Blood Testing Biomarkers
The biomarkers or biological markers are the medical signs or indictors that are measured to assess the presence of a condition or disease. Superdrug offer a range of blood tests and health checks with our provider, Thriva Solutions, which are designed to help to give you a picture of your general health and wellbeing, or specific conditions such as diabetes. This page should help you to understand what your test includes and the results you will get back.
Creatinine (CREA)
Indicates how well your kidneys are functioning at removing waste and toxic substances.
CRP( High Sensitivity)
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) measures low levels of inflammation — a risk factor for heart disease. hs-CRP is also linked to a number of other health problems including diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and certain cancers.
Ferritin (FERR)
A ferritin test measures the amount of iron stored in your body. It can help check for iron deficiency or iron overload. Iron is essential for helping carry oxygen around your body.
Folate (Vitamin B9)
Folate (vitamin B9) is needed for healthy skin, hair, and eyes. If you’re deficient it can cause tiredness, pins and needles, heart palpitations, shortness of breath and muscle weakness.
Free thyroxine (FT4)
Thyroxine (T4) is the main hormone produced by your thyroid. It plays an essential role in regulating the energy your body uses. Free T4 measures the amount of T4 that’s available for your body to use. This test can help check for hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.
Free Triiodothyronine (FT3)
Triiodothyronine (T3) is a thyroid hormone that plays an essential role in regulating the energy your body uses. Free T3 measures the amount of T3 that’s available for your body to use. This test can help check for hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.
Follicle- stimulating hormone (FSH)
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is a hormone produced by your pituitary gland. It’s essential for your ovaries to function normally.
Full blood count (FBC)
A full blood count looks at all of the different types of blood cells within your blood sample. The main ones are red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Red blood cells contain haemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen to all the tissues and organs of the body. White blood cells are an important part of our immune system and protect the body from invasion by foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses. Platelets are
involved in blood clotting and plug holes in broken blood vessels.
This test includes:
• Haemoglobin
• Mean corpuscular volume
• Mean corpuscular haemoglobin
• Red cell distribution width
• Red cell count
• Platelets
• Neutrophils
• Monophils
• Basophils
• Eosinophils
• White blood cell count
HbA1c (GHB)
HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin) measures your average blood sugar over the past 3 months, which is a good indicator for the risk of developing pre-diabetes and diabetes.
Hepatitis B surface antibodies (anti-HBs)
You have anti-HBs if you’re vaccinated against or have recovered from hepatitis B.
Liver function test (LFT)
Your liver has over 500 functions — like detoxifying your blood and absorbing nutrients. Poor liver health puts you at risk of chronic disease (like heart disease), weight gain and low energy.
This test incudes:
• Alanine Transferase (ALT)
• Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
• Globulin (GLOB)
• Albumin (ALB)
• Bilirubin (BILI)
• Total protein (PROT)
• Gamma-GT (GGT)
Measles antibodies (IgG)
Measles antibodies show protection against the virus from past infection or vaccination.
Omegas (OMGI)
Omega-6 and omega-3 are part of the polyunsaturated fats group. Omega-3 is a fatty acid that plays a vital role in your heart, brain, and eye health. While Omega-6 fatty acids support a variety of functions in your body, like cell membrane structure, growth and repair, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and improving insulin sensitivity.
This test includes;
• Omega-3 index
• Omega-6: Omega-3 Ratio
Progesterone ( PROG)
Progesterone is a hormone that helps to prepare your body for pregnancy. After ovulation, your progesterone levels peak, which helps build up the lining of your uterus — where a fertilised egg can implant.
Rubella antibodies (IgG)
Rubella antibodies show protection against the virus from past infection or vaccination.
Serum Iron (FE)
Iron is an important part of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen around your body. Low iron levels can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, anxiety, and head pain.
Thyroid- Stimulating- Hormone (TSH)
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is a hormone that regulates the release of hormones from your thyroid. These hormones, T3 and T4, help control growth and metabolism. A TSH test can check for hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.
Thyroid peroxidase Antibodies (TPO)
Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) is an enzyme made by your thyroid. It plays an important role in producing thyroid hormones. High levels of TPO antibodies can indicate an autoimmune disorder, like Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s disease.
Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb)
Thyroglobulin is a protein produced by your thyroid that helps activate thyroid hormones. High levels of thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) can indicate an autoimmune disorder, like Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s disease.
Thyroxine (T4)
Thyroxine (T4) is the main hormone produced by your thyroid. It plays an essential role in regulating the energy your body uses. Measuring T4 can help check for hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.
Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC)
A total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) test measures your blood’s capacity to bind and transport iron. It can help check for iron deficiency or iron overload.
Total testosterone (TEST)
Testosterone is a sex hormone (androgen) produced by both males and females. It plays a role in maintaining muscle and bone strength, energy, and fertility.
Transferrin saturation (FESA)
Transferrin is a protein that transports iron around the body. A transferrin saturation test measures the amount of iron bound to transferrin. This helps check for iron deficiency or iron overload.
Unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC)
An unsaturated iron-binding capacity (UIBC) test measures the amount of transferrin (transfers iron around your body) that’s not bound to iron. This helps check for iron deficiency or iron overload.
Urea (UREA)
Uric acid is produced when you digest foods that contain compounds called purines (like red meat). If your uric acid levels are high, it can build up and lead to symptoms of a gout attack — a type of arthritis where painful crystals accumulate in your joints. It’s possible to manage your uric acid levels with lifestyle factors, like your diet choices.
Uric Acid
If you’ve been diagnosed with gout, monitoring your uric acid levels can be a helpful way to protect your joint and kidney health. This is because raised uric acid levels are often associated with worse gout symptoms. Uric acid is produced when you digest foods that contain compounds called purines (like red meat).
Varicella zoster (chickenpox) antibodies (IgG)
Once you’re exposed to VZV, you have a measurable amount of VZV IgG antibodies in your blood for life. This test helps confirm a previous infection or immunity to VZV infection.
Vitamin B12 (active)
Vitamin B12 is essential for a healthy nervous system. If you’re deficient it can cause tiredness, pins and needles, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and muscle weakness.
Vitamin B12 (Total)
Vitamin B12 is essential for a healthy brain and nervous system. It’s also needed for making red blood cells — which are important for your energy levels. Low vitamin B12 levels can make you feel depressed and might affect your sleep and fitness.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and helps to keep your skin and bones healthy. It also plays an important role in your immune system. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to fatigue, bone and muscle pain, as well as getting ill more often than usual.