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Thirteen panels in one draw: full sex hormones (testosterone free and total with SHBG, estradiol, FSH, LH), complete thyroid with TPO antibodies, cortisol, CBC with differential, comprehensive metabolic panel, lipids, Vitamin D, and Vitamin B12. Rigorous detail for men and women. Your provider reads every marker in context, not just against a reference range, and connects findings to a treatment plan: HRT candidacy, thyroid management, peptide protocols, weight loss programming, or targeted supplementation.
Hormonal imbalance (low testosterone, estrogen dominance, declining DHEA), thyroid dysfunction including Hashimoto's autoimmune markers, adrenal stress patterns, weight loss resistance, fatigue, brain fog, low libido, mood instability, muscle loss, hair thinning, irregular cycles, perimenopause and menopause symptoms, andropause, metabolic syndrome, and patients who want the full data set before starting HRT, peptides, or a weight loss protocol.
A single fasting blood draw at our Lincoln Park clinic collects samples for 13 panels: CBC with differential, comprehensive metabolic panel, cortisol, estradiol (E2), FSH and LH, free T3, total T4, testosterone (free and total with SHBG), thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO Abs), TSH, Vitamin B12, lipid panel, and Vitamin D (25-OH). Samples are processed through Access Medical Labs. Your provider reviews results as an integrated picture: how your sex hormones relate to your thyroid, how cortisol interacts with your metabolic markers, and where the data points toward a specific intervention rather than a generic supplement stack.
Most hormone tests check testosterone or estradiol in isolation and call it a day. That tells you almost nothing useful. Testosterone without SHBG doesn't show bioavailable levels. TSH without free T3, total T4, and TPO antibodies misses autoimmune thyroid disease and conversion problems entirely. We run 13 panels because hormones don't operate in isolation, and neither should the lab work that informs your treatment. Your results connect directly to our HRT, peptide, weight loss, and wellness programs. Lincoln Park.
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Thirteen panels. One draw. The full picture of your hormones, thyroid, metabolism, and adrenal function.
The Comprehensive Hormone & Metabolism Panel is a 13-panel blood test that maps your hormonal, thyroid, metabolic, and nutritional health in a single fasting draw. It covers sex hormones (testosterone free and total with SHBG, estradiol, FSH, LH), a complete thyroid assessment (TSH, free T3, total T4, and thyroid peroxidase antibodies), adrenal function (cortisol), core metabolic markers (CBC with differential, comprehensive metabolic panel, lipid panel), and key nutrients (Vitamin D and Vitamin B12). The same panel is used for both men and women.
At Better Med Spa in Lincoln Park, Chicago, this panel serves a specific clinical purpose: it provides the data set your provider needs before making treatment decisions about hormone replacement, thyroid management, peptide protocols, weight loss programming, or targeted supplementation. Hormones don't operate in silos. Testosterone levels mean nothing without SHBG context. TSH alone misses thyroid conversion problems and autoimmune disease. Cortisol without metabolic context is incomplete. This panel was built to give your provider the full picture, not fragments of it.
Testosterone, Free and Total, with SHBG: Total testosterone measures everything circulating in your blood, but much of it is bound to sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and unavailable for use. Free testosterone is the fraction your body can actually use at the receptor level. Running both, alongside SHBG, gives your provider the ratio that matters: how much testosterone is bioavailable. In men, low free testosterone with elevated SHBG presents differently than low total testosterone, and the treatment approach differs accordingly. In women, testosterone affects energy, libido, muscle mass, and mood, and is often overlooked entirely in standard lab work.
Estradiol (E2): The primary estrogen in both men and women, though at different concentrations. In women, estradiol levels track ovarian function, cycle regularity, and menopausal status. Declining estradiol is the hallmark of perimenopause and drives symptoms like hot flashes, mood instability, vaginal dryness, and bone density loss. In men, estradiol that's too high relative to testosterone can indicate aromatization (conversion of testosterone to estrogen), which shows up as weight gain, gynecomastia, and reduced libido. This marker is critical for any HRT protocol because managing estradiol is as important as optimizing testosterone.
FSH and LH: Follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone are pituitary hormones that regulate gonadal function. In women, FSH and LH help determine menopausal status and evaluate ovarian reserve. An FSH above 25-30 mIU/mL generally confirms menopause. In men, elevated FSH and LH with low testosterone points to primary hypogonadism (testicular origin), while low FSH/LH with low testosterone suggests secondary hypogonadism (pituitary or hypothalamic). This distinction directly determines the treatment pathway.
TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone): The standard first-line thyroid marker. Elevated TSH suggests the thyroid is underperforming and the pituitary is compensating. But TSH alone tells an incomplete story, which is why most standard physicals miss the nuance.
Free T3: Triiodothyronine is the active thyroid hormone that cells actually use. Your thyroid produces mostly T4, which must be converted to T3 to be active. Some patients have normal TSH and T4 but poor T3 conversion, meaning their thyroid "looks fine" on a basic panel but they're functionally hypothyroid. Free T3 is the marker that catches this pattern.
Total T4: Thyroxine is the primary hormone produced by the thyroid gland. Measuring total T4 alongside TSH and free T3 gives your provider the full conversion picture: is the thyroid producing enough T4, and is the body converting it effectively to active T3?
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPO Abs): This is the marker most doctors skip, and it's arguably the most important one in the thyroid panel. Elevated TPO antibodies indicate autoimmune thyroid disease, most commonly Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which is the leading cause of hypothyroidism in the United States. Patients can have elevated TPO antibodies for years before TSH moves out of range, meaning standard thyroid testing misses the autoimmune process entirely until it's progressed significantly. At Better Med Spa, we include TPO antibodies in every Comprehensive Hormone & Metabolism Panel because catching Hashimoto's early changes the management approach.
Cortisol: Your primary stress hormone, produced by the adrenal glands. Morning cortisol (which is why we schedule fasting morning draws) establishes your baseline adrenal output. Chronically elevated cortisol drives weight gain (particularly visceral fat), insulin resistance, sleep disruption, anxiety, and immune suppression. Chronically low cortisol (adrenal insufficiency) presents as profound fatigue, low blood pressure, and exercise intolerance. Cortisol also interacts directly with thyroid function and sex hormone production, making it essential context for interpreting the rest of the panel. Patients who present with fatigue, weight gain, and "normal" thyroid labs often have a cortisol pattern that explains the disconnect.
CBC with Differential: Complete blood count with white blood cell differential provides hematologic baseline data: red blood cells, white blood cells (with neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophil, and basophil breakdown), hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelets. This panel flags anemia, immune markers, and blood cell production, all of which can be affected by hormonal status. Testosterone replacement, for example, can increase hemoglobin and hematocrit, making the CBC baseline essential for safe HRT monitoring.
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP): Fourteen markers covering glucose, kidney function (BUN, creatinine, eGFR), liver function (ALT, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin), electrolytes, calcium, and protein. Liver and kidney function are monitored during HRT, GLP-1 therapy, and peptide protocols, making the CMP essential baseline data.
Lipid Panel: Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. Lipid levels are influenced by thyroid function (hypothyroidism raises LDL and total cholesterol), sex hormones (declining estrogen in menopause shifts lipid profiles unfavorably), and metabolic health broadly. Reading lipids in the context of the hormone and thyroid data gives your provider a more accurate risk assessment than lipids in isolation.
Vitamin B12: Deficiency is common in patients over 50, those on metformin, patients with GI absorption issues, and vegetarians/vegans. B12 deficiency causes fatigue, neuropathy, cognitive fog, and megaloblastic anemia. For patients presenting with fatigue and brain fog, distinguishing between B12 deficiency, thyroid dysfunction, and hormonal decline requires testing all three, which this panel does.
Vitamin D (25-OH): Vitamin D affects immune function, bone density, mood, muscle recovery, and hormone production. Deficiency is widespread in Chicago, particularly from October through April when UV exposure drops significantly. Levels below 30 ng/mL warrant supplementation, and your provider uses this result to set dosing for oral supplementation or IV therapy repletion.
Get the full hormone, thyroid, and metabolic picture before making any treatment decisions.
The Comprehensive Hormone & Metabolism Panel is the clinical starting point for HRT, peptide therapy, weight loss programs, and longevity optimization at Better Med Spa.
Or call (312) 285-2618
This panel is designed for patients who need more than a basic lab screen. The symptoms, conditions, and clinical goals it addresses include:
Catches what standard hormone tests miss. A testosterone level without SHBG is incomplete. TSH without free T3 and TPO antibodies is incomplete. This panel closes those gaps. Patients routinely come to our Lincoln Park clinic after being told their hormones are "normal" based on one or two markers, when a comprehensive panel reveals the dysfunction that explains their symptoms.
One draw informs multiple treatment pathways. Rather than ordering separate panels for thyroid, hormones, metabolic health, and nutrients, the Comprehensive Hormone & Metabolism Panel consolidates 13 tests into a single fasting blood draw. Your provider uses the integrated results to determine HRT candidacy and dosing, GLP-1 eligibility, thyroid intervention needs, supplement prescribing, IV therapy formulations, and peptide protocol selection.
Identifies the root cause of overlapping symptoms. Fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, low libido, and mood instability can be caused by low testosterone, thyroid dysfunction, cortisol imbalance, B12 deficiency, or Vitamin D depletion. These symptoms overlap so heavily that testing only one system guarantees you'll miss the actual driver. This panel tests all five systems in one draw, letting your provider identify the root cause rather than guessing.
Establishes the baseline for safe HRT monitoring. Hormone replacement therapy requires ongoing monitoring of not just hormone levels but also CBC (testosterone can raise hematocrit), liver function, lipids, and metabolic markers. The Comprehensive Panel provides the pre-treatment baseline that makes safe, data-driven HRT possible. Every retest compares against your own personal starting point.
Detects autoimmune thyroid disease before it becomes hypothyroidism. TPO antibodies can be elevated for years before TSH shifts out of range. By the time most doctors diagnose Hashimoto's, the autoimmune process has already destroyed significant thyroid tissue. Catching elevated TPO antibodies early means your provider can intervene with lifestyle modifications, targeted supplementation, and monitoring before overt hypothyroidism develops.
This panel is appropriate for adult men and women experiencing symptoms of hormonal decline (fatigue, weight changes, low libido, mood shifts, hair loss, muscle loss, sleep disruption), those told their thyroid is "fine" based on TSH-only testing, patients considering HRT who need complete baseline data, women in perimenopause or menopause, men in their 40s or 50s noticing changes in energy and body composition, patients entering peptide, GLP-1, or weight loss protocols, and proactive patients who want longitudinal hormonal and metabolic tracking.
This panel is not appropriate for patients under active fertility treatment managed by a reproductive endocrinologist, patients with diagnosed pituitary tumors or adrenal insufficiency requiring endocrinology oversight, or patients currently on hormone therapy who need specialized monitoring panels beyond what this test covers. If your results reveal findings that require specialist evaluation, your provider will coordinate referrals. Dr. Brechner, Better Med Spa's Medical Director, oversees all diagnostic and treatment protocols.
Step 1: Booking. Schedule your Comprehensive Hormone & Metabolism Panel online or by calling (312) 285-2618. Select a morning slot: fasting is required, and morning draws capture cortisol and testosterone at their physiological peak. The clinic is at 2117 N Halsted St in Lincoln Park, accessible from Old Town, Lakeview, Bucktown, River North, Gold Coast, and the broader North Side of Chicago.
Step 2: Preparation. Fast for 8 to 12 hours. Water and black coffee are fine. Skip supplements the morning of your draw. If you're on prescription medications (including current HRT), take them as directed unless your provider has instructed otherwise. Premenopausal women: your provider may recommend drawing on a specific cycle day (typically day 3) for the most clinically meaningful FSH/LH/estradiol results.
Step 3: The draw. Approximately 10 minutes at the clinic. All 13 panels from a single venous blood draw.
Step 4: Lab processing. Samples go to Access Medical Labs, our CLIA-certified lab partner. Results typically return within 5 to 7 business days.
Step 5: Provider review. This is the step that matters most. Your provider reviews all 13 panels as an integrated data set, calculating ratios (free testosterone to total testosterone, estradiol-to-testosterone ratio in men, triglyceride-to-HDL), identifying patterns across systems, and building a treatment roadmap. The review is conducted in-person at our Lincoln Park clinic or via telehealth for patients anywhere in Illinois.
Step 6: Treatment integration. Based on your results, your provider may recommend HRT initiation or adjustment, thyroid medication or monitoring, peptide protocols, GLP-1/medical weight loss, targeted supplementation (B12, Vitamin D, adaptogens for cortisol management), IV therapy, or specialist referral. Your panel data stays in your record as the longitudinal comparison point for all future labs.
CBC, CMP, TSH, HbA1c, lipid panel, Vitamin D. A solid metabolic and wellness snapshot designed for patients who want broad baseline data or need pre-treatment screening for GLP-1 and weight loss programs. Does not include sex hormones, full thyroid panel, cortisol, or B12. Best for patients focused on metabolic health, cardiovascular risk, and general wellness.
Everything in the Baseline Test (minus HbA1c) plus testosterone (free and total with SHBG), estradiol, FSH, LH, cortisol, free T3, total T4, TPO antibodies, and Vitamin B12. The complete data set for hormone optimization, thyroid diagnosis, and HRT candidacy. Best for patients with hormonal symptoms, those considering HRT, perimenopause/menopause/andropause evaluation, and patients who want the most comprehensive single-draw panel available.
Not sure which panel is right for you? Your provider can help during a consultation. Many patients start with the Advanced Wellness Baseline Test and add the Comprehensive Panel when they're ready to evaluate hormones and thyroid in depth.
$350. The price includes the blood draw, all 13 panels through Access Medical Labs, and your provider's clinical review with an integrated treatment roadmap. We publish pricing because you should not have to book a consultation just to find out what something costs. For patients who retest quarterly or combine this panel with other diagnostics, our membership program reduces per-visit costs. We also accept Cherry financing.
All samples are processed through Access Medical Labs, a CLIA-certified laboratory meeting federal standards for accuracy, reliability, and quality control. Consistency matters for longitudinal testing: when your provider compares your testosterone, thyroid, and cortisol levels from January to July, both draws are processed through the same certified lab with identical methodology and reference ranges. Dr. Brechner selected Access Medical Labs as the diagnostic partner for all Better Med Spa panels based on turnaround times, panel breadth, and reporting quality.
Because testosterone and estradiol exist in a ratio, and managing that ratio is central to effective HRT. Men convert testosterone to estradiol through an enzyme called aromatase. When aromatization is excessive, men develop symptoms like weight gain, gynecomastia, water retention, and mood changes even if their total testosterone looks adequate. The estradiol result tells your provider whether aromatase management (sometimes with an AI or lifestyle modification) is part of the treatment plan. Skipping estradiol in a men's hormone panel is one of the most common and consequential oversights in standard testing.
Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is a protein that binds to testosterone and renders it inactive at the receptor level. You can have normal total testosterone but high SHBG, meaning very little of that testosterone is bioavailable. This is a common pattern in women on oral contraceptives and in men with liver issues, thyroid dysfunction, or aging-related SHBG elevation. Without SHBG, your provider can't calculate bioavailable testosterone, and total testosterone alone can be misleading. This is why our Comprehensive Hormone & Metabolism Panel runs testosterone free and total with SHBG as a unit, not testosterone alone.
Frequency depends on your treatment status. Patients on active HRT typically retest every 8 to 12 weeks during the dose-optimization phase, then every 3 to 6 months once stable. Patients using the panel for general monitoring and longevity tracking do well with biannual testing. Patients on GLP-1 or weight loss protocols should retest metabolic and thyroid markers at 90 days. Your provider at our Lincoln Park clinic will set a retest schedule based on your initial results, treatment plan, and how quickly your markers are expected to shift.
We can order individual panels if that's what your clinical situation calls for. But in most cases, the Comprehensive Hormone & Metabolism Panel is the better value and the better clinical tool because systems interact. A patient who only checks thyroid may miss that their fatigue is actually driven by low testosterone or B12 deficiency. A patient who only checks testosterone may miss that their low libido is thyroid-related. The comprehensive approach costs more upfront but avoids the scenario where you pay for three separate, incomplete panels over three separate visits to arrive at the same data set. Your provider will recommend the right scope during your consultation.
The blood draw must be done in person at our clinic at 2117 N Halsted St in Lincoln Park, Chicago. However, your results review and treatment planning can be conducted via telehealth for patients located anywhere in Illinois. Many of our patients from Lakeview, Old Town, River North, the Gold Coast, West Loop, and Bucktown come in for a quick morning draw and do their follow-up review over video. If you're outside the immediate Chicago area but within Illinois, the same telehealth option applies.
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