A blood screen for bone health, near Cardiff
Bones lose density silently, often with no symptoms until a fracture happens. This panel checks 20 markers linked to bone health: the chemistry your body uses to build bone, the hormones that protect it, and the common secondary causes of bone loss. One blood sample, next-day results. Self-refer at our Penarth or Cowbridge clinics near Cardiff.
Twenty markers, one blood sample.
What is included for £285
- ✓Blood draw at Penarth or Cowbridge, near Cardiff
- ✓Core bone chemistry: calcium, phosphate, magnesium, ALP, PTH and vitamin D
- ✓Hormones linked to bone loss: testosterone, oestradiol, FSH, LH, SHBG and cortisol
- ✓Thyroid function: TSH, free T4 and free T3
- ✓Kidney and general health: creatinine, eGFR, FBC, CRP and ferritin
- ✓Plain-English report explaining what your results mean, emailed to you
Because bone loss is silent, then serious
Osteoporosis often causes no symptoms at all, right up until a fracture happens. That is why screening matters: caught early, low bone density is genuinely treatable and further loss can be slowed or reversed. This panel looks past the obvious to the hormonal, endocrine and metabolic drivers that can quietly accelerate bone loss.
Catches trouble before a fracture
By the time a bone breaks after a minor fall, a lot of density has already been lost. A blood screen can flag the drivers years earlier, while there is still time to act.
Looks wider than calcium alone
Bone density is shaped by hormones, thyroid function, kidney health and inflammation as much as by calcium. This panel checks all of them so nothing correctable is missed.
A doctor to plan next steps
A screening panel is a starting point, not a diagnosis. Book a private GP appointment to talk through your results and, if it is the right next step, arrange a DEXA bone density scan.
Worth checking if any of this applies to you
Osteoporosis becomes more common with age, but many of the risk factors show up much earlier and can be acted on.
This is a screening blood panel: it finds risk factors and secondary causes that a doctor can act on. It does not measure bone density directly. If low bone density is suspected, a DEXA scan is the next step, which we can help arrange.
Twenty markers, four groups
Bone health is shaped by several systems at once. We check the bone chemistry itself, the hormones that protect against bone loss, thyroid function, and general kidney and inflammation markers. Tap a group to see what is included.
Bone chemistry 6
Hormonal drivers of bone loss 6
Thyroid function 3
Kidney & general health 5
Your report gives a clear result for every marker, flags anything outside the reference range, and explains what it means for your bone health in plain English.
Difficult veins? We find them with ultrasound
This panel needs a small blood sample. If you have fragile or hard-to-find veins and have had failed attempts before, our consultant radiologists can take it under real-time ultrasound. It is the only such service in South Wales, and patients travel to us from across Wales and the West for it.
Nobody had managed to take my blood in years without several attempts. Here it was done first time with the ultrasound. Such a relief.
Verified Google reviewFrom booking to answers, step by step
Book
Self-refer online or by phone. No GP letter needed. Morning appointments give the most reliable hormone readings.
Your appointment
A small blood sample, taking about 15 minutes. Come fasted for 8 hours if possible; water is fine. Tell us about difficult veins and we will use ultrasound.
Your report
A clear result for every marker, usually the next day. Anything outside the reference range is flagged plainly, in plain English, so you know what matters.
Act on it
Optional: book a private GP appointment to talk through your result and, if it is the right next step, arrange a DEXA scan or onward referral.
Osteoporosis Screening panel
All inclusive. Twenty markers covering the drivers of bone loss.
- ✓Blood draw at Penarth or Cowbridge
- ✓20 markers across bone chemistry, hormones, thyroid and kidney
- ✓Plain-English report explaining every result, emailed to you
- ✓Ultrasound-guided draw available for difficult veins
A £50 booking deposit secures your slot and comes off the total.
Common questions about the bone health panel
How much is the Osteoporosis Screening panel?
£285 all inclusive. That covers the blood draw, all 20 markers listed above, and a plain-English report emailed to you. A £50 deposit secures your appointment and comes off the total.
Does this test diagnose osteoporosis?
No, and this is important. The diagnostic test for osteoporosis is a DEXA bone density scan, which measures the density of your bones directly. What this blood panel does is check the biological drivers of bone loss, so a doctor can identify and treat any that are correctable. If your results, symptoms or history suggest it, the next step is usually a DEXA scan, which we can help arrange.
What does the panel actually measure?
Twenty markers grouped by clinical purpose. Bone chemistry: calcium (adjusted), phosphate, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone and vitamin D. Hormones linked to bone loss: testosterone, oestradiol, FSH, LH, SHBG and cortisol. Thyroid function: TSH, free T4 and free T3. Kidney and general health: creatinine, eGFR, full blood count, CRP and ferritin. Together they screen for the common secondary causes of bone loss that a doctor can act on.
Do I need to prepare, or fast?
Yes, best done first thing in the morning after an 8-hour fast; water is fine. Cortisol and thyroid hormones are most reliably read in the morning. If you still have periods, we may ask about your cycle when you book, since FSH, LH and oestradiol shift through the month, so timing helps interpretation.
How long do results take?
Usually the next day. Your report gives a clear result for each marker, flags anything outside the reference range, and explains what it means for you.
Am I too young to worry about this?
Probably not. Peak bone mass is reached in your late twenties, and gradual loss starts in your thirties for many people. Early menopause, low testosterone, long-term medications, coeliac disease and long periods of low body weight can all accelerate that loss. Screening before problems develop is when the results are most actionable.
What happens if a result is abnormal?
Abnormal does not mean serious, but it does mean worth understanding. Book a private GP appointment and one of our doctors will explain your result, discuss whether a DEXA scan or further tests are appropriate, and plan any treatment. Many of the drivers this panel finds, like low vitamin D or an underactive thyroid, are straightforward to correct.
Do I need a GP referral?
No. This is a self-refer test. Book online or call 029 2199 9300.
Where is the blood taken?
At our Penarth clinic (13 Washington Buildings, CF64 2AD) or our Cowbridge clinic (10 High Street, CF71 7AG). Both are a short drive from Cardiff with easy parking.
Want a doctor to plan your next steps?
A screening panel is a starting point. Book a private GP appointment and one of our doctors will explain what your results mean, correct any drivers that can be corrected, and arrange a DEXA scan or onward referral if that is the right next step.
Book a GP appointmentTwo clinics, close to Cardiff
Penarth Clinic
13 Washington Buildings
Stanwell Road, Penarth
CF64 2AD
Mon to Thu 9:00 to 18:00
Fri 9:00 to 17:00
Sat 9:00 to 15:00
Cowbridge Clinic
Beauty Within
10 High Street, Cowbridge
CF71 7AG
By appointment. Please call for availability.
Get directionsPatients travel to us from Cardiff, Penarth, Cowbridge, Barry, Newport, Bridgend and across the Vale of Glamorgan.
Important: This is a screening blood panel that identifies markers linked to bone health and secondary causes of bone loss. It does not measure bone density and does not diagnose osteoporosis on its own; the diagnostic test for osteoporosis is a DEXA bone density scan. Results are most useful when interpreted by a doctor alongside your history and, where appropriate, imaging, so we recommend discussing them with your own GP or booking a private GP appointment with us. Lab values alone do not constitute medical advice.
Look after your bones early.
Self-refer for the Osteoporosis Screening panel: 20 markers covering bone chemistry, hormones, thyroid and kidney function. £285 all inclusive at Penarth or Cowbridge, near Cardiff.