Verbatim response from Claude
Blood Biomarkers That Actually Matter for Longevity
Tier 1: Strong Evidence
Metabolic Health
- Fasting insulin (not just glucose) — early insulin resistance marker
- HbA1c — 3-month glucose average; want below 5.5%
- Triglycerides/HDL ratio — strong cardiovascular risk predictor
- ApoB — better than LDL for cardiovascular disease risk
Inflammation
- hsCRP — high-sensitivity version matters; want below 1.0 mg/L
- IL-6 — deeper inflammation signal
Organ Function
- ALT/AST — liver health
- Creatinine + cystatin C — kidney function
Tier 2: Meaningful Supporting Markers
- Testosterone (men and women)
- Thyroid panel (TSH, free T3/T4)
- Vitamin D (25-OH)
- Homocysteine — cardiovascular and cognitive risk
- IGF-1 — growth/aging balance
Practical Testing Options
- Function Health — comprehensive panel, physician-reviewed, ~$499/year
- Life Extension Foundation — affordable à la carte testing
- InsideTracker — includes personalized recommendations
- Your primary care doctor — can order most of these
Honest Caveat
Biomarkers are signals, not destiny — trends over time matter more than single readings.
Want recommendations on specific ranges or how to improve any of these?