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Thriva Review: Is This Blood Test Subscription Actually Worth It?

Written by Samantha Odake | Last updated:

Overview

Thriva offers subscription-based blood tests within the UK costing an average of $90. Users can also upload past test results to receive insights on each lab marker, but no personalized health recommendations. Thriva only covers a limited number of health topics and markers.

Pros

  • Offers at-home test kits.
  • Provides descriptions and related articles about each lab marker.
  • Users can upload past test results.

Cons

  • No DNA testing.
  • Only offers less than 20 lab tests.
  • No personalized health recommendations based on uploaded results.
  • Tests are only available in the UK.
  • Does not provide scientific references with lab results.

About Thriva

Thriva Health is a blood testing company that was founded in 2015 by Eliot Brooks, Hamish Grierson, and Tom Livesey. They are headquartered in London, England.

Their testing services are only available in the UK. The company maintains that they are not a diagnostic service and do not aim to replace doctors.

Review of Thriva Products & Features

Thriva offers blood tests you can take at home. To get started, you need to create an account and answer a few questions regarding diet, lifestyle, and medical history. Based on your answers, you’ll be given a general health score.

Thriva health score

After ordering from Thriva, you’ll receive your at-home test kits within five working days so you can collect a blood sample.

The company claims they aim to upload results to the user dashboard within two working days. They will send an email letting you know they are ready to be viewed.

Thriva blood tests work as a subscription. You can choose which tests to add to your subscription and how often you want to receive them. Tests only include 14 preset packages, which you cannot modify to fit your needs. They are:

  • Liver function (7 biomarkers)
  • HbA1c (1 biomarker)
  • Apolipoproteins and cholesterol profile (11 biomarkers)
  • Cholesterol – Lipid Profile (8 biomarkers)
  • Creatinine (2 biomarkers)
  • CRP High Sensitivity (1 biomarker)
  • B12 Active (1 biomarker)
  • B12 Total (1 biomarker)
  • Vitamin D (1 biomarker)
  • Testosterone (1 biomarker)
  • Testosterone Profile – Free or Unbound (4 biomarkers)
  • Ferritin (1 biomarker)
  • Thyroid Profile (2 biomarkers)
  • Thyroid Advanced Profile (6 biomarkers)

Thriva makes it clear they do not test for important biomarkers, such as full blood count, magnesium, zinc, or fasting insulin. This means you’ll be missing markers that play an important role in your health.

Interested in getting your labs analyzed? SelfDecode gives you insights into over 1,000 lab markers and your DNA to help you optimize your health

Review of Thriva Reports

You’ll be able to view and track your lab results within the platform. Thriva adds color-coded graphics containing your test results.

With your results, you can view articles related to the specific biomarker, and a more detailed explanation of what it is, its functions, and what can cause it to change.

Thriva also includes a list of actions you can take to influence said marker, but they disclose that the information is general and not directly related to your results. Also bear in mind that there are no scientific studies referenced in this section.

You can view a sample report for LDL cholesterol below.

Thriva blood test results

Thriva does not allow you to change the time range on the graphic, so you won’t be able to select which results you can view. It can also be bothersome to edit the values you previously entered, as there is no option to do so from the dedicated marker page.

The company claims lab tests performed by them are reviewed by a general practitioner.

Thriva provides Health Plans that include weekly tasks for customers to complete. If you haven’t signed up for a subscription, your plan will only take into consideration predicted test results and your health profile information, but not uploaded results. Even if you order tests after your health plan started, it will not be updated to take into account your results.

Thriva health plan

Plans are set to last for 12 weeks and aim to improve your health score. They include diet, supplement, and lifestyle recommendations, as can be seen below. You can click on each task and enter how many times a week you completed it. Here, Thriva also provides links to scientific studies to support their suggestions.

Tasks

Plans are limited in the sense that you won’t be able to tailor them to fit your individual needs. Thriva does claim to take into account your answers to their intake questionnaire, but there is no option to customize your health plans based on what works for you or to account for tasks you already include in your routine.

Thriva Cost

Thriva blood test subscription starts with a base price of £21 ($30), plus the tests added to the package ($6 – $25). On their website, they claim the average package price is £69 ($90). You’ll be charged when you take each test, which Thriva recommends you do every three months.

You can manage your subscription, add or remove tests, and change test date from your account.

Health Recommendations from Thriva

Thriva delivers basic health plans, which they claim are based on test results and health profile recommendations. However, they don’t take into account the results you upload to their platform.

You also won’t be able to customize your health plans or set different frequencies and durations for each task. Plans are set to run for 12 weeks and cannot be changed. You cannot add or remove tasks.

Regarding lab results, Thriva does offer general suggestions on how to improve a health marker, however, they disclose that these are not related to your results. You’ll receive the same standardized report regardless of where your levels are.

Review of Thriva Privacy & Data Security

Thriva claims to never share health information with anyone other than the doctor who reviews the test results. They claim to store data on secure servers based in the European Union and to comply with the UK Data Protection Act.

They may anonymize and aggregate data to create health reports for marketing purposes. They may also share this information with third parties for academic research.

Thriva Reviews

Trustpilot – 4.4 of 5 stars

Many customers complain about difficulty completing the blood sample collection. One customer reports they found the service impersonal and that they received very basic responses and no doctor advice.

Facebook

One customer complains about hidden costs with Thriva and shares that they expected a more detailed analysis for the price of the tests. Users also share their issues collecting their blood samples.

Alternatives to Thriva

While Thriva does offer basic health plans based on test results and health profiles, they are limited by the number of biomarkers they analyze. It’s also not possible to customize your plan to better fit your specific needs by adding or removing a task.

If you’re interested in a more comprehensive analysis of your lab results, SelfDecode could be a better option for you.

You can upload your lab results to SelfDecode get an analysis of over 1,500 lab markers. Track your results over time and see detailed explanations of how they affect your health.

But that’s not all you get when you sign up for SelfDecode. Users can also upload a DNA file and receive insights into their genetic predispositions and personalized health recommendations based on their genes.

For users who need a DNA kit, SelfDecode offers two options:

By combining DNA, labs, and environmental data, you’ll receive the most complete picture of your health with SelfDecode. You can easily build your own health plan by adding your personalized recommendations directly from DNA and lab reports, and set the frequency and duration of each recommendation to best fit your lifestyle.

When it comes to ancestry, SelfDecode in-depth ethnicity percentage breakdown, as well as a color-coded map that can help you easily discover where you’re from. You’ll be able to trace your maternal lineage back through the ages, learning where they started in the world, and the journey that they took to get to where you are today. Ancestry Insights is only available with a SelfDecode DNA kit.

You can get started with SelfDecode by uploading your DNA for free.

Comparisons

SelfDecode Thriva WellnessFX InsideTracker
Personalized & holistic health recommendations Yes Yes (limited) No Yes (limited)
Genes & lab markers analyzed Up to 83 million genetic variants and over 1,000 lab markers Less than 50 lab markers 50+ lab markers 261 genetic markers and 43 lab markers
Products Free lab & DNA testing, DNA and lab testing, wellness reports, research-based health recommendations, lab test analyzer, ancestry Lab testing & reports, health plans Lab test packages, practitioner consultations, informational blog posts Blood and DNA testing, health and fitness reporting
Raw data access Yes N/A N/A No
Cost (USD) Start free

Plans from $99-$249

Average of $90 every three months $78 – $925 $119 – $589

Thriva Review Summary

Thriva’s blood tests can offer you information regarding your lab results and some general guidance on how to improve your overall health. However, recommendations are not tailored to your unique results, and you won’t be able to customize your health plans to fit your lifestyle.

More so, Thriva only analyzes less than 50 lab markers, potentially leaving out many that can affect your health. If you want a more comprehensive approach to your health, there are other alternatives you can consider.

With SelfDecode, you can upload past results to see how far they are from their optimal range, and receive detailed information about each lab marker. More than that, SelfDecode also looks at your unique DNA to provide personalized diet, lifestyle, and supplement recommendations through detailed wellness reports, with everything supported by peer-reviewed scientific studies.

You can get started with SelfDecode by uploading your DNA for free, or choose the best plan for you.

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