Bryan M. Wolfe / Digital Trends
When you think about pedigree , engineering science in all likelihood is n’t the first thing that come to nous . However , recent technical advancements have allow our rakehell to offer insights into our health . InsideTrackeris a service that combines the analysis of blood markers with data and lifestyle information to provide health advice . To profit from this religious service , you must give a rip sampling , download an app , and enthrone some of your sentence . The upshot ? The chance to populate a longer life .
I recently had the opportunity to test InsideTracker to see what the fuss was about . give my background and some ongoing wellness issue , I thirstily volunteer as a tester .
The experience has been eye - possible action , to say the least , and could benefit others seek to improve their long - term health .
My health journey
At the beginning of 2023 , I start out experiencing episodic pain in my left arm . After undergoing several trial , I was touch to a cardiologist who finally performed a affectionateness catheterisation procedure , during which a stent was placed in one of my coronary artery . This , along with being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes a year earlier , made me realize the need to make significant change to ameliorate my health .
Both my primary medico and heart specialist counsel me to lose weight , work out more , and rust a more balanced diet to improve my Type 2 diabetes and heart health . They prescribed medication to help with my circumstance , and I followed their advice sharply for over a year . I also increase my strong-arm action , added more fruit and vegetable to my diet , and reduced my intake of spoilt carbs . As a result , I lost some weight , and my A1C levels ameliorate to the point where I was now regard “ pre - diabetic . ”
I have made some noticeable procession and am gallant of my achievements . However , after much trial and error , I ’ve come to realize that dieting and exercise alone are not sufficient to aid me achieve my goal , which are to lose more weight and reduce the number of medicament I take day by day .
What InsideTracker promises
The opportunity to try InsideTracker come at a stark prison term for me , both as someone who want to improve my health and as a technical school author who is always look for the next young thing to report on .
For years , expert have bed that stock can unlock many secrets about our wellness . This is no dubiousness why Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos attempted , then failed miserably , to figure out a mode of using one drop of blood to test for various ailments and other factors .
InsideTracker maneuver by drawing rip and testing it using 47 biomarkers . The results are mensurable indicators that provide data about your biologic state or circumstance . However , InsideTracker snuff it beyond this . It combines this information with your general wellness history and life-style factors to supply individualised wellness penetration and recommendations .
This distinct approach empower you to well control your wellness by understanding what ’s happening inside your eubstance . As InsideTracker explains , one of its most important goals is to help you strain your “ healthspan , ” determine as the years spent in salutary wellness without avoidable chronic disease .
Who would n’t desire that ?
How it all works
InsideTracker offer two program : Foundation and Ultimate . I was offered a credit for the Ultimate programme , which examines 10 healthspan categories that focalize on metamorphosis , sleep , fitness , and more . It also probe 47 biomarkers as part of the appendage . The result is a customizable action mechanism plan that you could use to amend your wellness .
After choosing a plan , it ’s time to schedule a blood draw . you’re able to visit a local lab or have a wellness care professional inflict your home to do the draw . For restroom , I chose the latter . It took about two workweek from the sentence I signed up for a plan for a nursemaid to chit-chat my family to do the blood drawing card .
I ’ve had legion blood line draws throughout the years , especially since being diagnosed with diabetes , and this one was only different in one way : They need a much larger amount of blood line than typical blood draws . All this meant was that drawing the bloodline took a few more second ( not minutes ) .
Once the blood is collected and correct to a research laboratory , it takes about two weeks to receive your results . In the interim , you ’re asked to download the InsideTracker app and make out a comprehensive health visibility . This profile covers a wide-cut scope of info , let in your current nutrition and do routine , lifestyle habits , and more , ensuring a thorough apprehension of your health status .
The app , usable foriOSandAndroid , can also import day-to-day seaworthiness tracker selective information from Apple Health , Oura Ring , Garmin , andFitbit .
Since InsideTracker is asking for your blood and personal selective information , security is integral to the outgrowth . 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 call for data is encrypted . And , perhaps most significantly , your in person 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 - percentage point weighing machine . These include bowel health , cognition , heart health , inflammation , metabolic process , retrieval , eternal sleep , fitness , hormone equaliser , and survival . disregardless of whether a healthspan is rated as “ optimal , ” “ salutary , ” “ fair , ” or “ ask study , ” you ’re given elaborated recommendations for betterment .
I ’m get worry with my bowel health , the only region rated “ need work . ” I did n’t realize what gut health meant or that mine was in speculative shape until I saw the results in the app . Details in the app show my rating was low-down because of being overweight and get diabetes , which did n’t occur as a surprisal . These issues are causing a gamy degree of firing , borderline mellow glucose , and high triglyceride .
The recommendations go well beyond losing weighting and are very specific .
The recommendation go well beyond drop off weight unit and are very specific — such as lead a probiotic , consuming more olive rock oil , and taking a vitamin D accessory . Other than taking the vitamin accessory , my doctor did not give me any of these recommendations ground on my less - thoroughgoing blood tests .
When my attention sour to my “ InnerAge , ” things became more concerning . This number is basically your chronological geezerhood with adjustments for your biomarker levels . My A1C and inflammation indicators alone add 7.2 days to my chronological age . The overall results suggest I am 10 twelvemonth older than I am . Gulp .
Once again , recommendations are suggested as part of an overall programme for improved health .
Plans, pricing, and looking ahead
InsideTracker ’s Ultimate programme is priced at $ 489 and includes every type of test InsideTracker offer . The $ 348 Foundation programme limits the blood haulage to examination on your heart , brainpower , intestine , and immune system . This price includes a one - yr subscription plan that allows you to extend the political program beyond your first blood test . After the first year , go forward the serve costs $ 149 per year . If you want the InnerAge feature , that ’s another $ 99 . Once all was said and done , the adaptation I test costs $ 588 on InsideTracker ’s website right now .
The subscription plan include various features to enhance the InsideTracker experience . First , you could only upload DNA ( new or existing ) results and further blood test information from InsideTracker or another organization with the subscription plan . you’re able to add previous blood test consequence or future single . A rebate is apply if you choose to practice InsideTracker for succeeding bloodline tests , plus you may schedule a DNA mental testing through the fellowship . Subsequently , you’re able to spell DNA trial from AncestryDNA and 23andMe . InsideTracker then uses this selective information to adjust your wellness architectural plan and show improvement in the app .
My first persuasion about the subscription plan was that it was InsideTracker ’s means of getting more money out of its user . That ’s technically true , but it also realise sense . If , for example , you only want to test yourself once to have InsideTracker create an natural process plan , you could do so after experiencing the entire program for 12 month . However , if you require to continue after the first year , it pretend sense for InsideTracker to collect a fee .
What about insurance policy ? InsideTracker does not like a shot take insurance for its programs , but they are eligible for reportage by HSA / FSA benefit under some insurance policy plans .
Is InsideTracker worth it?
InsideTracker is not just for midway - aged soul with wellness issues . Even if you ’re young and apparently goodish , the insights from the stemma test upshot can be valuable . They might reveal likely health business concern you were n’t aware of , making it a proactive tool for health optimisation .
What sets InsideTracker aside for me is the results and how they are presented in the app alongside the recommendations . The ability to integrate daily physical fitness data is a unique characteristic that enhances the experience . This level of comprehensive health tracking has not yet been offer by my health tutelage provider or even by alternatives to InsideTracker .
Thorne , for exemplar , offer legion psychometric test , including ones specific to gut wellness , weight direction , and fertility . It also provides comprehensive tests , some priced high-pitched than InsideTracker . There ’s also SiPhox Health , among others . I have yet to prove 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 ameliorate my retentive - term health , in particular my InnerAge number . I have been following the recommendations and have lose some weight . I also have an forthcoming A1C test to determine if my diabetic number have improved or if more work is needed .
Is all of this worth $ 588 at checkout plus a recur $ 149 - per - year subscription ? That ’s at last for you and your wallet to decide . But if you want one of the most thoroughgoing and comprehensive spirit at your health , I ’d blithely argue that it ’s worth every penny .
