- Screening needs change by decade, but the right tests for you depend on your personal and family history, sex, and risk factors, so treat this as a discussion guide, not a fixed prescription.
- Major bodies such as the USPSTF generally recommend lipid screening, diabetes screening starting around age 35 for those with risk factors, and one-time hepatitis screening in adulthood.
- Cancer-related screening (like colorectal screening from age 45, and PSA discussions for men) is best decided through shared decision-making with your clinician.
- Routine tumor-marker blood tests are generally not recommended for screening healthy, symptom-free adults.
- At-home finger-prick kits can be convenient but any abnormal result should be confirmed by a standard lab test ordered through a clinician.
- This is general educational information, not medical advice; your own clinician should decide which tests are appropriate and how to interpret them.
Knowing the recommended blood tests by age is one of the most proactive steps you can take for your health, yet many people are unsure which tests they actually need and when. Regular blood work can detect conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, thyroid disorders, and certain other problems years before symptoms appear, giving you a chance to act early when treatment tends to work best. Understanding recommended blood tests by age helps you have more informed conversations with your clinician about preventive care — it does not replace that conversation.
The screenings that make sense change as you move through the decades. What is appropriate for a healthy 25-year-old differs significantly from what a 55-year-old needs. The guidance below draws on recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the CDC, the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and other major organizations. Recommendations are updated periodically, so treat the ages and intervals here as general starting points and confirm the current guidance and what fits you with your own provider. For a broader overview of preventive health, see our wellness guide and annual physical exam checklist.
Medical disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Screening guidelines change and are meant to be individualized; the tests that are right for you depend on your age, sex, personal and family history, and risk factors. Use this as a guide for a conversation with your own physician or other qualified clinician, who should decide which tests you need and interpret your results. It does not provide dosing or treatment instructions.
Blood Tests for Your 20s
Your 20s are generally the healthiest decade, but establishing baseline values now can provide comparison points for future testing and can occasionally catch early-onset conditions. Not everyone needs every test below; the goal is to know what exists so you can ask.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
A CBC measures red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelets. It can screen for anemia, some infections, and certain blood disorders. Many clinicians will check a baseline CBC in early adulthood and repeat it based on your symptoms and risk factors rather than on a fixed schedule.
Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP)
This panel measures blood glucose, electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine. It offers a snapshot of kidney function, blood sugar, and electrolyte balance. A baseline in your 20s can establish your normal ranges for later comparison.
Lipid Panel
The USPSTF and American Heart Association generally support lipid screening beginning earlier for people with cardiovascular risk factors (family history of early heart disease, obesity, smoking, diabetes, or high blood pressure). For adults without those risk factors, cholesterol screening is commonly recommended by the mid-30s to mid-40s, with the exact timing individualized. A lipid panel measures total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides.
Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Screening
The CDC recommends HIV screening at least once for all adolescents and adults, with more frequent testing for those at higher risk. Chlamydia and gonorrhea screening is recommended annually for sexually active women under 25 (and older women with risk factors). Hepatitis B and C screening may also apply depending on your history — more on that below.
Thyroid Function (If Symptomatic)
Routine thyroid screening is not universally recommended in your 20s unless you have symptoms of thyroid dysfunction (unexplained weight changes, fatigue, temperature sensitivity, or menstrual changes) or a family history of thyroid disease. A TSH test is the standard first step when screening is indicated.
Blood Tests for Your 30s
Your 30s are a bridge decade where baseline testing continues and some age-specific screenings begin to make sense.
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
A CMP expands on the basic panel by adding liver function tests (ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, albumin) and total protein. Liver conditions such as metabolic (non-alcoholic) fatty liver disease are increasingly common and often silent, so many clinicians include liver testing in routine blood work when there is reason to check.
Fasting Blood Glucose or Hemoglobin A1C
The USPSTF recommends screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in adults aged 35 to 70 who are overweight or have obesity. The American Diabetes Association suggests considering screening even earlier for people with additional risk factors, such as a family history, physical inactivity, a history of gestational diabetes, or belonging to a higher-risk group. A fasting glucose of 100 mg/dL or higher, or an A1C of 5.7% or higher, is generally considered in the prediabetes range — your clinician interprets the result in context.
Lipid Panel (If Not Previously Done)
If you did not have a lipid panel earlier, your 30s is a reasonable time to establish one, particularly if you have any cardiovascular risk factors. How often to repeat it depends on your results and overall risk, and your clinician can advise.
Thyroid Panel
Thyroid disorders become somewhat more common from the 30s onward, particularly in women. Universal thyroid screening for symptom-free adults is not recommended by every body, but testing is appropriate if you have symptoms, risk factors, or are planning pregnancy. TSH is the primary screen, with free T4 (and sometimes T3) added if TSH is abnormal.
Vitamin D Level
Vitamin D deficiency is common and is linked to bone health and other functions. Population-wide screening of symptom-free adults is not routinely recommended, but many clinicians check 25-hydroxyvitamin D for people with risk factors such as limited sun exposure, darker skin, obesity, malabsorption, or living at northern latitudes.
Blood Tests for Your 40s
Your 40s often mark a transition where chronic-disease screening becomes more prominent and testing may become more regular.
Diabetes Screening
If you are not already being screened, the USPSTF recommendation to screen adults 35 to 70 who are overweight or have obesity clearly applies in this decade. When results are normal, screening is commonly repeated about every three years, though your clinician may test more often based on your risk.
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
Periodic CMP testing helps monitor kidney function, liver health, blood sugar, and electrolytes. Catching a decline in kidney function early can allow steps to protect it before permanent damage occurs. How frequently to test depends on your health and any existing conditions.
Lipid Panel and Cardiovascular Risk
Cardiovascular risk rises in the 40s, and periodic lipid monitoring helps guide decisions about lifestyle changes and, for some people, whether cholesterol-lowering medication is appropriate. The American Heart Association supports periodic cardiovascular risk assessment for adults in this age range; the interval is individualized.
Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B Screening
The USPSTF recommends one-time hepatitis C screening for all adults aged 18 to 79, and it recommends screening adolescents and adults at least once for hepatitis B as well. Both infections can be silent for years before causing liver damage, so if you have never been screened, your 40s is a good time to make sure it has been done.
Iron Studies (If Indicated)
Iron deficiency is common, particularly in people with heavy menstrual periods, while iron overload (hemochromatosis) can begin causing problems in midlife. If indicated by symptoms or family history, checking ferritin, serum iron, and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) can identify either condition.
Blood Tests for Your 50s
The 50s bring several important new screening considerations as the risk of cancer and chronic disease increases.
Colorectal Cancer Screening
The USPSTF recommends colorectal cancer screening for adults beginning at age 45. Colonoscopy is one option; stool-based tests such as the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) and stool-DNA tests are also available, and a blood-based screening test has more recently been approved as an option for people who decline other methods. Each approach has trade-offs in accuracy and interval, so discuss which fits you with your clinician.
PSA Test (Men, Shared Decision-Making)
The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test can screen for prostate cancer. The USPSTF advises that men aged 55 to 69 make an individual decision about PSA screening after discussing the potential benefits and harms with their clinician (shared decision-making). Men at higher risk — including Black men and those with a family history — may reasonably start that conversation earlier, around age 40 to 45.
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
Periodic monitoring continues, with growing attention to kidney function (creatinine and estimated GFR), liver enzymes, and blood sugar. Kidney function naturally declines somewhat with age, and early detection of chronic kidney disease allows for protective steps.
Thyroid Function
Thyroid disorders, especially hypothyroidism, become more common with age. If you have symptoms or risk factors, TSH testing is reasonable; the interval should be set with your clinician rather than assumed.
Vitamin B12 Level
B12 absorption can decline with age due to reduced stomach acid and conditions such as atrophic gastritis. Testing is particularly worth discussing for vegetarians and vegans and for people taking metformin or proton pump inhibitors long term, since deficiency can cause anemia and neurological symptoms.
Blood Tests for Your 60s and Beyond
In your 60s and beyond, monitoring existing conditions and screening for age-related disease becomes the priority. Testing becomes more individualized, and your clinician may adjust which tests you need based on your overall health and life expectancy.
Comprehensive Periodic Blood Work
Periodic blood work in this age range often includes a CBC, CMP, lipid panel, TSH (when indicated), and a fasting glucose or A1C. These panels help detect the onset or progression of chronic conditions common in older adults. The frequency should be tailored to you rather than fixed.
Kidney Function Monitoring
Estimated GFR, calculated from creatinine, is commonly monitored in this age group. Chronic kidney disease is common among older adults, and identifying it early allows for measures that can slow its progression.
Inflammatory Markers
Markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are sometimes checked to assess inflammation when there is a clinical reason. They are not routine screening tests for symptom-free adults and are best ordered by a clinician evaluating specific concerns.
Cancer Markers (When Indicated)
Routine tumor-marker blood tests (such as CA-125 for ovarian cancer) are generally not recommended for screening healthy, symptom-free people, because they produce many false positives and false negatives. They are mainly used to monitor a known condition or to help evaluate specific symptoms. Discuss with your clinician whether any such test is appropriate for your situation.
Bone Health
Bone density screening (a DEXA scan, which is imaging rather than a blood test) is recommended for women beginning at age 65, and for younger postmenopausal women and some men based on risk. Blood tests for calcium, vitamin D, and parathyroid hormone can support the assessment of bone health when indicated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I get blood work done?
There is no single universal schedule. Many healthy adults in their 20s and 30s do fine with basic blood work every few years unless symptoms or risk factors are present, while people in their 40s and beyond, or those with chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or thyroid disorders, often need testing more frequently. Your clinician can set an interval based on your health rather than a one-size-fits-all rule.
Do I need to fast before blood tests?
Fasting for roughly 9 to 12 hours is often requested before a lipid panel or a fasting glucose test for the most accurate results, though some lipid testing can be done without fasting. Most other tests, including CBC, thyroid function, and vitamin levels, do not require fasting. Follow the specific instructions from your clinician or lab, and note that water is generally allowed during a fasting window.
What blood tests should I request at my annual physical?
Rather than requesting a fixed list, it is more useful to review your age, sex, and history with your clinician and let them recommend what fits. Common components discussed at a checkup include a CBC, comprehensive metabolic panel, lipid panel, and a diabetes screen (fasting glucose or A1C) for those due for one. Ask your clinician to explain why a given test is or is not recommended for you — that is a good sign of thoughtful, individualized care.
Are at-home blood tests accurate?
At-home blood test kits have improved but have real limitations. Finger-prick samples can be less accurate than a venous draw performed at a lab, and not all direct-to-consumer tests are FDA-cleared. They can be a useful nudge to look into something, but any abnormal or borderline result should be confirmed with standard laboratory testing ordered and interpreted by a clinician before you draw conclusions or make changes.
Key Takeaway
Following the recommended blood tests by age is one of the more effective and affordable preventive-health habits available — but the emphasis belongs on the word “recommended,” not “required.” From establishing a baseline in your 20s to more regular panels in your 60s and beyond, well-chosen blood work can catch conditions early, when they are most treatable. The specific tests you need depend on your age, sex, family history, and risk factors, and the guidelines themselves are periodically updated. Use this guide as a starting point for a conversation with your own clinician, ask questions about anything you do not understand, and let a qualified professional decide which screenings are right for you and how to interpret the results. Individualized preventive testing is a genuine investment in your future health.
Sources
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) — recommendations on lipid, prediabetes/diabetes, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and colorectal cancer screening (uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — screening guidance and chronic-disease data (cdc.gov)
- American Heart Association (AHA) — cardiovascular risk assessment (heart.org)
- American Diabetes Association (ADA) — Standards of Care, screening recommendations (diabetes.org)
- MedlinePlus / U.S. National Library of Medicine — laboratory test overviews (medlineplus.gov)
- Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic — patient education on routine lab testing (mayoclinic.org, clevelandclinic.org)