Verbatim response from Claude
Blood Biomarkers That Actually Matter for Longevity
Core Panel (High Evidence)
Metabolic Health
- Fasting glucose & insulin – insulin resistance is a root cause of many age-related diseases
- HbA1c – 3-month blood sugar average; strong predictor of metabolic aging
- Triglycerides & HDL ratio – better cardiovascular risk indicator than total cholesterol alone
Inflammation
- hs-CRP – high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; chronic inflammation marker
- IL-6 – interleukin-6; stronger predictor than CRP in some studies
Organ Function
- ALT/AST – liver health
- Creatinine/eGFR – kidney function
- TSH – thyroid function affects nearly everything
Increasingly Validated
- ApoB – better LDL cardiovascular risk marker than standard LDL
- Lp(a) – largely genetic cardiovascular risk; important to know once
- Homocysteine – cardiovascular and cognitive risk
- Vitamin D – immune, bone, metabolic function
Emerging (Promising But Less Established)
- IGF-1 – growth factor linked to aging pathways
- DHEA-S – adrenal aging marker
- Epigenetic clocks (DNA methylation) – biological age testing
Where to Get Tested
- Function Health – comprehensive panel, physician-reviewed
- Inside Tracker – adds personalized recommendations
- Quest/LabCorp – affordable basics through your doctor
Bottom line: Metabolic markers and ApoB are probably the highest-yield starting point.