numbers, you're guessing at dosage and absorption.
Hormones
Free testosterone, SHBG, DHEA-S, cortisol, complete thyroid (Free T3/T4). Hormone panels from your PCP usually just check TSH. The full picture requires 8+ markers.
Metabolic Health
Fasting insulin, C-peptide, leptin. HbA1c and glucose are lagging indicators. Fasting insulin catches insulin resistance years before blood sugar goes up.
Cancer & Autoimmune
CEA, CA-125, CA 19-9, ANA. Early cancer markers and autoimmune antibodies that standard panels completely skip.
MitoHealth vs Function Health
Both services promise comprehensive biomarker testing with AI-powered insights. Here's how they actually compare across every category that matters.
| Feature | MitoHealth | Function Health |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & Structure | ||
| Price | $349 per test | $365/year (2 draws) |
| Testing frequency | Per purchase | 2x/year included |
| Cost for 2 tests/year | ~$698 | $365 |
| Total biomarkers | 100+ | 160+ |
| Lab network | Quest Diagnostics | Quest Diagnostics |
| Cardiovascular | ||
| ApoB | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lp(a) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Homocysteine | ✓ | ✓ |
| LDL particle number | — | ✓ |
| LDL particle size | — | ✓ |
| Metabolic | ||
| Fasting glucose | ✓ | ✓ |
| HbA1c | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fasting insulin | ✓ | ✓ |
| C-peptide | — | ✓ |
| Leptin | — | ✓ |
| Inflammation | ||
| hs-CRP | ✓ | ✓ |
| ESR | — | ✓ |
| Hormones | ||
| Testosterone (total & free) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cortisol | ✓ | ✓ |
| DHEA-S | ✓ | ✓ |
| TSH | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free T3 & Free T4 | Free T4 only | ✓ Both |
| Vitamins & Minerals | ||
| Vitamin D | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vitamin B12 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Folate | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ferritin | ✓ | ✓ |
| Magnesium | ✓ | ✓ |
| Zinc | — | ✓ |
| Selenium | — | ✓ |
| Iodine | — | ✓ |
| Cancer Screening | ||
| CEA | — | ✓ |
| CA-125 | ✓ | ✓ |
| CA 19-9 | — | ✓ |
| GRAIL multi-cancer (add-on) | — | ✓ (add-on) |
| Autoimmune & Heavy Metals | ||
| ANA (comprehensive) | — | ✓ |
| Lead | — | ✓ |
| Mercury | — | ✓ |
| AI & Support | ||
| AI-powered analysis | ✓ | ✓ |
| Biological age calculation | ✓ | — |
| 1:1 clinician consult | ✓ Functional medicine | Clinician review |
| Personalized action plan | ✓ | ✓ + food guide + supplement list |
| SMS concierge support | ✓ | — |
| Add-On Options | ||
| Gut microbiome | ✓ | — |
| Environmental allergies | ✓ | ✓ |
| MRI scans | — | ✓ ($499+) |
| ApoE (Alzheimer’s risk) | — | ✓ (add-on) |
Function Health wins for most people
If you want the broadest biomarker coverage at the best price — especially if you're tracking health over time — Function Health is the clear winner. You get 60% more biomarkers, two draws per year, and advanced markers like LDL particle size that MitoHealth doesn't offer.
Choose MitoHealth if you want a one-time deep dive with a dedicated functional medicine clinician walking you through every result, or if the biological age calculation appeals to you.
2x testing for less. $365/year for two draws vs ~$700 for two MitoHealth tests.
Advanced lipid particles. LDL particle number + size included — MitoHealth doesn't offer these.
More cancer markers. CEA, CA-125, CA 19-9 in the base panel, plus GRAIL as add-on.
Heavy metals + autoimmune. Lead, mercury, and ANA testing that MitoHealth skips entirely.
How AI Changes What You Can Do With Lab Results
Both services use AI to interpret results. But the real power comes from combining comprehensive biomarker data with genetic analysis and long-term tracking.
Genomics + Labs = Context
AI can cross-reference your genetic variants with actual biomarker levels. A low Vitamin D result means something different if you carry GC gene variants that make you genetically prone to deficiency.
Trend Detection
A single blood draw is a snapshot. Two draws per year lets AI detect trends — is your inflammation going up? Are your supplements actually moving the needle? Patterns only emerge over time.
Pharmacogenomics
AI can flag drug-gene interactions your doctor might miss. If you're a CYP2D6 intermediate metabolizer, codeine won't work well for you — and that's actionable information only visible when you combine genetic and lab data.
Supplement Validation
Taking $200/month in supplements? Without before-and-after lab numbers, you're investing blind. AI-powered biomarker tracking shows you exactly what's working and what's expensive placebo.
Early Warning System
Standard labs catch disease. Comprehensive biomarker panels catch the trajectory toward disease. Fasting insulin rises years before blood sugar. ApoB climbs before a cardiac event. AI spots these signals early.
From Data to Protocol
Modern AI can synthesize 160+ biomarkers into a prioritized action plan: what to supplement, what to eat, what to monitor, and what to bring up with your doctor. Turning data into decisions is where AI shines.
Should You Measure Your Own Labs?
If you're only getting a standard annual blood panel, you're seeing roughly 12% of the picture. Here's who benefits most from comprehensive biomarker testing:
You're taking supplements
If you're spending money on Vitamin D, B12, magnesium, omega-3, or any supplement — you should know if your levels are actually moving. Baseline + recheck = proof.
You're on medications
Statins, blood pressure meds, hormone replacement, GLP-1 agonists — advanced markers tell you if your medications are working at the metabolic level, not just the surface.
You have family history
Family history of heart disease, diabetes, or cancer? Advanced cardiovascular markers (ApoB, Lp(a)) and cancer screening markers catch risk your annual panel misses entirely.
You want to optimize, not just screen
Standard care asks “are you sick?” Comprehensive testing asks “are you optimal?” There's a big gap between “normal range” and “performing your best.”
You've done genetic testing
23andMe, Ancestry, or whole genome sequencing identifies genetic risk. Biomarker testing shows you whether those risks are actually manifesting in your body right now.
You're over 40
Hormonal shifts, inflammation, cardiovascular risk, and metabolic changes accelerate after 40. The markers that matter most — insulin, ApoB, cortisol, DHEA-S — aren't in a standard panel.