When you think about blood, technology probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, recent technological advancements have allowed our blood to offer insights into our health. InsideTracker is a service that combines the analysis of blood markers with data and lifestyle information to provide health advice. To benefit from this service, you must give a blood sample, download an app, and invest some of your time. The result? The chance to live a longer life.
I recently had the opportunity to test InsideTracker to see what the fuss was about. Given my background and some ongoing health issues, I eagerly volunteered as a tester.
The experience has been eye-opening, to say the least, and could benefit others seeking to improve their long-term health.
My health journey
At the beginning of 2023, I started experiencing occasional pain in my left arm. After undergoing several tests, I was referred to a cardiologist who eventually performed a heart catheterization procedure, during which a stent was placed in one of my coronary arteries. This, along with being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes a year earlier, made me realize the need to make significant changes to improve my health.
Both my primary doctor and cardiologist advised me to lose weight, exercise more, and eat a more balanced diet to improve my Type 2 diabetes and heart health. They prescribed medication to help with my condition, and I followed their advice aggressively for over a year. I also increased my physical activity, added more fruits and vegetables to my diet, and reduced my intake of bad carbs. As a result, I lost some weight, and my A1C levels improved to the point where I was now considered “pre-diabetic.”
I have made some noticeable progress and am proud of my achievements. However, after much trial and error, I’ve come to realize that diet and exercise alone are not sufficient to help me achieve my goals, which are to lose more weight and reduce the number of medications I take daily.
What InsideTracker promises
The opportunity to try InsideTracker came at a perfect time for me, both as someone who wants to improve my health and as a tech writer who is always looking for the next new thing to report on.
For years, experts have known that blood can unlock many secrets about our health. This is no doubt why Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos attempted, then failed miserably, to figure out a way of using one drop of blood to test for various ailments and other factors.
InsideTracker operates by drawing blood and testing it using 47 biomarkers. The results are measurable indicators that provide information about your biological state or condition. However, InsideTracker goes beyond this. It combines this information with your general health history and lifestyle factors to provide personalized health insights and recommendations.
This distinct approach empowers you to better control your health by understanding what’s happening inside your body. As InsideTracker explains, one of its most important goals is to help you extend your “healthspan,” defined as the years spent in good health without avoidable chronic diseases.
Who wouldn’t want that?
How it all works
InsideTracker offers two plans: Foundation and Ultimate. I was offered a credit for the Ultimate plan, which examines 10 healthspan categories that focus on metabolism, sleep, fitness, and more. It also examines 47 biomarkers as part of the process. The result is a customizable action plan that you can use to better your health.
After choosing a plan, it’s time to schedule a blood draw. You can visit a local lab or have a health care professional visit your home to do the draw. For convenience, I chose the latter. It took about two weeks from the time I signed up for a plan for a nurse to visit my home to perform the blood draw.
I’ve had numerous blood draws throughout the years, especially since being diagnosed with diabetes, and this one was only different in one way: They needed a much larger amount of blood than typical blood draws. All this meant was that drawing the blood took a few more seconds (not minutes).
Once the blood is collected and set to a lab, it takes about two weeks to receive your results. In the meantime, you’re asked to download the InsideTracker app and complete a comprehensive health profile. This profile covers a wide range of information, including your current nutrition and exercise routine, lifestyle habits, and more, ensuring a thorough understanding of your health status.
The app, available for iOS and Android, can also import daily fitness tracker information from Apple Health, Oura Ring, Garmin, and Fitbit.
Since InsideTracker is asking for your blood and personal information, security is integral to the process. InsideTracker is HIPAA compliant and SOC 2 certified, which means it’s likely using the same controls as your local hospital or health clinic.
From a technical standpoint, the collected information is encrypted. And, perhaps most importantly, your personally identifiable information is separated from the rest of the content.
A comprehensive look at your health
The results of your blood test are reviewable through the InsideTracker app. Its primary focus is on 10 healthspans categories and your overall “InnerAge.”
Each of the healthspan categories is rated on a 100-point scale. These include gut health, cognition, heart health, inflammation, metabolism, recovery, sleep, fitness, hormone balance, and endurance. Regardless of whether a healthspan is rated as “optimal,” “good,” “fair,” or “needs work,” you’re given detailed recommendations for improvement.
I’m having trouble with my gut health, the only area rated “needs work.” I didn’t realize what gut health meant or that mine was in bad shape until I saw the results in the app. Details in the app showed my rating was low because of being overweight and having diabetes, which didn’t come as a surprise. These issues are causing a high level of inflammation, borderline high glucose, and high triglycerides.
The recommendations go well beyond losing weight and are very specific.
The recommendations go well beyond losing weight and are very specific — such as taking a probiotic, consuming more olive oil, and taking a vitamin D supplement. Other than taking the vitamin supplement, my doctor did not give me any of these recommendations based on my less-thorough blood tests.
When my attention turned to my “InnerAge,” things became more concerning. This number is essentially your chronological age with adjustments for your biomarker levels. My A1C and inflammation indicators alone added 7.2 years to my chronological age. The overall results suggest I am 10 years older than I am. Gulp.
Once again, recommendations are suggested as part of an overall plan for improved health.
Plans, pricing, and looking ahead
InsideTracker’s Ultimate plan is priced at $489 and includes every type of test InsideTracker offers. The $348 Foundation plan limits the blood draw to tests on your heart, brain, gut, and immune system. This price includes a one-year subscription plan that allows you to extend the program beyond your first blood test. After the first year, continuing the service costs $149 per year. If you want the InnerAge feature, that’s another $99. Once all was said and done, the version I tested costs $588 on InsideTracker’s website right now.
The subscription plan includes various features to enhance the InsideTracker experience. First, you can only upload DNA (new or existing) results and further blood test information from InsideTracker or another organization with the subscription plan. You can add previous blood test results or future ones. A discount is applied if you choose to use InsideTracker for future blood tests, plus you can schedule a DNA test through the company. Subsequently, you can import DNA tests from AncestryDNA and 23andMe. InsideTracker then uses this information to adjust your wellness plan and show improvements in the app.
My first thought about the subscription plan was that it was InsideTracker’s way of getting more money out of its users. That’s technically true, but it also makes sense. If, for example, you only want to test yourself once to have InsideTracker create an action plan, you can do so after experiencing the entire program for 12 months. However, if you want to continue after the first year, it makes sense for InsideTracker to collect a fee.
What about insurance? InsideTracker does not directly accept insurance for its programs, but they are eligible for coverage by HSA/FSA benefits under some insurance plans.
Is InsideTracker worth it?
InsideTracker is not just for middle-aged individuals with health issues. Even if you’re younger and seemingly healthy, the insights from the blood test results can be valuable. They might reveal potential health concerns you weren’t aware of, making it a proactive tool for health optimization.
What sets InsideTracker apart for me is the results and how they are presented in the app alongside the recommendations. The ability to integrate daily fitness data is a unique feature that enhances the experience. This level of comprehensive health tracking has not yet been offered by my health care provider or even by alternatives to InsideTracker.
Thorne, for example, offers numerous tests, including ones specific to gut health, weight management, and fertility. It also provides comprehensive tests, some priced higher than InsideTracker. There’s also SiPhox Health, among others. I have yet to test these options to see how they compare to InsideTracker.
I’d happily argue that InsideTracker is worth every penny.
I plan to keep using InsideTracker to see if the suggestions it provides will improve my long-term health, particularly my InnerAge number. I have been following the recommendations and have lost some weight. I also have an upcoming A1C test to determine if my diabetic numbers have improved or if more work is needed.
Is all of this worth $588 at checkout plus a recurring $149-per-year subscription? That’s ultimately for you and your wallet to decide. But if you want one of the most complete and comprehensive looks at your health, I’d happily argue that it’s worth every penny.
