What We Track and Why

Glucose control is foundational. High fasting glucose indicates insulin resistance, the root of metabolic dysfunction.

Elevated fasting insulin is the earliest sign of metabolic dysfunction, often before glucose rises. Drives inflammation and weight gain.

3-month average of blood glucose. Reveals chronic glucose dysregulation that fasting glucose alone misses.

The relationships between lipids matter far more than any single number. The three ratios we focus on: TG:HDL (should be below 1.0 — a ratio above 2.0 is a strong marker of insulin resistance and small dense LDL), Total Cholesterol:HDL (should be below 3.5), and LDL particle size (small dense LDL is atherogenic; large fluffy LDL is largely benign). Low HDL is a stronger cardiovascular risk predictor than high LDL. Very low total cholesterol below 120 impairs hormone synthesis and immune function. No single lipid number tells the full story — context, inflammation status, and metabolic health determine risk.

Standard range is too wide. Values 2.5-4.0 often indicate subclinical hypothyroidism with real symptoms.

Measures active thyroid hormone. Low-normal often correlates with fatigue, weight gain, and cold intolerance.

The active form. Low T3 despite normal TSH/T4 indicates poor conversion, common in stress and nutrient deficiency.

Detects autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's). Often missed because TSH is still normal. Early detection allows prevention.

Morning cortisol below 10 indicates adrenal insufficiency. Above 13 indicates chronic stress and HPA axis dysregulation. The functional window is narrow — optimal is 10-13 mcg/dL.

Marker of adrenal reserve. Low DHEA-S despite normal cortisol indicates adrenal fatigue and poor stress resilience.

Standard ranges are too wide. Low-normal testosterone drives fatigue, poor recovery, and loss of muscle mass.

Only free testosterone is biologically active. Men should be above 25 pg/mL for optimal energy, recovery, and muscle. Low free T despite normal total indicates high SHBG or poor conversion.

For women, the ratio between progesterone and estradiol is what matters, not the standalone numbers. A healthy P:E ratio should be above 100:1 in the luteal phase. When progesterone is low relative to estradiol — even if both appear "normal" individually — the result is estrogen dominance: PMS, anxiety, poor sleep, and weight gain. Both must be drawn day 19-21 of the cycle. Timing is critical. Low progesterone despite a normal cycle indicates anovulation or poor luteal function. We use our P:E Ratio calculator to assess this directly.

Binds sex hormones. High SHBG reduces free testosterone and estradiol. Elevated in hyperthyroidism, low in insulin resistance.

Ratio indicates ovulatory health. Elevated LH:FSH suggests PCOS. Low ratio suggests poor ovarian reserve.

Low iron causes fatigue, poor recovery, and hair loss. High iron drives oxidative stress. Functional range is narrow.

Ferritin <30 indicates depleted iron stores. Ferritin >150 indicates iron overload. Both impair energy and recovery.

Serum magnesium is a poor marker—only 1% of total body magnesium. Low magnesium drives muscle cramps, poor sleep, and anxiety.

Zinc deficiency impairs immune function, wound healing, and hormone metabolism. Often low in high-stress individuals.

Low-normal B12 (200-400) causes fatigue, brain fog, and neuropathy. Functional threshold is 500+.

Folate deficiency impairs methylation and DNA synthesis. Low-normal folate correlates with fatigue and mood issues.

Vitamin D is a hormone. Below 55 impairs immune function, mood, bone health, and recovery. The standard threshold of 30 is the floor for deficiency, not optimization. Optimal is above 55 ng/mL.

Marker of systemic inflammation. Values 1-3 indicate chronic low-grade inflammation driving disease.

Elevated homocysteine is an independent cardiovascular risk factor. Indicates poor methylation and B-vitamin status.

Marker of protein status and liver function. Low albumin indicates poor nutrition or liver stress.

Liver enzymes. Even low-normal elevation indicates fatty liver or hepatic inflammation. Functional threshold is <25.

Marker of oxidative stress and metabolic dysfunction. Elevated GGT predicts metabolic disease.