Verbatim response from Claude
Blood Biomarkers That Actually Matter for Longevity
Core Panel (High Evidence)
Metabolic Health
- Fasting glucose + insulin (calculate HOMA-IR) - insulin resistance is a root cause of many diseases
- HbA1c - average blood sugar over ~3 months
- Triglycerides & HDL ratio - more predictive than total cholesterol alone
Inflammation
- hsCRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) - chronic inflammation marker
- IL-6 - emerging as highly predictive
Organ Function
- ALT/AST - liver health
- Creatinine + eGFR - kidney function
- CBC - general blood health
Strong Supporting Evidence
- ApoB - better cardiovascular risk than LDL
- Lp(a) - genetic cardiovascular risk, test once
- Homocysteine - cardiovascular and cognitive risk
- Vitamin D (25-OH) - widespread deficiency with broad consequences
- TSH - thyroid function affects nearly everything
Worth Considering
- IGF-1 - growth/aging tradeoff
- DHEA-S - adrenal aging marker
- Ferritin - iron storage (both extremes are problematic)
Recommended Services
- Function Health - comprehensive panel (~$500/year), Peter Attia-backed
- InsideTracker - includes analysis and recommendations
- LabCorp/Quest - order through your doctor or Marek Health directly
Want specifics on optimal ranges vs. just "normal" ranges?