What does a men's health blood test check for?

A men's health blood test measures markers that show how your heart, liver, blood sugar and thyroid are working. The common thread is that the conditions behind these markers rarely announce themselves.

High cholesterol does not usually cause symptoms, and the NHS says a blood test is the only way to find out. [1] Not everyone with type 2 diabetes has symptoms, and fatty liver disease does not usually cause any either. [2] [3]

This article sets out what a metabolic panel measures, what each marker tells a clinician, the reference levels UK bodies publish, and what happens once the results are in.

What is a men's metabolic blood test?

A men's metabolic blood test is a panel of blood markers chosen to show how the body is handling fat, sugar and energy. "Metabolic" here means the processes that turn food into fuel and store what is left over. A single cholesterol reading is one marker; a metabolic panel reads several systems at once.

A typical panel covers four areas: cardiovascular risk, liver function, blood sugar control and thyroid function. Each area has its own markers, and each marker answers a different question.

The reason the panel exists is that these systems can drift for years without symptoms. The point of measuring is to see the drift before it becomes a diagnosis.

What does it measure? The 10 markers

HeMed's at-home blood test measures 10 markers across the four areas below. Other providers choose different panels, so check what any test includes before you buy it.

Cardiovascular risk: 5 markers

• Total cholesterol. The overall amount of cholesterol in your blood, measured in millimoles per litre (mmol/L). It is the headline number but not the most informative one on its own.
• LDL cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein carries cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body. The British Heart Foundation describes what happens when there is too much: it "gets stuck to the walls of your arteries". [4]
• HDL cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein takes cholesterol the body does not need back to the liver. [4] Higher is generally better.
• Triglycerides. The fats your body stores and burns for energy. HEART UK notes that high triglycerides with low HDL is a pattern often seen in people who carry their weight around the middle. [5]
• Cholesterol ratio. Total cholesterol divided by HDL cholesterol. This is the figure the QRISK3 calculator, used across UK general practice to estimate 10-year heart and stroke risk, asks for. [6]

Liver function: 3 markers

• ALT (alanine aminotransferase). An enzyme that leaks into the blood when liver cells are under strain. It is used "to detect and monitor liver damage or inflammation". [7]
• AST (aspartate aminotransferase). A second enzyme, found mainly in the liver and heart with smaller amounts in muscle. It is less specific to the liver than ALT, so clinicians read the two together. [8]
• GGT (gamma-glutamyl transferase). An enzyme that rises with liver stress, including from alcohol. A raised GGT shows "that something is going on with your liver, but not specifically what". [9]

Blood sugar: 1 marker

• HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin). Your average blood sugar over roughly the past 2 to 3 months, read from how much glucose has attached to the haemoglobin in your red blood cells. [10] It is the marker UK practice uses to assess diabetes risk and diagnose type 2 diabetes. [16]

Thyroid function: 1 marker

• TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone). The signal the pituitary gland (a gland at the base of the brain) sends to tell your thyroid how hard to work. A high TSH often means an underactive thyroid; a low TSH can indicate an overactive one. [11]

Some panels sold to men add other markers. Testosterone, fasting glucose and CRP (a marker of inflammation) are common additions, and HeMed does not measure any of them. If you want those checked, your GP can arrange them.

How do UK doctors read cholesterol results?

Not one figure at a time. The NHS publishes general guides for adults: total cholesterol below 5 mmol/L, HDL above 1.0 mmol/L for men, and non-HDL cholesterol (total minus HDL) below 4 mmol/L. It adds that a good target depends on your age, other conditions and overall cardiovascular risk. [12]

HEART UK, the cholesterol charity, gives a healthy LDL as below 3 mmol/L, and triglycerides below 1.7 mmol/L fasting or below 2.0 mmol/L non-fasting. [13] [5] These are population guides, not personal targets.

For treatment decisions, NICE, the body that writes NHS clinical guidance, uses non-HDL cholesterol rather than LDL. It says a fasting sample is not mandated for a lipid profile (the cholesterol and triglyceride panel). [14]

For overall risk, QRISK3 combines your cholesterol ratio with age, blood pressure, smoking and other factors. [6] That is why the ratio sits on the panel: it is the number your GP's calculator wants.

High triglycerides with low HDL is the pattern HEART UK links to weight carried around the middle. [5] The five markers are read as a set for that reason.

Why are liver enzymes on a weight management blood test?

Because fat stored inside the abdomen affects the liver directly. The result can be metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD, which the NHS links to being overweight. The NHS still lists it under its older name, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). [3]

A raised ALT, AST or GGT is a reason to look further. It is not a diagnosis, and a normal result does not clear the liver.

NICE records that more than 80% of people with MASLD have normal routine liver blood tests. Its guideline says routine liver blood tests should not be used to rule the condition out. [15]

Two limits are worth knowing. ALT can rise moderately with high alcohol intake, diabetes or raised triglycerides, all of which can cause fatty liver. [7] GGT rises with alcohol, some medicines and bile duct problems as well as liver fat, and a drink within 24 hours of the test can raise it temporarily. [9]

A clinician reads the enzymes against your history, not in isolation.

For the fuller picture, see Silent liver disease (MASLD): signs your liver is under strain.

What does HbA1c tell a clinician?

HbA1c shows your average blood sugar over the past 2 to 3 months, not on the morning of the test. [10] That makes it hard to flatter with a good week.

UK practice, following the World Health Organization, uses 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) as the cut-off for diagnosing type 2 diabetes. A result of 42 to 47 mmol/mol is called non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, sometimes "pre-diabetes", and marks a high risk of developing the condition. [16] [17]

A single result is not a diagnosis. Diabetes UK's guidance for clinicians states that in someone without symptoms, diabetes should not be diagnosed on one HbA1c result; a repeat test is needed. [16]

A result in the 42 to 47 range is useful precisely because it comes early. In the large US Diabetes Prevention Program, a lifestyle programme cut new cases of type 2 diabetes by 58% over about 3 years in adults who started with raised blood sugar. [18]

That is a population statistic from a trial, not a prediction for any one man.

Why is thyroid function checked?

Because an underactive thyroid can cause weight gain, and the NHS lists "putting on weight" among its common symptoms. [19] If it is missed, a clinician is working with an incomplete picture.

TSH is the standard first check. NICE suggests measuring TSH alone first where a pituitary cause is not suspected. If TSH is above the reference range, free T4 (the main thyroid hormone) is added; if below, free T4 and free T3. [20]

HeMed measures TSH, and if it comes back out of range your GP would normally arrange the further hormone tests. HeMed does not measure free T4 or free T3.

The effect on weight is usually smaller than men expect. The British Thyroid Foundation puts the weight attributable to an underactive thyroid at around 5 to 10 pounds (about 2 to 5 kg), much of it fluid. It says large weight gain is rarely explained by the thyroid alone. [21]

Checking TSH is the first step towards finding or excluding a treatable cause; it does not usually explain the whole picture.

Does a blood test have to be done at a clinic?

No. At-home kits can now collect a sample that a laboratory can analyse for a full metabolic panel.

HeMed's kit uses the Tasso+ device, which collects a small amount of blood with a lancet (a small blade) and gentle vacuum suction rather than a needle draw. [22] It collects less than a teaspoon and takes under 5 minutes.

In a 2026 study of 105 people, HbA1c and cholesterol results from posted Tasso+ samples closely matched venous blood draws (blood taken from a vein). [23] That study covered HbA1c and the cholesterol markers. It did not test liver enzymes or TSH.

The review is what turns the numbers into an assessment. At HeMed every result is reviewed by your clinical team, and the baseline test comes before any plan begins.

How often should men check their markers?

In England, adults aged 40 to 74 without an existing heart, kidney or diabetes diagnosis are invited to a free NHS Health Check every 5 years. It measures height, weight, waist, blood pressure and cholesterol, and sometimes blood sugar. [24] If you have not had one, ask your GP practice.

Men are less likely than women to attend; see Metabolic syndrome in men for the uptake figures.

5 years is a long gap if you are actively changing your weight, diet or activity. HeMed's design is a baseline test, then a retest every 6 months, so you and your clinician see the markers side by side. That cadence is HeMed's service design, not NHS guidance, and it exists so the plan follows what your body is doing rather than what was assumed at the start.

What happens after a clinician reviews the results?

Your clinician reads the results against your full picture: BMI (body mass index), medical history and any symptoms you have reported. Together with your eligibility answers, that review is what decides whether clinician-led weight management is suitable for you. The decision belongs to the clinician, not to an algorithm.

Some results need your GP: an HbA1c in the diabetes range, or a liver enzyme well above the reference range (the span a laboratory treats as expected). Your clinician will say so. If your results are broadly in range, they will tell you that too.

Information is useful whichever way it falls.

A follow-up test 6 months later then shows what has changed. One out-of-range marker is rarely a reason for concern on its own; a trend across two tests says far more.

Frequently asked questions

What does a men's health blood test check for?

A metabolic panel checks four areas: cardiovascular risk (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides and the cholesterol ratio), liver function (ALT, AST and GGT), blood sugar (HbA1c) and thyroid function (TSH). Those are the 10 markers HeMed measures.

Other panels add markers such as testosterone or CRP, which HeMed does not measure; a GP can arrange those.

Do I need to fast before a metabolic blood test?

Usually not. HbA1c needs no preparation, and NICE says a fasting sample is not mandated for a lipid profile. HEART UK publishes a non-fasting triglyceride level (below 2.0 mmol/L) alongside the fasting one (below 1.7 mmol/L).

Your kit instructions will say if anything is required. If triglycerides come back very high, a clinician may ask for a fasting repeat through your GP.

Can a blood test diagnose type 2 diabetes?

Only a doctor can diagnose diabetes. HbA1c is the marker used, with 48 mmol/mol as the cut-off, but in someone without symptoms the diagnosis needs a second test to confirm it.

Your clinician reads every HeMed result in context. If a result needs your GP, they will say so.

Why is thyroid function included in a weight management blood test?

An underactive thyroid slows the body's metabolic rate and can cause weight gain, so it is worth checking. TSH is the first test NICE suggests, with further hormone tests through your GP if it is out of range.

The weight attributable to the thyroid is usually modest, around 2 to 5 kg, so it rarely explains a large gain on its own.

What does a raised ALT result mean?

ALT is a liver enzyme that rises when liver cells are under strain. A raised result can point to inflammation or early fatty liver disease, but it has other causes, including alcohol and some medicines.

It does not mean serious damage, and a normal result does not rule fatty liver out. A clinician reads it alongside AST, GGT and your history.

How accurate is a needle-free at-home test?

In a 2026 study of 105 people, HbA1c and cholesterol results from posted Tasso+ samples closely matched venous blood draws (blood taken from a vein). That study did not cover liver enzymes or TSH.

The device uses a small lancet and gentle vacuum suction rather than a needle draw, and collects less than a teaspoon of blood.

What should I do if my results show out-of-range markers?

Talk them through with a clinician rather than searching the numbers one by one. At HeMed every result is reviewed by your clinical team, and if a result needs your GP they will say so.

One out-of-range marker is common and rarely alarming on its own. The retest 6 months later shows whether it is moving.

HeMed provides clinician-led weight management. We do not diagnose or treat high cholesterol, liver disease, type 2 diabetes or thyroid disease. This page is general health information, not medical advice. If you are worried about symptoms, speak to your GP, or use NHS 111.

Next step: see what the HeMed blood test measures.

Sources (24)

1. NHS, "High cholesterol", page last reviewed 13 March 2026: "High cholesterol does not usually cause symptoms. You can only find out if you have it from a blood test." nhs.uk/conditions/high-cholesterol. Accessed 8 October 2026.
2. NHS, "Type 2 diabetes: symptoms", page last reviewed 10 February 2025: "Not everyone with type 2 diabetes has symptoms." nhs.uk/conditions/type-2-diabetes/symptoms. Accessed 8 October 2026.
3. NHS, "Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)", page last reviewed 31 July 2025: also known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD); it "does not usually cause any symptoms". nhs.uk/conditions/non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease. Accessed 8 October 2026.
4. British Heart Foundation, "High cholesterol", updated 16 January 2026: LDL "takes cholesterol from your liver to cells around your body. If you have too much it gets stuck to the walls of your arteries"; HDL "takes cholesterol that you do not need back to your liver". bhf.org.uk. Accessed 8 October 2026.
5. HEART UK, "Triglycerides", updated 3 March 2025: healthy levels "below 1.7mmol/L" fasting and "below 2.0mmol/L" non-fasting; high triglycerides with low HDL are seen in people who "are very overweight, especially if they carry their weight around their middle". heartuk.org.uk/cholesterol/triglycerides. Accessed 8 October 2026.
6. ClinRisk, QRISK3 cardiovascular risk calculator: inputs include "Cholesterol/HDL ratio". qrisk.org. Accessed 8 October 2026.
7. Association for Laboratory Medicine, Lab Tests Online UK, "Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) test": used "to detect and monitor liver damage or inflammation"; "A moderately high ALT can also occur when there is a high alcohol intake, diabetes or raised serum triglycerides, all of which can cause fatty liver". labtestsonline.org.uk. Accessed 8 October 2026.
8. Association for Laboratory Medicine, Lab Tests Online UK, "Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) test": AST is "found mainly in your liver and heart, with smaller amounts in muscle", and is read alongside ALT. labtestsonline.org.uk. Accessed 8 October 2026.
9. Association for Laboratory Medicine, Lab Tests Online UK, "Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) test": "Raised GGT concentrations may indicate that something is going on with your liver, but not specifically what"; "Alcohol consumed within 24 hours of your GGT test may cause a temporary increase". labtestsonline.org.uk. Accessed 8 October 2026.
10. NHS England Digital, Health Survey for England 2024, "Adults' health": "HbA1c reflects average blood sugar levels over the previous two to three months". digital.nhs.uk. Accessed 8 October 2026.
11. Association for Laboratory Medicine, Lab Tests Online UK, "Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test": a high TSH "often means an underactive thyroid"; a low TSH "can indicate an overactive thyroid"; "An abnormal TSH test result is usually followed by additional testing (of FT4 and sometimes FT3)". labtestsonline.org.uk. Accessed 8 October 2026.
12. NHS, "Cholesterol levels", page last reviewed 13 March 2026: total cholesterol "Below 5mmol/L", HDL "Above 1.0mmol/L for men", non-HDL "Below 4mmol/L"; "a good target depends on your age, any health conditions you have and your risk of cardiovascular disease". nhs.uk/conditions/high-cholesterol/cholesterol-levels. Accessed 8 October 2026.
13. HEART UK, "Understanding your cholesterol test results", updated 14 March 2025: LDL "below 3mmol/L" as a healthy level for adults; the total to HDL ratio "is only required for calculating 10 year/lifetime risk assessment using QRISK calculators". heartuk.org.uk. Accessed 8 October 2026.
14. NICE, "Cardiovascular disease: risk assessment and reduction, including lipid modification", NG238, published 14 December 2023: measure a full lipid profile including non-HDL cholesterol; "a fasting sample is not mandated". nice.org.uk/guidance/ng238. Accessed 8 October 2026.
15. NICE, "Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD): assessment and management", NG49, last updated 31 July 2026: "more than 80% of patients with MASLD have normal routine liver blood tests"; recommendation 1.1.3, "Do not use routine liver blood tests to rule out MASLD". nice.org.uk/guidance/ng49. Accessed 8 October 2026.
16. Diabetes UK, "Diagnostic criteria for diabetes" (guidance for professionals): "An HbA1c of 48mmol/mol (6.5%) is recommended as the cut-off point for diagnosing diabetes"; "In a person without symptoms of diabetes, a diagnosis of diabetes should not be made on a single HbA1c result"; "HbA1c between 42-47 mmol/mol indicates non diabetic hyperglycaemia". diabetes.org.uk. Accessed 8 October 2026.
17. NICE, "Type 2 diabetes: prevention in people at high risk", PH38: an HbA1c of 42 to 47 mmol/mol (6.0 to 6.4%) "indicates high risk". nice.org.uk/guidance/ph38. Accessed 8 October 2026.
18. Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. New England Journal of Medicine 2002;346(6):393 to 403 (the lifestyle arm reduced incident type 2 diabetes by 58% over an average of 2.8 years in adults with raised blood sugar; title omitted because it names a medicine). doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa012512. Accessed 8 October 2026.
19. NHS, "Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism): symptoms", page last reviewed 28 April 2025: common symptoms include "putting on weight"; diagnosis is by a blood test. nhs.uk. Accessed 8 October 2026.
20. NICE, "Thyroid disease: assessment and management", NG145, recommendation 1.2.8: in suspected primary thyroid dysfunction in adults, measure TSH alone first; measure free T4 if TSH is above the reference range; measure free T4 and free T3 if TSH is below it. nice.org.uk/guidance/ng145. Accessed 8 October 2026.
21. British Thyroid Foundation, "Thyroid and weight: the science": "In general, 5-10 pounds of body weight may be attributable to the thyroid"; "Massive weight gain is rarely associated with hypothyroidism". btf-thyroid.org. Accessed 8 October 2026.
22. Tasso Inc., "Tasso+" product information and FAQ: a lancet-based capillary collection device using gentle vacuum, collecting about 200 to 600 microlitres. tassoinc.com/tasso-plus; tassoinc.com/faq. Accessed 8 October 2026.
23. Hoffmeister L and colleagues. "Concordance of HbA1c, creatinine, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol between venous and self-collected capillary blood samples sent by mail." Journal of Diabetes Investigation 2026;17(8):1419 to 1431 (105 participants, Tasso+ device). doi.org/10.1111/jdi.70359. Accessed 8 October 2026.
24. NHS, "NHS Health Check", page last reviewed 14 August 2023: offered every 5 years to adults aged 40 to 74 in England without certain pre-existing conditions; includes a cholesterol test and "possibly a blood sugar level test". nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/nhs-health-check. Accessed 8 October 2026.

Numbered markers in the page text link to these entries. Statistics describe populations, not any one person’s results.