Traditional checkups often focus on a limited set of metrics—blood pressure, cholesterol and maybe a few other basic labs. But to better understand your health, what if you could go deeper? Whole health testing offers a more comprehensive approach, using specialized lab panels to evaluate multiple dimensions of wellness, from cardiovascular and metabolic health to hormone balance, nutrient levels and markers of aging. These tests provide a fuller picture of your body’s internal landscape, helping you and your healthcare provider make more informed decisions about prevention, treatment and lifestyle changes.
We spoke with Dr. Jennifer Ennis, MD, medical director at Labcorp and practicing nephrologist at the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago, to explore how whole health testing works, what makes it different from standard wellness screenings and why it’s becoming a valuable tool for proactive care. Whether you're feeling “off” despite normal results or simply want to optimize your health, Dr. Ennis shares insights into how these tests can empower you to take control of your wellness journey.
What are whole health tests, and how can they help you better understand your overall health?
Dr. Ennis: Whole health tests are comprehensive test panels that assess multiple aspects of health to support a more complete picture of health and wellness.
Whole health tests can:
- Support personalized care by focusing on what matters most to the individual
- Identify areas needing increased attention
- Track progress in lifestyle changes or interventions
- Complement other clinical data to help inform holistic treatment plans
What kinds of health areas do these tests cover, and why are they important for overall wellness?
Dr. Ennis: These tests go beyond standard checkups by evaluating other aspects of health, including but not limited to cardiovascular health, metabolic function, hormone balance, nutrient levels, organ function and markers of inflammation and aging.
Labcorp offers a variety of these tests tailored to different needs, such as:
- Comprehensive Health Test
- Men’s and Women’s Health Tests
- Micronutrient Test
- Comprehensive Heart Health Test
- Healthy Aging Test
These tests contribute to a more holistic view of your health, helping you and your healthcare provider:
- Identify underlying issues before symptoms appear (such as nutrient deficiencies, hormone imbalances)
- Track changes over time to monitor the impact of lifestyle changes
- Personalize your wellness plan with data-driven insights
- Support preventive care by detecting early signs of chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease or thyroid dysfunction
- Empower informed decisions about diet, exercise and more
Is this the same as functional/holistic medicine?
Dr. Ennis: Functional and holistic medicine emphasize:
- Whole-person care: Looking beyond symptoms to understand physical, emotional, and lifestyle factors
- Prevention and early detection: Identifying imbalances before they become chronic conditions
- Personalized treatment: Tailoring care to the individual's unique biology, environment and goals
Whole health testing provides the laboratory data backbone for functional and holistic medicine to support these goals.
Can you explain what biomarkers are and why they matter for someone’s health?
Dr. Ennis: Biomarkers are measurable indicators of biological processes, conditions or diseases in the body. They can be found in blood, urine, saliva, tissues and even imaging results like X-rays or CT scans. Think of them as key signals or clues that reflect how your body is functioning.
Biomarkers are important because they help:
- Diagnose conditions: Identify diseases like diabetes, cancer or thyroid dysfunction early
- Monitor progress: Track how a disease evolves or responds to treatment
- Predict risk: Assess your likelihood of developing a condition before symptoms appear
- Guide treatment: Help providers choose the most effective therapy
- Evaluate overall wellness: Offer insights into hormone balance, inflammation, nutrient levels and organ function
Biomarkers are essential tools for understanding your health in real time. They allow for early detection, personalized care and proactive wellness strategies. Whether you're managing a chronic condition or optimizing your vitality, tracking biomarkers can be a powerful step.
Remember: The goal is to test smarter, not necessarily more. Focusing on the most relevant biomarkers tailored to your specific health needs and goals is key. Testing the right biomarkers can provide important insights without unnecessary complexity or cost, making it a more effective approach to health assessment.
How can these tests help someone who “feels off” even if their regular checkup looks normal?
Dr. Ennis: If someone “feels off” but their regular checkup looks normal, whole health testing can uncover hidden imbalances that standard screenings might miss. These tests go beyond basic biometrics and labs to explore deeper, more nuanced aspects of health.
Whole health tests—like those offered by Labcorp—include more comprehensive panels that assess other health factors such as micronutrient levels, hormonal balance, inflammatory markers and metabolic function.
Whole health testing can offer a variety of benefits for some individuals by supporting early detection of subtle dysfunctions, personalized insights into dietary needs and lifestyle considerations, root-cause detection for unexplained symptoms and empowerment to take control of your health.
How do these tests support a more personalized approach to health?
Dr. Ennis: Whole health tests play a powerful role in supporting personalized healthcare by going beyond standard diagnostics to uncover what’s truly driving a person’s health status.
Labcorp OnDemand’s whole health tests include scientifically validated biomarkers and several specialized panels. This depth allows healthcare providers to tailor care based on your unique biology, not just general population norms.
Instead of just treating symptoms, whole health tests help identify underlying imbalances—such as nutrient deficiencies, hormone disruptions or inflammation—that may be contributing to fatigue, mood changes, digestive issues or other vague symptoms.
With detailed biomarker data and personal health goals, providers can create customized care plans that may lead to more effective and sustainable outcomes.
Why is it important to move from reactive care (treating illness/symptoms) to proactive care (preventing illness/optimizing health)?
Dr. Ennis: Moving from reactive to proactive care is essential for creating a more sustainable, effective and empowering healthcare experience.
1. Early detection improves outcomes: Proactive care uses tools like whole health testing to catch imbalances or risks before they become serious conditions. This allows for early intervention, which is often simpler, less costly and more effective.
2. Lower healthcare costs: Treating chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, or autoimmune conditions is expensive. Proactive care can reduce hospital visits and emergency care, minimize reliance on medications, and encourage lifestyle changes that prevent disease. This leads to long-term savings for individuals and healthcare systems.
3. Better quality of life: Instead of waiting for illness to strike, proactive care helps people feel more energized, sleep better, manage stress, maintain a healthy weight, and stay mentally sharp. It’s about thriving, not just surviving.
4. Personalized health strategies: Whole health testing supports proactive care by identifying potential deficiencies, imbalances or other issues that enable customized plans based on your unique biology and goals.
5. Empowerment and engagement: Proactive care encourages people to take ownership of their health. It shifts the mindset from “Wait until I’m sick” to “What can I do to stay well?” This leads to greater engagement, better adherence to healthy habits, and more meaningful conversations with providers.
How can someone use their test results to make better decisions about their health or lifestyle?
Dr. Ennis: Using whole health test results to make better decisions about your health is all about turning data into action. These tests provide a detailed snapshot of your body’s internal state, which can guide you and your healthcare provider toward targeted, meaningful changes.
Better understanding of issues uncovered by whole health testing, such as nutritional deficiencies, hormonal balance and metabolic function, helps you connect the dots between how you feel and what’s happening inside your body.
Once you know your specific needs or imbalances, you can take precise action and make more targeted changes. Collaborate with your healthcare provider who can help you interpret your testing, devise a personalized care plan and monitor its impact over time to see how your lifestyle changes affect your health markers.
What does it mean that these tests are “clinically backed,” and why is this important?
Dr. Ennis: When a health test is described as “clinically backed,” it means the test has been evaluated through clinical research methods and has demonstrated reliable results. This designation is important because it signals that the test is scientifically credible, not just based on marketing claims or anecdotal evidence.
Clinically backed tests are based on objective data and have been evaluated for accuracy and safety. This means you can trust the results to reflect real biological processes and that they are more likely to guide effective treatment or lifestyle changes.
Choosing tests that are clinically backed ensures that you and your healthcare provider are making health decisions based on results you can trust, not guesswork. It’s a key part of moving toward proactive, personalized and effective care.
What do you wish more people understood about wellness testing?
Dr. Ennis: This is a great question that gets to the heart of why wellness testing can be so valuable.
For one, many assume you only need tests when something’s wrong. But wellness testing is about staying ahead of illness, not just reacting to it.
Another important point about wellness testing is that “normal” isn’t always optimal for some individuals. Standard lab ranges are based on population averages, not necessarily what’s ideal for you. You might be “in range” but still feel off. Wellness testing may help identify subclinical issues or more personalized targets for optimal health.
Wellness test results can be empowering. When you understand your biomarkers, you can choose the right foods and exercise, track progress over time and have more meaningful conversations with your provider. It turns health into a collaborative, proactive journey with you and your healthcare provider.
Whether you want to boost energy, improve focus, age gracefully or manage stress, these tests can help provide you with the insights to do it intentionally.
