Thriva – Blood Tests You Can Take At Home

Health startup Thriva has launched a new range of home, finger-prick blood tests. These health kits allow people to track a range of internal blood markers associated with good or bad health. I’m an averagely healthy kinda guy but I always wonder, what’s actually going on inside. They got in touch and I took them up on their offer and got a kit sent to me. I’m usually OK with needles and blood…let’s see how this goes!

Before we get into the test, its important to understand that Thriva offer three levels of test, each offering different results and they are as follows:

Essential (£24.00 per test), helps people track two main health indicators everyone should be aware of. Understand their risk factors for heart attack and stroke (cholesterol) and see how their liver is responding to changes in their lifestyle.

Baseline (£49.00 per test), helps people track how some of the key indicators of their internal health are changing over time by monitoring and tracking cholesterol levels, vitamin D and B12 deficiency, iron deficiency and poor liver function.

Advanced (£69.00 per test), is Thriva’s first two tube test which offers the most comprehensive package, where users can get detailed insights on how a variety of key internal health systems are changing over time.  As the name may suggest this is a slightly more advanced subscription package. It includes everything that is in Baseline along with HbA1c (blood sugar levels) and Folate.

I got an advanced test sent to me, so top of the range, will tell me everything Thriva possibly could. To order a kit, you need to register for an account via the Thriva website, which will include a number of health related questions. Once you’ve signed up, you can purchase the kit of your choice and it will be sent to you in the post.Within the test kit, you get three lancet (aka needle pricker), collection tube with label and protective wallet, plus some plasters and wipes. The kit comes in a well planned out cardboard box, which is big enough to fit through your letter box. It’s got instructions and the sections within the box are labelled in an order of 1, 2, 3. I recommend you read the instructions. I won’t go into detail on how to draw blood but in essence, prick your finger (you DO NOT see a needle at all), hold said finger over tube, massage to release some blood, fill tube to desired level and stick a plaster on. It was actually quite easy, though you need a flat surface to sit the tube on while you massage and it’s also relativity painless. Once you have filled the tube, you need to fill in the label, attach it to the tube, insert the tube into the protective case, put that case into the prepaid, bright yellow envelope and post it. I believe blood does go out of date, so time is of the essence on getting it posted. For me, I did the test on a Wednesday evening, posted it Thursday, they received it Friday and I also got results Friday too, so a very speedy turn around indeed.

As mentioned before, I got the advanced test, so had a number of results to digest but I’m pleased to say the results were very easy to navigate and understand. I received an email saying my results were in, once I logged on I got a brief summary from the doctor who examined my results and then got further, specific details on each test taken. I like the way the results are shown, with an orange and green bar, meaning green is good, orange is a concern. The diagrams make it much easier to understand the results but numeric values for the results are also given, though you may not have any benchmarks to compare them to. Each test, with the results are explained and where necessary, advisory notes are given to try and improve upon those tests that may not be in the green.

As you can see from my results, they came back pretty good. My cholesterol is OK right now, but something to monitor and I’m really lacking in my vitamins! With this knowledge, I can change my diet and/or fitness routine, to try maintain the good results and improve upon the bad results. One can hope!

Overall I found the services to be very efficient and pain free! Some may think the price tag is a little high for the advanced pack but if you are afraid of the doctors, don’t want to or can’t get to the doctors, this is a great service for you. Yes, if you went to the doctors and asked for these things to be tested, the NHS would do it for free but with that free price, comes the hassle.

For more info and to purchase your first test, visit the official Thriva website.