What an athletic performance panel tests, and how training changes the results
Clinically reviewed by Pedro Alvarez, PA-C, Florida-licensed Physician Associate (PA9113765) · Last reviewed 2026-10-06
The short answer
An athletic performance panel is one morning blood draw that checks ten things active people often ask about: blood counts, a metabolic panel, total and free testosterone, morning cortisol, vitamin D, iron with ferritin, vitamin B12, magnesium, hs-CRP and creatine kinase. At Goza, in Florida, it costs $172.20 including a licensed provider’s review. No insurance is needed.
What is in the panel
| Test | What it looks at | Why it is useful |
|---|---|---|
| Complete blood count | Red cells, white cells, platelets, hemoglobin | Can point to anemia, which limits endurance |
| Comprehensive metabolic panel | 14 substances, including electrolytes, kidney and liver markers | A broad check of hydration, kidney and liver function |
| Total and free testosterone | Testosterone in the blood, measured by a precise method | Part of the picture for energy and recovery |
| Cortisol (morning) | Your main stress hormone | Highest in the morning; stress and exercise raise it |
| Vitamin D | Your vitamin D status | Low levels can weaken bones |
| Iron, TIBC and ferritin | Iron in the blood and in storage | Low stored iron causes tiredness and poor concentration |
| Vitamin B12 | Your B12 level | Low B12 can leave you tired or weak |
| Magnesium | Magnesium in the blood | One of the minerals active people ask about most |
| hs-CRP | A sensitive marker of inflammation | Rises with inflammation from any cause |
| Creatine kinase (CK) | An enzyme that leaks from muscle when it is stressed or injured | Rises after hard training |
Training changes these numbers
This is the part most people miss.
- Creatine kinase rises after hard exercise. MedlinePlus advises avoiding intense exercise and alcohol for a few days before the test so the result is accurate.
- Cortisol rises with stress and exercise. It is normally highest in the morning, so the draw is done then.
- hs-CRP rises with any inflammation, including a hard session, a cold or an injury.
If you test the morning after a race or a heavy lifting day, several results can look abnormal when nothing is wrong. Plan the draw for a rested morning.
What this panel is, and is not
It is a health check built around questions active people ask: am I low on iron, is my vitamin D adequate, is something medical behind my fatigue.
It is not a fitness score. No result on this panel improves performance by itself, and there is no national guideline recommending routine blood panels for healthy athletes. The value comes from finding something fixable, such as low iron, or from ruling out a medical cause for a slump.
Women with heavy periods and frequent blood donors are among the groups the National Institutes of Health lists as more likely to run low on iron.
Goza does not prescribe controlled substances, including testosterone. A low testosterone result is explained and referred to your primary care provider.
How to prepare
- Rest first. Avoid intense exercise and alcohol for 2 to 3 days before your draw.
- Go between 7 and 9 AM, fasting for 10 to 12 hours. Quest collects the morning cortisol only in that window, and asks for a morning fasting sample for iron. Water is fine, and arriving well hydrated helps.
- Tell us if you take prednisone or another steroid. Quest does not recommend this cortisol test for people on prednisone.
- Mind your biotin. Quest advises drawing at least 8 hours after a regular dose of biotin and at least 72 hours after a high dose.
- Tell us what you take, including creatine, pre-workout products, protein supplements and anything sold for testosterone or recovery.
- Wait if you are sick or injured.
What happens after your draw
- Results usually arrive in 1 to 3 business days.
- A licensed Goza provider reviews them and sends you a written explanation of what is in range, what is not, and what to do next.
- If a result needs follow-up, you choose what happens next. You can book a video visit with a Goza provider to go over it and discuss any treatment we can offer by telehealth. Or we refer you to your primary care provider, or to other in-person care when that fits better. Either way, we say plainly which one applies.
Lab results are information, not a diagnosis on their own, and this panel is not for emergencies. If you have chest pain, trouble breathing, or any urgent symptom, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
What it costs
- $172.20 all-in on Fullscript, our lab partner. That covers the lab tests, the draw at Quest, and the provider’s review of your results.
- Goza members: $123.20. The $49 clinician review fee is waived for members on every lab order.
- At-home blood draw is available for an extra $85.
- No insurance is needed, and nothing is billed to insurance.
About Goza
Goza is a Florida telehealth practice. Florida-licensed clinicians treat common conditions by message visit ($79) or video visit ($99), and review every lab panel ordered through Goza. We care for adults 18 and older who are physically in Florida, in English or Spanish. No insurance is needed. Goza does not prescribe controlled substances.
Frequently asked questions
My CK is high. Is that dangerous?
After hard training, a raised CK is expected. Your provider looks at how high it is, how you feel and when you last trained. Dark urine with severe muscle pain is an emergency and needs in-person care right away.
Can this tell me if I am overtraining?
No single blood test diagnoses overtraining. The panel can find or rule out medical contributors to fatigue.
Do I need to fast?
Yes, 10 to 12 hours, water only, with the draw between 7 and 9 AM.
How often should athletes test?
There is no set schedule. Your provider will suggest a recheck only if a result needs follow-up.
Ready to order?
ORDER THIS PANEL
Athletic Performance Panel
$172.20 Members $123.20
Labs, blood draw at Quest and provider review included · no insurance needed
Sources
- Quest Diagnostics. Test Directory, patient preparation and collection instructions for each test in this panel, read 2026-10-06. https://testdirectory.questdiagnostics.com/
- MedlinePlus. Creatine Kinase. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/creatine-kinase/
- MedlinePlus. Cortisol Test. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/cortisol-test/
- MedlinePlus. C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test and Medical Encyclopedia C-reactive protein (reviewed 1/28/2025). https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/c-reactive-protein-crp-test/ · https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003356.htm
- MedlinePlus. Complete Blood Count (CBC). https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/complete-blood-count-cbc/
- MedlinePlus. Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP). https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/comprehensive-metabolic-panel-cmp/
- MedlinePlus. Testosterone Levels Test. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/testosterone-levels-test/
- MedlinePlus. Iron Tests and Ferritin Blood Test. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/iron-tests/ · https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/ferritin-blood-test/
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron: Fact Sheet for Consumers. Updated August 17, 2023. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-Consumer/
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin D: Fact Sheet for Consumers. Updated November 8, 2022. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B12: Fact Sheet for Consumers. Updated December 15, 2023. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Magnesium: Fact Sheet for Consumers. Updated March 22, 2021. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-Consumer/
- MedlinePlus. Fasting for a Blood Test. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/fasting-for-a-blood-test/
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