Lab Testing for Longevity: Function Health vs Marek Health vs Hone vs Quest — Compared

Quick summary

Function Health

Function Health runs 100+ biomarkers per draw, twice annually, as an annual membership. The panel covers cardiovascular, metabolic, hormonal, thyroid, immune, nutritional and inflammatory markers in one comprehensive pass.

What it's good for: The most complete consumer health baseline available. If you want to know where every major system stands before you start optimizing, Function Health's first draw is the most efficient way to get there.

What it isn't: A clinical service. Function Health does not prescribe, diagnose or manage treatment. The results require a physician to interpret and act on.

Cost: Annual membership with two comprehensive draws. Add-on panels available. Check current pricing at their site — it has varied since launch.

Verdict for longevity protocols: Strong first choice for establishing a comprehensive baseline. Pair with a physician for interpretation and treatment decisions.

The five longevity markers Function Health covers: ApoB, fasting insulin, HbA1c, hs-CRP, and hormones including total and free testosterone — all included in the standard panel. Full review: Function Health review.

Marek Health

Marek Health is a telehealth clinic with a lab builder that lets you order specific biomarkers individually rather than choosing from fixed panels. They also provide physician-supervised TRT, peptide protocols, and have a community that is unusually literate on the clinical details of hormone optimization.

What it's good for: Patients who know what they want to test and want to build a custom panel without paying for markers they do not need. The TRT support is more sophisticated than most telehealth options.

What it isn't: The cheapest option for a comprehensive baseline — building 20 individual markers in their lab builder costs more than a Function Health membership at standard panel depth.

Verdict for longevity protocols: Best choice if you are already on or considering TRT and want clinical oversight alongside lab flexibility. Less efficient than Function Health for a first-pass comprehensive baseline. Full review: Marek Health review.

Hone Health

Hone is the most consumer-friendly entry point to testosterone testing and TRT. The initial evaluation includes a home blood test kit, physician review, and — if indicated — prescription and ongoing management, all delivered via telehealth.

What it's good for: Men who suspect low testosterone and want a clear, guided pathway from test to treatment without managing the process themselves.

What it isn't: A comprehensive longevity panel. Hone's testing is focused on hormones and the markers directly relevant to TRT candidacy — not the full metabolic and cardiovascular baseline.

Is Hone legit: Yes. Hone is a registered telehealth platform with physician oversight and real prescriptions. It is not a supplement company dressed up as a clinic.

Verdict for longevity protocols: Best for the TRT evaluation and initiation process. Not a substitute for a comprehensive annual panel. Full review: Hone Health review.

Labcorp OnDemand and Quest Health

Both offer direct-to-consumer lab testing without a physician order, with testing at their own collection sites.

Labcorp OnDemand: Broad test menu, individual ordering, results in the patient portal. Good for specific repeat tests (HbA1c, CBC, lipid panel) where you know exactly what you need.

Quest Health: Similar model, similar pricing. Quest has more collection sites in some regions; Labcorp in others.

Key question (commonly searched): Quest and Labcorp are separate companies with separate testing infrastructure. A Quest lab order cannot be taken to a Labcorp site, and vice versa.

Verdict for longevity protocols: Best for cost-conscious individual marker monitoring once you have a baseline. Not efficient for first-pass comprehensive testing.

Which service for which situation

• Starting from zero — no baseline: Function Health membership covers the most ground most efficiently.
• Evaluating for TRT: Hone for a guided entry-level evaluation; Marek Health if you want more clinical depth and control.
• Already on TRT, monitoring protocol: Marek Health lab builder or Labcorp OnDemand for specific markers on a defined schedule.
• Annual comprehensive check beyond hormones: Function Health.

For the specific labs to order before starting TRT, see the pre-TRT lab panel. For the longevity biomarkers to prioritize, see the longevity optimization protocol.

Frequently asked questions