Why More People Are Testing Their Blood Without a Doctor

The scale doesn’t lie—but it doesn’t tell the whole story. You might be eating better, exercising more, and still seeing the same number each morning. It’s frustrating, discouraging, and, as it turns out, possibly misleading.

For decades, weight has been treated as a primary marker of health. But a number on the scale says little about inflammation, cardiovascular risk, or metabolic dysfunction—factors that often shift before any visible weight loss appears. That’s why more people are turning to at-home biomarker testing—health tracking that looks beneath the surface, revealing internal changes long before they’re visible in the mirror or on the scale.



Colin Godby, an engineer and father of two, tested his blood out of curiosity, not concern. What he found was unexpected—and alarming. The at-home test revealed that Godby had hereditary hemochromatosis, a genetic condition that causes iron to accumulate in the body.

Left untreated, it can lead to liver disease, heart problems, and other complications. It was a diagnosis standard labs hadn’t caught—and likely wouldn’t have. “I’d been chalking up fatigue and joint pain to getting older,” he said.

“But this gave me answers. Real ones.” What stood out to Godby wasn’t just the result—it was the realization that he might never have discovered the issue through routine care.

He hadn’t planned to see a doctor, and even if he had, a ferritin test likely wouldn’t have been part of a standard workup. “COVID normalized the idea that you could test yourself and act on the results,” said Jordan Moradian, a product and growth manager at SiPhox Health, a direct-to-consumer testing company, in an interview with The Epoch Times. Even before the pandemic, health tracking was gaining traction among wellness enthusiasts.

COVID-19 accelerated the trend, Moradian said, fueled by renewed interest in immunity, more time at home, and popular science voices like Andrew Huberman. Today, companies like SiPhox, Everlywell, LetsGetChecked, and QuestHealth offer clinical-grade diagnostics at home. Tests typically use finger-prick or saliva samples to measure everything from blood sugar and inflammation to hormones and cholesterol—and deliver results in days.

Most annual checkups include only basic labs—typically a lipid panel and perhaps a comprehensive metabolic panel. However, these often exclude markers of inflammation, insulin resistance, hormone balance, or cardiovascular risk. As a result, early signs of chronic disease may go unnoticed.

“Many people turn to at-home biomarker tracking to test markers their physicians may not typically order,” Moradian said. In places where diagnostics are limited, these tools offer a fuller health picture before a clinical visit. The appeal is not just access, but speed.

Instead of waiting months for a follow-up panel, users can adjust their lifestyle and retest within weeks, getting near real-time feedback on what’s working. Moradian identified three groups driving demand: people recovering from health scares who want early warnings; younger, data-driven users testing diets or supplements; and those in “medical deserts” with limited access to care. Some of the most revealing data come from what routine checkups miss, he said.

Many users discover elevated ApoB—a key heart disease marker—even with normal cholesterol. Others uncover hormonal imbalances, such as low testosterone, rarely screened for in standard exams. “Improvements in biomarkers almost always come before visible weight changes,” said Dr.

Robert Lufkin, a physician and author of “Lies I Taught in Medical School,” in an email interview with The Epoch Times. “Tracking blood sugar or inflammation offers real-time feedback—often before any physical changes show up.” Moradian sees the same pattern.

“Biomarker tracking offers a holistic view of one’s health,” he said. “When someone pursues weight loss, they can also see parallel improvements in blood pressure or kidney function—changes that would otherwise go unnoticed if they focused solely on the scale.” “This ‘whole-picture’ perspective is hugely motivating,” he added.

“Seeing multiple indicators trend positively reinforces that lifestyle changes are working even before outward, easily visible progress appears.” “A common misconception is that at-home testing isn’t as accurate or reliable as clinical testing,” Moradian said. “In reality, reputable at-home tests employ rigorously validated methodologies and must meet strict regulatory standards.

” SiPhox processes tests through Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments and College of American Pathologists-accredited labs, which are federally certified for accuracy and oversight. The company reports a 95 percent to 99 percent match with standard venous draws, benchmarked quarterly against labs like LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics. However, not all tests meet these standards.

Experts urge consumers to look past marketing and ask key questions: Is the lab certified? Are the tests validated? Do clinicians review results? One risk is over-testing. Like daily weigh-ins, frequent checks of glucose or inflammation can fuel anxiety over normal fluctuations. “Frequent testing without proper context can lead to anxiety, overanalysis, and obsession with small, normal fluctuations,” said Lufkin.

“Not every spike or dip is meaningful—bodies are dynamic.” Another challenge is interpretation. Without a doctor’s guidance, users may make diet or supplement decisions based on a single number.

“Self-monitoring is intended to complement professional medical advice, not replace it,” said Moradian. “We encourage users to share their biomarker data with their health care providers, fostering collaborative decision-making.” This idea underpins “N=1 medicine,” a growing movement in which individuals act as their own experiments.

Instead of relying on annual checkups or generic advice, users collect data, track trends, and make changes based on what works for them. But where to begin? Lufkin recommends starting with a foundational lab panel that includes fasting insulin, fasting glucose, HbA1c (a longer-term marker of blood glucose levels), triglycerides and HDL (to calculate the ratio), CRP (a marker of inflammation), LDL-C, and vitamin D. “These give a snapshot of your metabolic and inflammatory status—far more informative than weight or BMI,” he said.

Pick one change, such as cutting added sugar, walking after meals, or improving sleep. Track how you feel—energy, mood, cravings, and digestion often shift before lab numbers do. Retest every three to six months to monitor trends and confirm your direction.

Ultimately, at-home testing isn’t about micromanaging every fluctuation. “You don’t need to be perfect—just curious,” Lufkin said. “Let data guide your next best step.

That’s real empowerment.”.