Junior Athlete Plus panel

• Learn how to prepare for a blood sample HERE.
• Before giving a blood sample, we recommend that you avoid intense training for 1-2 days. Intense and prolonged muscle activity can have a misleading effect on the interpretation of the results when the test is taken immediately after exercise. For example, it may increase the activity of creatine kinase, the level of leukocytes, and the absolute neutrophil count.
• Watch the video on how to prepare for giving the sample:

• The results will be displayed in minu.synlab.ee and terviseportaal.ee.
• To interpret the results, you may need to consult a healthcare professional.
• If you have any questions, we recommend that you book a consultation with our lab doctor. You can book an appointment HERE.

At the age of 12-19, the human body develops and grows very quickly, and this poses certain challenges for the body. For example, in this period the musculoskeletal system and immune system are weakened and the need for minerals and vitamins is higher. Furthermore, along with sexual maturation, the body undergoes hormonal changes, which in turn aggravate the challenges. If higher-than-average physical activity is added to this, the developing body may not cope well, and various health problems may develop.

The Junior Athlete Plus panel is more thorough than the Young Athlete panel, as it includes four additional tests to assess your overall health status, key health risks during adolescence and the impact of physical exercise on your body during this rapid development and growth period.

The haemogram shows, among other things, the amount of red blood cells (erythrocytes) and haemoglobin, and it helps assess your body’s ability to maintain an oxygen supply along with its endurance during exercise.

Ferritin is a test that assesses iron stores. Iron is necessary for muscle work, ensuring performance and endurance, muscle recovery, haemoglobin production and oxygen transport.

C-reactive protein helps to identify inflammatory processes and the presence of muscular damage.

Glucose is the primary energy source for cells.

Aspartate aminotransferase participates in protein metabolism and reflects the intensity of muscle work. It helps to detect the overtraining syndrome or presence of any damage, as well as post-exercise muscle recovery.

The function of creatinine kinase is to ensure that working muscles have enough energy and that energy reserves are stored during rest periods. The test reflects the intensity of muscle work, helps detect the overtraining syndrome or presence of any damage and assesses post-exercise muscle recovery.

Creatinine reflects the volume of muscle mass, muscle work intensity, and post-exercise muscle recovery.

Urea reflects the consumption of protein necessary for the body’s growth and muscle development, increased breakdown of protein to generate additional energy and post-exercise recovery.

Vitamin D is, among other things, necessary for muscle work, ensuring balance and coordination, glucose metabolism, heart function and blood pressure regulation, and immune system functioning. With increased physical activity, the need for vitamin D also increases.

Cholesterol is important for the normal functioning of body cells as well as the production of sex hormones and vitamin D. High cholesterol causes damage to blood cells and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Increased physical activity also puts more strain on the heart. Increased cholesterol levels may occur due to a genetic predisposition and develop at an early age.  

The thyroid-stimulating hormone helps to assess the thyroid function. Thyroid hormones play an important role in coping with physical and emotional stress. Lack of energy, excessive fatigue and low stress tolerance may indicate thyroid diseases.

Magnesium is an important mineral for muscle work, especially for muscle relaxation, ensuring post-exercise recovery and coordination.

Epstein-Barr’s virus antibodies show if the adolescent has contracted the virus that causes infectious mononucleosis. The virus, which remains present in the body, may reactivate in case of excessive physical or mental stress, that is, during high-stress periods, causing lack of energy, excessive fatigue, decreased physical performance, muscular capacity and endurance, weakening of the immune system and increased susceptibility to various infectious diseases, or other non-specific health problems.

Laboratory tests provide an overview of the body's current state, and normal results do not guarantee the absence of all health issues. If symptoms persist, we recommend consulting your general practitioner or booking a consultation with a laboratory doctor.

1. Hemogram with 5-part leukogram, i.e., white blood cell count
2. Ferritin
3. C-reactive protein (high-sensitivity)
4. Glucose
5. Aspartate aminotransferase
6. Creatinine kinase
7. Creatinine
8. Urea
9. Vitamin D
10. Cholesterol
11. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
12. Magnesium in red blood cells
13. Epstein-Barr virus IgG, IgM antibodies