Basic general blood test
Basic general blood test with full blood count, glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides, kidney function, liver function, uric acid and TSH. It brings together the usual parameters of a general check-up to give a first overview of the blood, metabolism, kidneys, liver and thyroid.
No prescription or appointment needed
Results in 1-2 working days
Includes: Full blood count · Glucose · Lipid profile and ratios · Urea · Creatinine and eGFR · Uric acid · AST, ALT and GGT · TSH. See what each one measures
What it is for
It serves as a first check-up when there is no very specific clinical question. It shows whether there are signs of anaemia, raised glucose or cholesterol, changes in kidney or liver function, and a possible TSH abnormality.
It is designed for people looking for a general blood test without yet adding urine, ferritin or vitamins. Bear in mind that no general panel can on its own exclude every disease, and that how often it should be repeated depends on age, history and previous results.
When it is recommended
- A general check-up after several years without a blood test
- Periodic monitoring of glucose, cholesterol, kidneys or liver
- A family or personal history that justifies a basic assessment
- As a starting point before adding tests guided by symptoms or treatments
Clinical comment
There is no guideline that recommends the same general panel for everyone. Recommendations are made test by test and change with age and risk. We have brought together common, reasonably priced tests here, but that does not turn this blood test into a universal check-up, nor does it mean it has to be repeated every year.
TSH deserves a separate explanation. The evidence does not support routine thyroid screening of all adults without symptoms. We include it on clinical judgement because it can add context to tiredness, weight changes, cycle changes, raised cholesterol or a family history, and because it is a simple first test. An abnormal result should be confirmed and interpreted before concluding that there is thyroid disease.
We have also avoided tests without a specific question. Clotting tests are kept for particular situations, creatine kinase for symptoms or treatments that affect the muscles, and inflammatory markers for profiles where they genuinely add context. A longer blood test is not necessarily a better one.
Dr. Antonio Mas
What is tested
- Full blood count
- Checks red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, and can show anaemia and other changes in the blood cells.
- Glucose
- Measures fasting blood sugar and serves as a first test for changes in glucose metabolism.
- Lipid profile (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides) and ratios
- Urea
- Adds complementary information about protein metabolism, hydration and kidney function.
- Creatinine and eGFR
- Assess how well the kidneys filter the blood.
- Uric acid
- Can show hyperuricaemia, which is linked to gout and to some metabolic or kidney problems.
- AST, ALT and GGT
- Enzymes that point to possible liver abnormalities.
- TSH
- The first test for assessing thyroid function.
How to prepare
Fast for 8 to 12 hours. You can drink water. Avoid alcohol and intense exercise the day before, because they can change triglycerides and some enzymes.
You can add
Without another needle. It is offered when you order, so you do not have to decide now.
- Basic nutrition panelBrings together proteins and basic vitamins and minerals to assess nutritional status with restrictive or low-calorie diets, absorption problems or digestive surgery.+€69.00
- Sugar, insulin and inflammationAssesses insulin resistance through fasting insulin and the HOMA-IR index, plus average blood sugar over the last three months and low-grade inflammation.+€59.00
- Iron and anaemia studiesDistinguishes between iron deficiency, anaemia and vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency, which call for different approaches.+€49.00
Related blood tests
We have other profiles in General blood tests with more or fewer tests:
The most comprehensive is not always the most useful. If you are not sure, the one we recommend to start with is Full general blood and urine check-up.
What it is based on
Orozco-Beltrán D, Brotons-Cuixart C, Banegas JR, et al. · Atención Primaria 56(Supl 1):103123
Recomendaciones preventivas cardiovasculares. Actualización PAPPS 2024
The Spanish recommendation on vascular prevention acknowledges that there is no evidence to set an age or an interval for cholesterol screening, and takes the practical route: include it in any blood test ordered from the age of 18, with a minimum interval of four years. This is the argument for grouping the lipid profile with everything else in a single sample.
American Diabetes Association · Standards of Care in Diabetes 2026 · Diabetes Care 49(Supl 1):S27-S49
Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes
Recommends screening for diabetes from the age of 35 with fasting glucose or glycated haemoglobin, and repeating it every three years if it is normal. The rest of the panel (full blood count, kidney, liver, uric acid and TSH) does not come from a population screening recommendation: it is the general check-up requested in usual practice.
Protocol designed by Dr. Antonio Mas, specialist in Endocrinology and Nutrition, Spanish medical licence no. 080846289, and reviewed in September 2026.
This blood test is a standardised protocol and does not replace a medical consultation. If you have symptoms, a known condition or a complex clinical situation, speak to your doctor.