Metabolism · Start with a blood test
See what your metabolism is really telling you
Energy crashes, stubborn weight, constant cravings? We read 80+ markers, 21 tied to your metabolism, and turn them into clear next steps with a doctor.
Do you recognise these signs?
When your body's telling you something's off
You know the feeling. Everyone says 'boost your metabolism', but what does that even mean? It can run slow or fast — from low energy and stubborn weight to feeling wired, restless or losing weight without trying. Here's what your blood can actually show.
Energy crashes after meals
That heavy, sleepy slump an hour after eating. It can reflect how your body handles blood sugar, which is measurable.
Weight that won't shift
Stubborn weight, especially around the middle (visceral fat), despite the effort. Often it's less about willpower and more about what's happening with insulin and lipids.
Tired even after sleep
Run-down when you should feel rested. Low iron, vitamin D or an underactive thyroid can all sit behind it, and each is measurable.
Always hungry or craving sugar
Hunger that comes back fast, and cravings you can't explain. Swings in blood sugar and insulin are worth measuring rather than guessing.
Diabetes or heart disease in the family
If it runs in the family, your numbers are worth knowing early. Metabolic risk builds quietly, years before symptoms.
A healthy weight, but not feeling fit
You can be a normal weight and still have your blood sugar or lipids drifting. The scale doesn't show everything.
Stop guessing.Start knowing.
Most people try another crash diet, or a 'metabolism-boosting' supplement, while the thing actually driving it, maybe insulin resistance, maybe your lipids, goes unchecked. One test replaces the guesswork.
One value rarely tells the whole story.
The interesting findings come from reading markers together, and sometimes a scan sees what blood can't.
What we measure
Your metabolism is built from many parts
21 markers — the ones that run your metabolism, and the ones that show where it's under strain.
Blood sugar & insulin
Fasting glucose, HbA1c, insulin and HOMA-IR show how your body handles sugar, often years before a problem shows.
4 markers screen for
Thyroid
TSH, free T3, free T4 and their ratios flag an under- or overactive thyroid, a common and treatable driver of fatigue, weight and mood.
5 markers screen for
Lipids & cardiovascular
LDL, HDL, triglycerides and ApoB read the fats that quietly drive long-term cardiovascular risk — you won't feel them, which is exactly why they're worth measuring.
6 markers screen for
Liver & metabolic
ALT, GGT, uric acid and more can point to the strain a struggling metabolism puts on your liver, though blood alone can miss fatty liver.
6 markers screen for
Beyond your blood test
An MRI sees what your blood can't
Blood shows how your metabolism is running. A whole-body MRI shows where fat is stored and how your metabolic organs look, with no radiation.
Visceral fat
Visceral fat sits deep around your organs, not under your skin, and it carries more metabolic risk than the fat you can pinch.
Liver fat
Liver fat is stored inside the organ itself, and it often builds up quietly, before your liver enzymes move out of range.
Muscle & composition
Muscle takes up most of the glucose in your blood, so its mass and quality tell you more about your metabolism than weight does.
How it works
Four steps to know your metabolic health
From booking to a doctor-reviewed action plan in under a week.
Book online in 2 minutes
Choose a time at one of our 11 ISO-certified partner labs across Switzerland. No referral needed. Come fasted so we can standardise your glucose and iron readings.
15-minute blood draw
A small sample is all it takes. 80+ markers analysed in accredited laboratories using validated clinical assays, without the hospital.
Add a scan for the full picture
If you want to see what blood cannot show, add a contrast-free full-body MRI. It measures the visceral and liver fat the scale misses, plus the muscle that protects your metabolism, and you can book it with your bloods or come back for it later.
Doctor-reviewed results + action plan
Within 5-7 days, a licensed physician reviews every marker and turns the data into clear, personal steps, not a PDF of numbers.
Your report
Not a spreadsheet. A plan you can act on.
A licensed physician reviews every marker. You get a clear read on which of your 21 markers are off, and the steps to bring them back into range.
Prof. Dr. med. Olivio DonatiYour recent health check-up provides a detailed overview of your health, showing some very positive developments alongside a few areas that warrant attention. The most notable findings are related to age-appropriate wear-and-tear in your spine.
Real results from real people
Every health journey is unique. Read how others took control of their health with Ahead.
A check-up should tell you more
What you get back matters as much as the appointment itself. Here's how it compares to the one you're used to.
Ahead check-up
- Integrated MRI and blood results in one report
- 80+ biomarkers, 21 tied to your metabolism
- A personal action plan with clear next steps
- Written in plain language, not medical jargon
- Your results tracked year over year
- Physician-reviewed before delivery
Typical GP check-up
- Separate results for imaging and blood work
- 15–20 routine markers
- Numbers without context or an action plan
- Medical terminology, needs a doctor to interpret
- No year-on-year comparison or tracking
- Automated or briefly reviewed
Start simple, or see the whole picture
The bloods read your metabolism. Add imaging to see where fat is actually stored, in the same visit.
Single blood test
One snapshot 80+ biomarker blood test
One time
CHF 299
- Advanced 80+ biomarker blood test
- Personal report & action plan
- —Full-body MRI, body composition and organs
- —What blood can't show: visceral and liver fat
- —Chemistry and structure, read in one visit
Bloods + full-body MRI
Chemistry and structure, in one visit
One time
from CHF 2'490
- Advanced 80+ biomarker blood test
- Personal report & action plan
- Full-body MRI, body composition and organs
- What blood can't show: visceral and liver fat
- Chemistry and structure, read in one visit
Start with the bloods to read your metabolism, or go straight to the full picture, where visceral and liver fat actually show up.
Prof. Dr. med. Edouard Battegay
Emeritus Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Zurich. Head of the International Center for Multimorbidity and Complexity in Medicine.
Prof. Dr. Benedikt Wiestler
Professor of AI for image-guided diagnosis and therapy at the Technical University of Munich.
Prof. Dr. med. Michael Fischer
Professor of Radiology at the University of Zurich, abdominal and musculoskeletal specialist.
Prof. Dr. med. Olivio Donati
Professor of Radiology at the University of Zurich, oncology specialist and leading Swiss prostate expert.
Dr. med. Anna Erat, MD, PhD
Harvard Medical School-trained prevention expert. Faculty position at the University of St. Gallen Executive School.
Frequently asked questions
Read all FAQs →
Advanced blood test · Metabolism
See your metabolism, clearly.
Know which of your 21 metabolic markers are off, and the steps to bring them back. Doctor-reviewed, ready in 5-7 days. Book in under two minutes.
No referral needed · Doctor-reviewed action plan