A few weeks ago a new company – Thriva – got in touch with me to ask if I wanted to trial out and feedback to them on their new products. As a Nutritionist and blogger it isn’t unusual for me to be asked to trial out products, but as this one was quite different, and I could see some real practical benefits to its use, I was really keen to give it a go.
What is Thriva?
Thriva is a smart, finger-prick blood test that you can use at home. Something I’d never really heard about before, but a concept that I felt straight away could have multiple benefits to members of the public as well as health care professionals. Currently they have two different options for the test kits: “Lifestyle” (£29.00) which tests blood cholesterol and liver function and “Energy” (£49.00) which tests vitamin D, thyroid function and iron levels in your blood.
Thriva’s at home blood testing kits:
The process to complete these finger-prick home blood tests was very impressive. Forget about delayed appointments, GP waiting rooms and minimal feedback from your results. Thriva offer a very efficient service, with just a few clicks of the button.
Having recently had some blood tests done at my local GP surgery, I was quite astounded by the speed with which I went from ordering the test, to receiving my feedback from the team. All in all the whole process was around 2 days.
Taking the Thriva at home blood test…
I chose to trial the “Energy” test kit, as I had never been offered, or had my vitamin D levels tested before, and because I know I have a family history of thyroid problems. Additionally, vitamin D has become a widely debated topic and recent recommendations suggest many of us could benefit from taking vitamin D supplements at certain times of the year.
The test kit comes in a very compact, neat little box which opens out to contain a few lancets to prick your finger, a collection tube, wipes, a plaster, a very clear instruction leaflet and a prepaid envelope for posting it off afterwards. All very simple. I’m a bit of a stickler for reading and following instructions, and I know some people aren’t, but I would strongly recommend following these to the T to make sure you can get enough blood and do it in the safest, most effective way possible.
One thing to add here was that the amount of blood that Thriva were asking me to collect seemed a little overwhelming at first. I can see how some people may be slightly put off by this but by following instructions carefully it’s actually quite easy and really does only take a few drops of blood to fill the collection tube (it’s smaller inside than it looks!).
Once all was collected, it was easy just to fill out a label, seal it all up and pop it in the post.
My Thriva Results
From posting the blood sample in the postbox, to receiving my results it was less than 24 hours – something I was incredibly impressed with and certainly something that would be unlikely with most GP surgeries. The report included personalised information for me, based on some questions I had answered when initially ordering the kit. Additionally, the data on my blood results was really clear, showing charts with my levels of thyroid stimulating hormones, vitamin D, iron (and some extras), in comparison to typical ‘healthy ranges’. Each result also included written feedback from a GP, who had analysed my results and written the feedback report. Luckily, especially considering my profession, my results were all within healthy ranges, but I would be interested to test in winter months and see if my vitamin D levels alter significantly.
My Feedback to Thriva
I was really pleased with the efficiency, speed and the general concept behind the at home Thriva test kits, and so I send Thriva my personal feedback and comments on the service. Most of my feedback was extremely positive and I let them know that I would be happy to recommend to clients that I see on a one to one basis.
From a professional standpoint, it would be really useful to easily access information on a client’s vitamin D, iron and thyroid levels when running consultations, as well as potentially cholesterol and liver function information too. I’m fairly confident that this product could also benefit other Nutrition Consultants, as well as freelance dietitians, who I think would also find having this additional information to hand during consultations beneficial.
Additionally, for someone wanting quick, simple feedback on their own blood levels such as vitamin D, iron or thyroid levels, for whatever reason, these test kits offer a really simple, informal and quick way of getting the results, right from the comfort of your own home.
Next steps for me and Thriva
I’m going to be doing a little digging over the next few weeks to see if other professionals will find these tests useful for their services. I’ll also be trying to get even more feedback for Thriva from other Nutritionists and Dietitians in the field.
If you’re interested in trying the kits, you can order them from here: https://thriva.co/ and use the discount code SRNUTRITION for 10% off your first test. Alternatively, feel free to drop me an email or give me a call to chat through my experience with them a little more.