General health profile

The profile combines ten tests from your blood and your urine.

Blood cells and inflammation

The complete blood count covers your red cells, white cells and platelets, which together show anaemia, signs of infection and how your blood clots. ESR measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a tube, a general sign of inflammation somewhere in the body.

Liver

AST (GOT), ALT (GPT) and GGT are the liver enzymes most often used to check how your liver is coping with alcohol, medication, diet and everything else it processes.

Kidneys and uric acid

Creatinine shows how well your kidneys clear waste from your blood, and uric acid, a by-product of breaking down certain foods and drinks, is linked to gout and kidney stones.

Blood sugar and cholesterol

Glucose shows how your body is handling sugar, and the lipid profile covers your cholesterol and triglycerides, the fats that are read together to look at cardiovascular risk.

Urine test, included

The urinalysis checks your urine chemistry and looks at it under the microscope for protein, glucose, blood, signs of infection and how concentrated your urine is. It's part of the profile from the start, so you don't have to add it at checkout.

Blood and urine show the same body from two directions. Glucose in your blood says how you're handling sugar, while glucose in your urine adds whether some of it is spilling over. White blood cells in your blood can point to an infection, and the urine test can show whether that infection is in your urinary tract. Hydration, which changes how concentrated your blood and urine are, shows up in both, so having them side by side gives a fuller picture than either one alone.

This profile suits you if you haven't had a blood test in years, if you've moved to Spain and haven't had a check-up here yet, or if you simply want a yearly look at your general health. It's also a good fit after a summer of long dinners and late nights, when you start a new diet or training plan, or before you make a big change and want a starting point to compare against later.

If you want a deeper look, the General Health Panel adds a fuller liver profile, more kidney markers and serum iron. Thyroid, vitamin D and hormone tests can also be added to the same blood draw.

Several results in this profile respond directly to how you live, which is what makes it a useful yearly check. GGT is one of the liver enzymes most sensitive to alcohol, and triglycerides rise after rich meals and drinking. Glucose reflects how your body handles the sugar you eat, while creatinine is also linked to muscle mass, so it tends to be higher in people who train. Uric acid moves with red meat, seafood, beer and sugary drinks, and your urine shows how well hydrated you are.

That's why repeating the same profile once a year is useful: the same ten tests, done the same way, show how your body follows the changes in your life.

You need to fast for 8 to 12 hours before the blood draw, because glucose and the lipid profile are included. Water is allowed, but coffee, tea, juice and chewing gum are not, as they can change your glucose result. Avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours beforehand and skip intense training the day before, since both can push liver enzymes, triglycerides and creatinine up for a short time.

Collect your first urine of the morning in a sterile container from a pharmacy and bring it with you. Keep taking your regular medication and tell the lab what you take.

You buy the test online and go to a partner lab in Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid or Málaga, with no referral needed. In Barcelona and Madrid you go during collection hours, and in Valencia and Málaga with an appointment. The blood draw takes a few minutes, you hand in your urine sample at the same visit, and your results are sent to you.

Where can I get a blood test in Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid or Málaga?

With Diagnostic Station, a blood testing service in Spain, you can get the Basic health profile in Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid and Málaga without a GP referral. You buy the test online and go to one of our partner labs: in Barcelona and Madrid during collection hours, and in Valencia and Málaga with an appointment. It's the same profile and the same lab standard in all four cities, with the urine test already included, so you can get a routine blood test wherever in Spain you happen to live.

Does a routine blood test check for diabetes?

This profile includes fasting glucose, which shows how your body is handling sugar on the day of the test. It doesn't include HbA1c, the test that reflects your average blood sugar over the last few months, which can be added separately.

Can a blood test show liver problems?

Liver enzymes such as AST, ALT and GGT are the most common blood markers used to check how the liver is working, and all three are included in this profile.

Is a urine test included in a basic blood test?

In this one, yes. The Basic health profile includes a full urinalysis with microscopy at no extra cost.

What is ESR in a blood test?

ESR, or erythrocyte sedimentation rate, measures how quickly red blood cells settle at the bottom of a tube. It's a general marker of inflammation in the body.

Does a basic blood test show vitamin deficiencies?

Not this one, as vitamin D, vitamin B12, folate and ferritin each need their own test. The good news is that you can add any of them to the same blood draw, so it's still one needle and one visit.

Can I drink coffee before a fasting blood test?

Unfortunately not, as coffee, even black and without sugar, can affect your glucose result. Water is fine, just drink it as you normally would, since litres of it can dilute your urine sample, and save the coffee for straight after the blood draw, when it will taste like a well-earned reward.

This content is for information only. Your results should be interpreted by a healthcare professional, who can also advise you on any diagnosis or treatment.