Health Library topic
Biomarker Guides
Plain-language guides to individual biomarkers: what each one measures, why it matters, what pushes it high or low, and how it connects to the rest of your bloodwork.
Biomarker guide
Fasting Insulin
Fasting insulin can be elevated for a decade before glucose or A1C ever move. It is one of the earliest, most actionable signals in bloodwork — and one of the most commonly skipped.
Biomarker guide
ApoB
ApoB counts the actual number of atherogenic particles in your blood. When LDL cholesterol and particle count disagree, ApoB is usually the one telling the truth.
Biomarker guide
Lipoprotein(a)
Lp(a) is largely genetic, stable across your lifetime, and an independent driver of cardiovascular and aortic valve risk. It needs to be measured once — and most people never have been.
Biomarker guide
hs-CRP
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein detects the low-grade, symptomless inflammation associated with cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and accelerated aging.
Biomarker guide
Ferritin
Ferritin reflects stored iron — and it is one of the clearest examples of a marker where being technically in range and being adequate are not the same thing.
Biomarker guide
Free T3
TSH is a pituitary signal. Free T3 is the hormone actually doing the work in your cells — and the two do not always agree.
Article
What Blood Tests Should I Get?
A practical framework for building a blood panel that answers real questions — what a standard physical covers, what it leaves out, and which additions change decisions.