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Train smarter with data. Ten key markers reveal the physiological factors most likely to be limiting your performance and recovery.
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A focused 10-marker blood panel for active individuals. Covers iron status, thyroid function, key electrolytes, and inflammation marker CRP.
Consistent training places measurable physiological demands on every system in the body. Iron depletion reduces oxygen-carrying capacity; thyroid dysfunction silently blunts metabolic rate and recovery; low magnesium and electrolyte imbalances impair muscle contraction and hydration. This foundational sports panel examines the ten markers most likely to be limiting your performance without your knowledge. It is designed for recreational athletes, gym-goers, and anyone who trains regularly and wants data-led insight into their physiology. Results come with a GMC-registered physician commentary that contextualises each marker relative to an active lifestyle, not just a sedentary population reference range. All samples are processed at a UKAS ISO 15189-accredited laboratory.
Understand what each marker measures, why it matters, and what the science says — not just a list of numbers.
This panel is designed for adults who want a comprehensive, evidence-based picture of their metabolic health — not a GP referral panel.
Recreational and competitive athletes monitoring their training load
Anyone experiencing unexplained performance plateaus or excessive fatigue
Endurance athletes concerned about iron or electrolyte status
Gym-goers who want a data-driven baseline before a training block
Athletes returning from injury or illness
This panel provides a useful performance-oriented baseline but does not constitute a comprehensive medical assessment. Testosterone and cortisol values are highly variable depending on time of collection, sleep quality, and recent training load; morning collection after a rest day provides the most stable reference point. Creatine kinase rises significantly within 24 to 72 hours of intense exercise and should not be interpreted in isolation as a pathological marker. CRP is a non-specific inflammatory marker and cannot distinguish between training-induced physiological inflammation and pathological inflammation. This panel does not assess lactate threshold, VO2 max, bone density, or musculoskeletal factors relevant to athletic performance.
From order to physician-reviewed report in as little as three working days.
Select home fingerstick kit or mobile phlebotomist at checkout.
Collect on a rest day, in the morning, after 8 hours of sleep.
Pre-paid Royal Mail envelope included.
Secure online report with athlete-contextualised physician commentary in 3 to 5 working days.
Three options designed to fit your schedule, location, and preference — all producing a laboratory-standard sample.
Adults 18+ in mainland UK. Not suitable if you have had a transfusion in the last 3 months.
Order anytime; kit dispatched within 24 hours Mon–Fri.
Allow 24–48 hours for sample transit on top of lab processing time.
Adults 18+ within 20 miles of a serviced city centre.
Mon–Sun, 06:00–20:00. Next-day booking typical.
Sample reaches the lab within 24 hours of collection.
Adults 16+ with photo ID. Paediatric draws by appointment at selected sites.
Mon–Fri, with Saturday hours at most metropolitan locations.
Samples processed same-day at the receiving clinic.
Every test is processed in a UKAS ISO 15189-accredited laboratory, overseen by GMC-registered physicians, and governed by UK GDPR. No overseas processing, no offshore data.
Follow these guidelines to ensure accurate, reproducible results. Most markers are sensitive to recent food, exercise, and sleep.
Can't find your answer? Our clinical support team is available Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm.
Contact supportFor the most stable and representative results, collect on a full rest day, two to three days after your last hard training session. Test in the morning (ideally before 9 am), fasted or having eaten only a light meal. Testosterone and cortisol follow a strong diurnal rhythm — they are highest in the early morning and decline through the day — so consistency in collection time is important if you plan to retest and track changes over time. Avoid testing during periods of acute illness, which will artificially inflate CRP and suppress testosterone.
Ferritin below 20 micrograms per litre is commonly associated with impaired athletic performance even when haemoglobin is still within the normal range. Iron is required not only for haemoglobin synthesis but also for myoglobin (oxygen storage in muscle), mitochondrial function, and oxidative energy production. Athletes with low ferritin often experience earlier onset of fatigue, reduced VO2 max, slower recovery between sessions, and reduced motivation to train. Addressing iron status is frequently one of the highest-yield interventions available for performance.
The ratio of testosterone to cortisol is sometimes used in sports science as an index of anabolic-to-catabolic balance. A declining ratio over a training block — driven by falling testosterone and rising cortisol — is associated with overreaching and non-functional overtraining syndrome. While this ratio should be interpreted alongside subjective recovery markers rather than used as a standalone diagnostic, a pattern of suppressed testosterone alongside elevated morning cortisol warrants attention to training load, sleep quality, and caloric intake.
Creatine kinase (CK) is released from muscle fibres when they are damaged, which is a normal and expected consequence of intense resistance or eccentric exercise. CK levels can be ten to fifty times the upper reference limit 24 to 48 hours after a heavy training session and still be entirely physiological. The context that makes elevated CK clinically significant is persistent elevation beyond 72 to 96 hours after training, a disproportionate rise relative to training load, or accompanying symptoms such as dark urine (myoglobinuria). Always note your training history when interpreting this marker.
Some markers of overtraining syndrome are detectable on blood tests. Suppressed testosterone, elevated resting cortisol, a falling haemoglobin or ferritin, elevated CRP, and immunological changes (particularly in white cell differential) are all associated with the syndrome. However, no single biomarker is diagnostic of overtraining; the clinical picture requires integrating blood results with performance data, subjective wellness scores, and training load metrics. Blood testing is nonetheless a useful objective tool in the monitoring toolkit.
Most athletes benefit from retesting every three to four months — ideally at the start and end of each major training block. This allows you to detect deterioration in markers such as ferritin or testosterone before they impair performance, and to confirm that interventions (dietary changes, supplementation, reduced training load) are having the intended effect. Annual testing as a baseline is the minimum for recreational athletes who train three or more times per week.
