By Peter Marino M.S. CHC CPT
After doing a lot of research, I’m convinced that InsideTracker offers the most complete and useful blood testing on the market for tracking health and fitness biomarkers. Their panels are way more comprehensive than just getting your doctor’s standard lipid or metabolic panel. InsideTracker tests super-important biomarkers related to vitality, cardiovascular health, metabolism, inflammation, hormones, nutrients, and much more.
What’s cool is they help you understand what each biomarker means, provide science-backed recommendations for optimizing any values out of range, and make it really easy to track changes over time. So it’s not just about getting a bunch of numbers – they actually help you interpret the results and take action.
I also love that they offer different panels based on your goals, whether it’s improving general wellness, maximizing endurance, optimizing nutrition, or increasing strength and stamina. This allows you to get the most relevant blood tests for what you’re trying to achieve.
While some services only test a handful of biomarkers, InsideTracker offers in-depth analysis across a wide spectrum. This provides a way more complete picture of what’s going on inside your body. Their site makes it really easy to order the tests, get the lab work done, and access your results with personalized recommendations when they’re ready.
For anyone serious about taking control of their health and tracking it over the long-term, I think InsideTracker is absolutely the best option out there for blood testing. Their science-backed approach takes the guesswork out and helps you optimize any areas that need improvement, and that’s why I teamed up with them to allow you to share your results with me! With the help from their doctors and my 30 years of experience as a health coach and personal trainer, you’ll have the best team helping you achieve the healthiest version of yourself!
Complete Blood Count (CBC) – The CBC provides information on red and white blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelets. This test helps identify anemia, infections, and other blood disorders (Mayo Clinic, 2019). The CBC gives a broad overview of one’s general health.
Lipid Panel – This test measures total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol, and triglycerides. It is used to assess heart health and risk for cardiovascular disease (MedlinePlus, 2022). Optimal lipid levels reduce risk of heart attack and stroke.
Hs-CRP – High sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP) is a marker of systemic inflammation. Elevated levels may indicate higher risk for chronic inflammatory conditions (Ridker, 2003). The Hs-CRP test helps gauge overall inflammatory status.
Vitamin D – The vitamin D test measures levels of this important nutrient. Low vitamin D is associated with increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and autoimmune disorders (Pludowski et al., 2013). Checking vitamin D status helps ensure optimal levels.
HbA1c – This test measures average blood glucose over the past 2-3 months. It is used to diagnose and monitor diabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2010). HbA1c gives an accurate picture of long-term blood sugar control.
Insulin – Measures insulin levels and helps identify insulin resistance. Elevated insulin can lead to prediabetes and diabetes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022).
Testosterone – This hormone impacts muscle mass, bone density, and sex drive. Low testosterone is associated with risks like cardiovascular disease (Travison et al., 2007).
Estradiol – The main estrogen hormone. Imbalances can negatively affect reproductive health and bone density in women (Mayo Clinic, 2021).
Blood Glucose – Directly measures current blood sugar levels. Used to diagnose and manage diabetes.
TSH (Thyroid) – Monitors thyroid function. The thyroid regulates metabolism. Abnormal thyroid levels cause weight changes, fatigue, and other problems (Garber et al., 2012).
Sodium/Potassium – Electrolyte imbalances can cause muscle cramps, weakness, and heart abnormalities (Erdogan et al., 2021).
Liver Enzymes – Elevated liver enzymes may indicate liver injury or dysfunction (Lee et al., 2019).
Cortisol – This stress hormone when elevated can suppress immune function and cause glucose dysregulation (Mayo Clinic, 2022).
By testing these and other important biomarkers, InsideTracker provides comprehensive data to optimize health, fitness, nutrition, and more. Their blood tests enable effective tracking over time for both prevention and disease management.
References
American Diabetes Association. (2010). Diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care, 33(Suppl 1), S62-S69. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc10-S062
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, January 31). Insulin resistance. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/insulin-resistance.html
Erdogan, A., Köse, S., Turgut, N. H., Erkal, H., Kırbıyık, H., Günebakmaz, Ö., … & Arınç, S. (2021). Electrolyte imbalances and arrhythmias in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Progress in cardiovascular diseases, 64, 10-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2020.10.006
Garber, J. R., Cobin, R. H., Gharib, H., Hennessey, J. V., Klein, I., Mechanick, J. I., … & Woeber, K. A. (2012). Clinical practice guidelines for hypothyroidism in adults: cosponsored by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American Thyroid Association. Thyroid, 22(12), 1200-1235. https://doi.org/10.1089/thy.2012.0205
Lee, M. H., Kim, N., Lee, J. H., Park, S. K., Park, S. I., Jo, C., & Cho, Y. K. (2019). Association between elevated serum liver enzymes and C-reactive protein levels with sarcopenia in Korean adults: A cross-sectional study. PloS one, 14(2), e0212751. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212751
Mayo Clinic. (2019, March 8). Complete blood count (CBC). https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/complete-blood-count/about/pac-20393478
Mayo Clinic. (2021, September 9). Estrogen production in men. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/expert-answers/estrogen-production-in-men/faq-20058419
Mayo Clinic. (2022, March 1). Cortisol test. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cortisol-test/about/pac-20384694
MedlinePlus. (2022, February 3). Lipid panel. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/lipid-panel/
Pludowski, P., Holick, M. F., Grant, W. B., Konstantynowicz, J., Mascarenhas, M. R., Haq, A., Povoroznyuk, V., Balatska, N., Barbosa, A. P., Karonova, T., Rudenka, E., Misiorowski, W., Zakharova, I., Rudenka, A., Łukaszkiewicz, J., Marcinowska-Suchowierska, E., Łaszcz, N., Abramowicz, P., Bhattoa, H. P., & Wimalawansa, S. J. (2013). Vitamin D supplementation guidelines. The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 136, 121-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsbmb.2013.02.003
Ridker, P. M. (2003). Clinical application of C-reactive protein for cardiovascular disease detection and prevention. Circulation, 107(3), 363-369. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.CIR.0000053730.47739.3C
Travison, T. G., Araujo, A. B., Kupelian, V., O’Donnell, A. B., & McKinlay, J. B. (2007). The relative contributions of aging, health, and lifestyle factors to serum testosterone decline in men. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 92(2), 549-555. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2006-1859
