Verbatim response from Claude
Blood Biomarkers That Actually Matter for Longevity
Tier 1: Strong Evidence
Metabolic
- Fasting insulin & HOMA-IR – insulin resistance is a root cause of many diseases
- HbA1c – long-term blood sugar control
- Fasting glucose – immediate metabolic health signal
- Triglycerides & triglyceride/HDL ratio – cardiovascular and metabolic risk
Cardiovascular
- ApoB – better than LDL for predicting cardiovascular risk
- Lp(a) – genetic risk factor most people never check
- hs-CRP – systemic inflammation marker
Organ Health
- eGFR/creatinine – kidney function
- ALT/AST – liver health
Tier 2: Meaningful but Context-Dependent
- Homocysteine – inflammation/cardiovascular risk
- Vitamin D (25-OH) – immune and metabolic function
- Testosterone/estradiol – hormone optimization
- TSH – thyroid function
- Ferritin – iron storage and inflammation
Who Can Help You Track These
- Function Health – comprehensive panels, Peter Attia-affiliated
- Inside Tracker – analyzes trends over time
- LabCorp/Quest – order through your doctor or Marek Health
The Honest Reality
Standard annual physicals often skip ApoB, Lp(a), fasting insulin, and homocysteine — the ones with arguably the strongest longevity signal.
Want specifics on any of these?