Yearly physicals can sometimes feel monotonous, especially if you have no major health concerns, but these yearly checks can be lifesaving. Integrative practitioners rely on preventative exams to track the health of patients throughout the lifespan, picking up early changes in health status to prevent disease and provide early intervention when necessary.
Yearly lab work is the simplest way to track over time, but knowing what to ask for based on specific needs can be beneficial. For women, these specific needs can vary based on family history, age, activity level, and diet but there are a few that are recommended regardless of these indicators based on female-specific risk factors.
Statistically, women are more likely than men to seek out medical care and use preventative services(1).
Though this is great news for women as a whole, there are some health concerns that women should pay attention to. For one, heart disease is the leading killer in women, with 1 in 5 female deaths attributed to it. For women specifically, symptoms can be a bit more vague, leading to only about half of women recognizing the early warning signs(2).
In addition, women are twice as likely than men to be diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, usually around the time of great stress or hormonal fluctuation(3).
Being aware of these gender disparities can help to hone in on the most important yearly labs, giving patients a unique yearly physical, tailored specifically to them.
The following labs are recommended frequently to women by integrative practitioners on a yearly basis, usually along with preventative screening exams such as mammograms and PAP smears.
The goal is to screen for the common health concerns, while taking into account the known gender disparities, creating a well-rounded and thorough look at health status.
A CBC is done routinely both as a yearly check and if common symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, dizziness, etc arise. It looks at changes in red and white blood cells – in number, size, and concentration.
When results are out of range, it can indicate conditions such as anemia, infections, and blood cancers; but small changes can give insight into functional abnormalities, such as subclinical B12 or iron deficiency.
By looking at trends over time, interventions can be implemented prior to onset of symptoms, helping patients feel their best year round.
Similarly to the CBC, the CMP is done frequently, both as a yearly preventative check, but also for evaluating acute symptoms. It evaluates kidney function, liver function, electrolyte status, and fasting blood sugar.
As it says in the name, this gives information about one’s metabolism, but also provides clues on hydration status, and in some cases indicates environmental and/or lifestyle factors that could be affecting day to day health.
For example, an elevation in fasting blood sugar can be indicative of early signs of type II diabetes, which can frequently be reversed with diet and exercise changes.
In addition, for reproductive age women, fasting blood sugar can be related to menstrual irregularities and fertility issues (ie. PCOS).
Women are five to eight times more likely than men to have thyroid issues, with one in eight women experiencing a diagnosis of hypo or hyperthyroidism at some point in their life.
Unfortunately, about sixty percent of those with thyroid disease are completely unaware, as symptoms are frequently vague and similar to other common conditions(4).
In women, fatigue, hair loss, digestive issues, anxiety, depression, hot flashes, menstrual changes, fertility problems, and other symptoms can all be associated with thyroid dysfunction.
Therefore, adding thyroid screening to yearly preventative lab work can catch subclinical changes, allowing intervention before symptoms interfere with daily life.
Basic screening includes thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), but many functional and integrative practitioners will recommend the entire panel if any symptoms are present which also includes free t4, free t3, and in some cases, thyroid antibodies.
The lipid panel includes total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, non-HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides that are all indicators of cardiac inflammation and risk.
As stated previously, heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, causing one in five female deaths in the United States(2).
Symptoms tend to be atypical in women, making a lipid profile an excellent preventative measure in understanding risks.
If done yearly, gradual increases can be seen over time, giving an opportunity for physicians to intervene early on, preventing cardiac events or clinical disease.
Vitamin D deficiency is incredibly common not only in the United States, but worldwide. It is estimated that forty-one percent of Americans have insufficient levels, with twenty-nine percent fitting the criteria for full deficiency.
A lack of this important vitamin has been linked to various health problems including heart disease, cancer, autoimmune disease, diabetes, infertility, and mood-related disorders, all of which commonly affect women (5).
Yearly testing can support accurate supplementation, supporting a plan to prevent a host of conditions.
CRP is a marker of systemic inflammation. Though it is not an indicator of any specific condition, it can point towards the potential presence of an autoimmune condition.
Women, compared to men, are twice as likely to experience an autoimmune diagnosis, with times of hormonal fluctuation or stress commonly being triggers. That being said, age of onset of these conditions tend to vary, with symptoms that are sometimes vague and hard to pinpoint depending on the location of origin (3).
Therefore, adding a snapshot of inflammatory status can give physicians the indication to test further (ie thyroid, connective tissue, skin, etc), finding the cause of any increase in inflammation.
This can also direct preventative support, keeping inflammation low throughout life, reducing numerous health risks.
Overall, this is a very simple list of labs that covers women of all age groups and ethnicities at the bare minimum.
Physicians have to take into account genetics, family history, activity level, diet, stress levels, present signs and symptoms, results of other preventative exams, and numerous other factors that contribute to health status. On top of that, if acute or chronic symptoms are present, further testing would be indicated. This is why preventative visits are so important.
The conversation between patient and physician is what determines what is best for each individual, preventing the onset of disease throughout life, rather than just diagnosing once a condition is present.
- Vaisya, V., Partha, G., Karmakar, M. 2012. Gender differences in utilization of preventative health services in the United States. J Women’s Health (Larchmt): 21(2): 140-145.
- “Women and Heart Disease.” https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/women.htm
- Angum, F., Khan, T., Kaler, J., Siddiqui, L., Hussain, A. 2020. The prevalence of autoimmune disorders in women: a narrative review. Cureus: 12(5): e8094.
- “General Information/Press Room” American Thyroid Association. https://www.thyroid.org/media-main/press-room/
- VIT D: Liu, X., Baylin, A., Levy, P.D. 2018. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency among US adults: prevalence, predictors, and clinical implications. Brit J Nut: 119(8): online.
