Athlete Pro blood test

A full description of each biomarker used in the Athlete Pro blood test ​ ​ Active B12 What: Measures the portion of vitamin B12 that is biologically active and available to the body.   Shows: More accurately detects B12 deficiency than total B12 levels, especially in older adults or with certain medical conditions.   Benefits for Athletes: Essential for athletes, as B12 deficiency can cause anemia, fatigue, and nerve problems impacting performance. Particularly important for those on restrictive diets or with digestive issues that could limit B12 absorption.   Who: Athletes with fatigue, unexplained nerve symptoms, or those following diets that might be low in B12 (vegan/vegetarian).   Important: Can help differentiate true deficiency from other causes of low or borderline total B12 levels.   Albumin What: The main type of protein in the blood, crucial for various functions, including immune health and nutrient transport.   Shows: Overall protein status, potential nutritional deficiencies, liver or kidney issues.   Benefits for Athletes: Ensures adequate protein intake to support recovery and muscle growth. Helps identify potential issues affecting protein metabolism, crucial for optimal performance.   Who: Athletes with restricted diets, suspected nutritional deficiencies, or those with liver or kidney issues.   Important: Levels can be affected by many factors, including hydration status and inflammation.   ALP What: An enzyme primarily found in the liver. Elevated levels can indicate liver damage, inflammation, or other health conditions.   Shows: Assesses liver health and function. The liver plays a crucial role in energy metabolism, nutrient breakdown, detoxification, and many processes relevant to athletes.   Benefits for Athletes: Detects potential liver issues and allows for monitoring. Ensures proper liver function, crucial for recovery, performance, and overall health.   Who: Athletes taking supplements or medications that can affect the liver, or those with unexplained fatigue or changes in body composition.   Important: Many things can temporarily raise liver enzyme levels, including strenuous exercise and dietary factors.   ALT What: An enzyme primarily found in the liver. Elevated levels can indicate liver damage, inflammation, or other health conditions.   Shows: Assesses liver health and function. The liver plays a crucial role in energy metabolism, nutrient breakdown, detoxification, and many processes relevant to athletes.   Benefits for Athletes: Detects potential liver issues and allows for monitoring. Ensures proper liver function, crucial for recovery, performance, and overall health.   Who: Athletes taking supplements or medications that can affect the liver, or those with unexplained fatigue or changes in body composition.   Important: Many things can temporarily raise liver enzyme levels, including strenuous exercise and dietary factors.   Apolipoprotein B What: The main protein component of LDL ("bad") cholesterol.   Shows: A more direct measure of the number of LDL particles, which may better reflect heart disease risk than LDL-cholesterol alone.   Benefits for Athletes: Can help refine cardiovascular risk assessment, especially in athletes with borderline cholesterol numbers or known risk factors for heart disease.   Who: May be considered as part of a detailed cardiovascular risk assessment, although it is not routinely included in athlete panels.   Important: Often used in conjunction with other lipid markers and clinical risk factors.   AST What: An enzyme primarily found in the liver. Elevated levels can indicate liver damage, inflammation, or other health conditions.   Shows: Assesses liver health and function. The liver plays a crucial role in energy metabolism, nutrient breakdown, detoxification, and many processes relevant to athletes.   Benefits for Athletes: Detects potential liver issues and allows for monitoring. Ensures proper liver function, crucial for recovery, performance, and overall health.   Who: Athletes taking supplements or medications that can affect the liver, or those with unexplained fatigue or changes in body composition.   Important: Many things can temporarily raise liver enzyme levels, including strenuous exercise and dietary factors.   Basophils What: A type of white blood cell involved in immune function and inflammation.   Shows: Assess overall immune system health and response. High levels may indicate active infection, inflammation, or certain conditions. Low levels can suggest a weakened immune system.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps monitor for infections, especially in athletes with frequent illness. May reveal underlying inflammation impacting recovery.   Who: Athletes with signs of infection, frequent illness, or suspected immune system dysfunction.   Important: Specific white cell subsets provide more detailed information about the nature of infection or inflammation.   Bilirubin What: A substance produced during the breakdown of red blood cells. Elevated levels can indicate liver problems or other health conditions.   Shows: Assesses liver health and function. The liver plays a crucial role in energy metabolism, nutrient breakdown, detoxification, and many processes relevant to athletes.   Benefits for Athletes: Detects potential liver issues and allows for monitoring. Ensures proper liver function, crucial for recovery, performance, and overall health.   Who: Athletes taking supplements or medications that can affect the liver, or those with unexplained fatigue or changes in body composition.   Important: Many things can temporarily raise liver enzyme levels, including strenuous exercise and dietary factors.   Cholesterol What: A type of fat (lipid) in the blood.   Shows: Assesses heart disease risk. High LDL ("bad" cholesterol), low HDL ("good" cholesterol), and elevated triglycerides raise risk, even in fit individuals.   Benefits for Athletes: While athletes often have favourable lipid profiles, monitoring cholesterol is crucial for long-term cardiovascular health. Early detection and management help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular complications that can curtail athletic careers.   Who: Routine screening for all adults, but athletes should pay particular attention to these markers as optimal cardiovascular health is essential for performance.   Important: Lifestyle changes (diet, exercise) are the cornerstone for cholesterol management, along with medications when needed.   Chloride What: An essential mineral involved in fluid balance, nerve and muscle function, and many bodily processes.   Shows: Hydration status, electrolyte imbalances. Levels can fluctuate significantly with sweat loss.   Benefits for Athletes: Essential for athletes to monitor, especially those in endurance sports or who experience heavy sweating. Imbalances can hinder performance and lead to muscle cramps or more serious health concerns.   Who: Athletes, especially those in endurance sports or training in hot climates where significant sweat loss occurs.   Important: Levels can fluctuate with fluid intake, diet, and certain medications.   CK Muscle What: An enzyme found primarily in muscle cells. Elevations can indicate muscle damage from training.   Shows: Muscle damage and breakdown. Intense training naturally causes some elevation, but very high levels can indicate excessive muscle breakdown.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps gauge the intensity of workouts and monitor recovery. Tracking CK levels can aid in optimizing training plans to maximize gains while preventing excessive muscle damage.   Who: Athletes, especially those engaging in strength training or high-intensity workouts.   Important: CK levels rise naturally after strenuous exercise, so interpretation requires an understanding of the athlete's training schedule.   Creatinine What: A waste product filtered from the blood by the kidneys. High levels can indicate kidney problems or other health issues.   Shows: Kidney function, which is crucial for fluid balance, electrolyte regulation, and waste removal.   Benefits for Athletes: Maintains hydration status and electrolyte balance by ensuring the kidneys are functioning properly. Detects kidney issues early before impacting performance.   Who: Important for all athletes, especially those with high protein intake or participating in endurance sports, which can stress the kidneys.   Important: Levels can fluctuate with hydration status, so interpretation requires context.   DHEAS What: A precursor to sex hormones, involved in energy and muscle recovery. Low levels can suggest overtraining or the need for recovery optimization.   Shows: A general marker of adrenal function. Low levels might be associated with fatigue and a reduced ability to cope with training stress.   Benefits for Athletes: Can be used along with other markers to assess overtraining syndrome or adrenal fatigue.   Who: Athletes experiencing unexplained fatigue, decreased performance, or suspected overtraining.   Important: DHEAs levels naturally decline with age, and interpretation should consider an athlete's specific context.   eGFR What: A calculation based on creatinine, age, sex, and other factors, providing a more precise estimate of kidney function.   Shows: Overall kidney health and stage of any chronic kidney disease.   Benefits for Athletes: A key marker for tracking kidney function over time, especially for athletes with risk factors for kidney disease.   Who: Athletes with suspected kidney issues, risk factors, or those being monitored for existing kidney disease.   Important: Provides a more accurate assessment of kidney function than creatinine alone.   Eosinophils What: A type of white blood cell involved in immune function and inflammation.   Shows: Assess overall immune system health and response. High levels may indicate active infection, inflammation, or certain conditions. Low levels can suggest a weakened immune system.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps monitor for infections, especially in athletes with frequent illness. May reveal underlying inflammation impacting recovery.   Who: Athletes with signs of infection, frequent illness, or suspected immune system dysfunction.   Important: Specific white cell subsets provide more detailed information about the nature of infection or inflammation.   Folate What: A B vitamin (also called folic acid or B9) essential for DNA synthesis, cell division, and red blood cell formation.   Shows: Detects folate deficiency, which can cause anemia and increase the risk of birth defects in pregnancy.   Benefits for Athletes: Important for red blood cell production and oxygen transport to muscles. Deficiency impairs energy levels and performance.   Who: Athletes focusing on optimal performance, those with restricted diets, or with conditions impacting folate absorption.   Important: Supplementation might be recommended based on levels, especially for female athletes of childbearing age.   Free Androgen Index (FAI) What: A calculation based on total testosterone and SHBG, estimating the amount of bioavailable (active) testosterone.   Shows: Provides another measure of androgen levels, especially helpful in women when normal total testosterone might not reflect high bioavailable levels.   Benefits for Athletes: Relevant for female athletes with signs of androgen excess (e.g., irregular periods, excess hair growth) that can impact performance and overall health.   Who: Primarily female athletes with suspected hormonal imbalances or signs of androgen excess.   Important: Interpretation requires considering clinical context and other hormone levels.   Free Testosterone What: The bioavailable (active) form of testosterone, the primary male sex hormone (also present in females) crucial for muscle growth, energy, and performance.   Shows: Overall sex hormone balance. Low testosterone can contribute to fatigue, decreased muscle mass, and impaired performance.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps identify potential hormonal imbalances affecting performance, recovery, and body composition.   Who: Athletes experiencing unexplained fatigue, changes in body composition, or those with suspected imbalances.   Important: Interpretation requires considering sex, age, and an athlete's training cycle.   FSH What: A hormone that stimulates sex hormone production and regulates the menstrual cycle in females.   Shows: Helps evaluate female reproductive function, menstrual cycle irregularities, and potential hormonal imbalances impacting performance.   Benefits for Athletes: Essential for assessing female athlete health, identifying causes of irregular periods, and understanding how hormonal fluctuations impact training.   Who: Female athletes with irregular periods, suspected hormonal issues, or those exploring fertility potential.   Important: Levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle; interpretation requires an understanding of the athlete's cycle phase.   FT3 What: One of the active forms of thyroid hormone. Optimal thyroid function is essential for metabolism, energy levels, and overall health.   Shows: Assesses overall thyroid health and identifies potential underactive (hypothyroidism) or overactive (hyperthyroidism) states.   Benefits for Athletes: Ensures optimal thyroid function, crucial for performance, recovery, and body composition.   Who: Athletes with fatigue, unexplained weight changes, or suspected thyroid issues. Routine screening for all athletes is important, as thyroid dysfunction can be subtle.   Important: Some conditions can affect thyroid test results, so interpretation should consider the athlete's full clinical picture.   FT4 What: One of the active forms of thyroid hormone. Optimal thyroid function is essential for metabolism, energy levels, and overall health.   Shows: Assesses overall thyroid health and identifies potential underactive (hypothyroidism) or overactive (hyperthyroidism) states.   Benefits for Athletes: Ensures optimal thyroid function, crucial for performance, recovery, and body composition.   Who: Athletes with fatigue, unexplained weight changes, or suspected thyroid issues. Routine screening for all athletes is important, as thyroid dysfunction can be subtle.   Important: Some conditions can affect thyroid test results, so interpretation should consider the athlete's full clinical picture.   ​ GGT What: An enzyme primarily found in the liver. Elevated levels can indicate liver damage, inflammation, or other health conditions.   Shows: Assesses liver health and function. The liver plays a crucial role in energy metabolism, nutrient breakdown, detoxification, and many processes relevant to athletes.   Benefits for Athletes: Detects potential liver issues and allows for monitoring. Ensures proper liver function, crucial for recovery, performance, and overall health.   Who: Athletes taking supplements or medications that can affect the liver, or those with unexplained fatigue or changes in body composition.   Important: Many things can temporarily raise liver enzyme levels, including strenuous exercise and dietary factors.   Globulin What: A type of protein in the blood, crucial for various functions, including immune health and nutrient transport.   Shows: Overall protein status, potential nutritional deficiencies, liver or kidney issues.   Benefits for Athletes: Ensures adequate protein intake to support recovery and muscle growth. Helps identify potential issues affecting protein metabolism, crucial for optimal performance.   Who: Athletes with restricted diets, suspected nutritional deficiencies, or those with liver or kidney issues.   Important: Levels can be affected by many factors, including hydration status and inflammation.   HDL What: A type of "good" cholesterol in the blood.   Shows: Assesses heart disease risk. High LDL ("bad" cholesterol), low HDL ("good" cholesterol), and elevated triglycerides raise risk, even in fit individuals.   Benefits for Athletes: While athletes often have favorable lipid profiles, monitoring cholesterol is crucial for long-term cardiovascular health. Early detection and management help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular complications that can curtail athletic careers.   Who: Routine screening for all adults, but athletes should pay particular attention to these markers as optimal cardiovascular health is essential for performance.   Important: Lifestyle changes (diet, exercise) are the cornerstone for cholesterol management, along with medications when needed.   HDL % of Total Cholesterol What: The percentage of total cholesterol that is HDL ("good") cholesterol.   Shows: Provides another way to assess heart disease risk, as a high HDL percentage is protective.   Benefits for Athletes: Offers athletes a more nuanced perspective on their overall cholesterol balance. Helps track whether lifestyle changes or medications are improving their lipid profile.   Who: Part of routine cholesterol screening, with emphasis for athletes as optimal cardiovascular health supports their performance. Important: Lifestyle changes (diet, exercise) are crucial for improving the HDL percentage.   Haemoglobin What: Measures red blood cell concentration, crucial for oxygen transport to muscles.   Shows: Detects anemia (low red blood cells) or polycythemia (too many red blood cells). Can be affected by iron status, hydration, and other factors.   Benefits for Athletes: Optimal hemoglobin levels are essential for oxygen delivery to muscles during training and competition. Ensures that athletes are not anemic, which can cause fatigue and impaired performance.   Who: Athletes of all levels, especially endurance athletes, females, or those with any signs of fatigue.   Important: Requires interpretation in the context of other blood count results and an athlete's training load.   Haematocrit What: Measures the percentage of red blood cells in the blood, crucial for oxygen transport to muscles.   Shows: Detects anemia (low red blood cells) or polycythemia (too many red blood cells). Can be affected by iron status, hydration, and other factors.   Benefits for Athletes: Optimal hematocrit levels are essential for oxygen delivery to muscles during training and competition. Ensures that athletes are not anemic, which can cause fatigue and impaired performance.   Who: Athletes of all levels, especially endurance athletes, females, or those with any signs of fatigue.   Important: Requires interpretation in the context of other blood count results and an athlete's training load.   hsCRP What: A sensitive marker of inflammation that can increase with training overload or hidden health issues.   Shows: Levels of systemic inflammation. Chronically elevated levels can hinder recovery and contribute to long-term health risks.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps identify overtraining, underlying infections, or other inflammatory conditions that might be impacting performance and recovery.   Who: Athletes with unexplained prolonged fatigue, performance decline, or suspected inflammation.   Important: hsCRP can temporarily increase after intense training sessions, so interpretation requires context.   Iron What: Measures iron status, crucial for oxygen transport and energy production.   Shows: Assesses iron stores, distinguishes between iron deficiency anemia and other types of anemia, and can detect iron overload.   Benefits for Athletes: Iron deficiency is common in athletes, especially females and endurance athletes. Maintaining optimal iron levels is essential for endurance performance and recovery.   Who: Routine screening, especially for female athletes, endurance athletes, those with heavy menstrual bleeding, or those with restricted diets.   Important: Interpretation requires considering the combination of these markers and an athlete's dietary intake.   LDH What: An enzyme that can be elevated with muscle damage or potentially overtraining.   Shows: Tissue damage and turnover. Can be elevated by demanding training sessions.   Benefits for Athletes: Provides another marker of muscle stress and recovery needs. May be used in conjunction with CK to assess the extent of muscle damage and recovery status.   Who: Athletes, especially those involved in endurance or high-intensity training.   Important: LDH can be elevated in non-muscle-related conditions, so interpretation requires context.   LDL What: A type of "bad" cholesterol in the blood.   Shows: Assesses heart disease risk. High LDL ("bad" cholesterol), low HDL ("good" cholesterol), and elevated triglycerides raise risk, even in fit individuals.   Benefits for Athletes: While athletes often have favorable lipid profiles, monitoring cholesterol is crucial for long-term cardiovascular health. Early detection and management help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular complications that can curtail athletic careers.   Who: Routine screening for all adults, but athletes should pay particular attention to these markers as optimal cardiovascular health is essential for performance.   Important: Lifestyle changes (diet, exercise) are the cornerstone for cholesterol management, along with medications when needed.   LH What: A hormone that stimulates sex hormone production and regulates the menstrual cycle in females.   Shows: Helps evaluate female reproductive function, menstrual cycle irregularities, and potential hormonal imbalances impacting performance.   Benefits for Athletes: Essential for assessing female athlete health, identifying causes of irregular periods, and understanding how hormonal fluctuations impact training.   Who: Female athletes with irregular periods, suspected hormonal issues, or those exploring fertility potential.   Important: Levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle; interpretation requires an understanding of the athlete's cycle phase.   Lymphocytes What: A type of white blood cell involved in immune function and inflammation.   Shows: Assess overall immune system health and response. High levels may indicate active infection, inflammation, or certain conditions. Low levels can suggest a weakened immune system.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps monitor for infections, especially in athletes with frequent illness. May reveal underlying inflammation impacting recovery.   Who: Athletes with signs of infection, frequent illness, or suspected immune system dysfunction.   Important: Specific white cell subsets provide more detailed information about the nature of infection or inflammation.   Magnesium What: A mineral involved in muscle function, energy production, and many bodily processes. Deficiency is relatively common, especially in athletes.   Shows: Magnesium stores. Low levels can contribute to muscle cramps, weakness, fatigue, and suboptimal performance.   Benefits for Athletes: Essential for energy production, recovery, and muscle function. Ensuring adequate levels helps optimize performance.   Who: Athletes of all levels, especially those prone to muscle cramps, fatigue, or those with restricted diets that might limit magnesium intake.   Important: Magnesium deficiency often co-presents with other electrolyte imbalances.   MCH What: Measures the average amount of hemoglobin in each red blood cell.   Shows: Helps classify anemia, assess iron status, and may indicate certain nutritional deficiencies.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps distinguish between different causes of anemia, crucial for targeted treatment and optimizing performance. Provides clues about potential nutritional deficiencies impacting blood cell production.   Who: Athletes diagnosed with anemia or those with fatigue, especially combined with risk factors for deficiencies.   Important: Interpretation requires considering the full panel of red blood cell measurements.   MCHC What: Measures the average concentration of hemoglobin in each red blood cell.   Shows: Helps classify anemia, assess iron status, and may indicate certain nutritional deficiencies.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps distinguish between different causes of anemia, crucial for targeted treatment and optimizing performance. Provides clues about potential nutritional deficiencies impacting blood cell production.   Who: Athletes diagnosed with anemia or those with fatigue, especially combined with risk factors for deficiencies.   Important: Interpretation requires considering the full panel of red blood cell measurements.   MCV What: Measures the average size of red blood cells.   Shows: Helps classify anemia, assess iron status, and may indicate certain nutritional deficiencies.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps distinguish between different causes of anemia, crucial for targeted treatment and optimizing performance. Provides clues about potential nutritional deficiencies impacting blood cell production.   Who: Athletes diagnosed with anemia or those with fatigue, especially combined with risk factors for deficiencies.   Important: Interpretation requires considering the full panel of red blood cell measurements.   Neutrophils What: A type of white blood cell involved in immune function and inflammation.   Shows: Assess overall immune system health and response. High levels may indicate active infection, inflammation, or certain conditions. Low levels can suggest a weakened immune system.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps monitor for infections, especially in athletes with frequent illness. May reveal underlying inflammation impacting recovery.   Who: Athletes with signs of infection, frequent illness, or suspected immune system dysfunction.   Important: Specific white cell subsets provide more detailed information about the nature of infection or inflammation.   Non-HDL What: A type of cholesterol in the blood, calculated as total cholesterol minus HDL cholesterol.   Shows: Assesses heart disease risk. High LDL ("bad" cholesterol), low HDL ("good" cholesterol), and elevated triglycerides raise risk, even in fit individuals.   Benefits for Athletes: While athletes often have favorable lipid profiles, monitoring cholesterol is crucial for long-term cardiovascular health. Early detection and management help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular complications that can curtail athletic careers.   Who: Routine screening for all adults, but athletes should pay particular attention to these markers as optimal cardiovascular health is essential for performance.   Important: Lifestyle changes (diet, exercise) are the cornerstone for cholesterol management, along with medications when needed.   Oestradiol What: The primary female sex hormone, essential for menstrual cycle regulation, energy levels, and athletic performance.   Shows: Ovarian function and hormonal balance. Levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps assess female hormonal status, identify menstrual irregularities that impact performance, and track training adaptations in female athletes.   Who: Female athletes, especially those with irregular periods, suspected hormonal imbalances, or planning training around their menstrual cycle.   Important: Timing of estradiol measurement within the menstrual cycle is crucial for accurate interpretation.   Platelet Count What: Measures the number of platelets, which are cell fragments essential for blood clotting.   Shows: High levels can be reactive or can indicate certain conditions. Low levels increase bleeding risk, though this is less common.   Benefits for Athletes: Assesses bleeding risk, especially important for contact sports. Helps identify potential clotting disorders that may affect recovery from strenuous exercise or injuries.   Who: Included in routine health screenings. Athletes should be particularly aware of very high or low levels that might impact their sport.   Important: Requires interpretation in the context of other blood count results, symptoms, and medications.   Progesterone What: A primary female sex hormone involved in the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. Its levels fluctuate significantly throughout the menstrual cycle.   Shows: Helps assess ovulation and menstrual cycle regularity. In female athletes, low progesterone can indicate insufficient energy availability for normal hormonal function.   Benefits for Athletes: Crucial for female athlete health. Monitoring progesterone can identify menstrual irregularities impacting performance and help understand fluctuations in energy levels throughout the cycle.   Who: Female athletes with irregular periods, suspected energy availability issues, or those tracking their menstrual cycle for training optimization.   Important: Timing of measurement within the menstrual cycle is crucial, and interpretation should consider an athlete's energy intake and training load.   ​ Prolactin What: A hormone that stimulates milk production after childbirth but has other functions. High levels (hyperprolactinemia) can interfere with hormonal balance and energy levels.   Shows: Used to evaluate causes of periods, unexplained energy dips, and potential pituitary gland issues.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps identify hormonal disturbances that can affect both male and female athletes' performance and overall well-being.   Who: Athletes with unexplained declines in performance, irregular periods (in females), or suspected pituitary gland issues.   Important: Stress, certain medications, and some medical conditions can raise prolactin levels.   RBC What: Measures the number of red blood cells, crucial for oxygen transport to muscles.   Shows: Helps classify anemia, assess iron status, and may indicate certain nutritional deficiencies.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps distinguish between different causes of anemia, crucial for targeted treatment and optimizing performance. Provides clues about potential nutritional deficiencies impacting blood cell production.   Who: Athletes diagnosed with anemia or those with fatigue, especially combined with risk factors for deficiencies.   Important: Interpretation requires considering the full panel of red blood cell measurements.   RDW What: Measures the variation in size of red blood cells.   Shows: Helps classify anemia, assess iron status, and may indicate certain nutritional deficiencies.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps distinguish between different causes of anemia, crucial for targeted treatment and optimizing performance. Provides clues about potential nutritional deficiencies impacting blood cell production.   Who: Athletes diagnosed with anemia or those with fatigue, especially combined with risk factors for deficiencies.   Important: Interpretation requires considering the full panel of red blood cell measurements.   ​ SHBG What: A protein that binds to testosterone, regulating its availability.   Shows: Overall sex hormone balance. Low testosterone can contribute to fatigue, decreased muscle mass, and impaired performance.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps identify potential hormonal imbalances affecting performance, recovery, and body composition.   Who: Athletes experiencing unexplained fatigue, changes in body composition, or those with suspected imbalances.   Important: Interpretation requires considering sex, age, and an athlete's training cycle.   Sodium What: An essential mineral involved in fluid balance, nerve and muscle function, and many bodily processes.   Shows: Hydration status, electrolyte imbalances. Levels can fluctuate significantly with sweat loss.   Benefits for Athletes: Essential for athletes to monitor, especially those in endurance sports or who experience heavy sweating. Imbalances can hinder performance and lead to muscle cramps or more serious health concerns.   Who: Athletes, especially those in endurance sports or training in hot climates where significant sweat loss occurs.   Important: Levels can fluctuate with fluid intake, diet, and certain medications.   Testosterone What: The primary male sex hormone (also present in females) crucial for muscle growth, energy, and performance.   Shows: Overall sex hormone balance. Low testosterone can contribute to fatigue, decreased muscle mass, and impaired performance.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps identify potential hormonal imbalances affecting performance, recovery, and body composition.   Who: Athletes experiencing unexplained fatigue, changes in body composition, or those with suspected imbalances.   Important: Interpretation requires considering sex, age, and an athlete's training cycle.   TIBC What: Measures the total iron-binding capacity of the blood, reflecting the amount of iron that can be transported.   Shows: Assesses iron stores, distinguishes between iron deficiency anemia and other types of anemia, and can detect iron overload.   Benefits for Athletes: Iron deficiency is common in athletes, especially females and endurance athletes. Maintaining optimal iron levels is essential for endurance performance and recovery.   Who: Routine screening, especially for female athletes, endurance athletes, those with heavy menstrual bleeding, or those with restricted diets.   Important: Interpretation requires considering the combination of these markers and an athlete's dietary intake.   Total Protein What: Measures the total amount of protein in the blood, crucial for various functions, including immune health and nutrient transport.   Shows: Overall protein status, potential nutritional deficiencies, liver or kidney issues.   Benefits for Athletes: Ensures adequate protein intake to support recovery and muscle growth. Helps identify potential issues affecting protein metabolism, crucial for optimal performance.   Who: Athletes with restricted diets, suspected nutritional deficiencies, or those with liver or kidney issues.   Important: Levels can be affected by many factors, including hydration status and inflammation.   Transferrin Saturation What: Measures the percentage of transferrin (an iron-transporting protein) that is saturated with iron.   Shows: Assesses iron stores, distinguishes between iron deficiency anemia and other types of anemia, and can detect iron overload.   Benefits for Athletes: Iron deficiency is common in athletes, especially females and endurance athletes. Maintaining optimal iron levels is essential for endurance performance and recovery.   Who: Routine screening, especially for female athletes, endurance athletes, those with heavy menstrual bleeding, or those with restricted diets.   Important: Interpretation requires considering the combination of these markers and an athlete's dietary intake.   Triglycerides What: A type of fat (lipid) in the blood.   Shows: Assesses heart disease risk. High LDL ("bad" cholesterol), low HDL ("good" cholesterol), and elevated triglycerides raise risk, even in fit individuals.   Benefits for Athletes: While athletes often have favorable lipid profiles, monitoring cholesterol is crucial for long-term cardiovascular health. Early detection and management help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular complications that can curtail athletic careers.   Who: Routine screening for all adults, but athletes should pay particular attention to these markers as optimal cardiovascular health is essential for performance.   Important: Lifestyle changes (diet, exercise) are the cornerstone for cholesterol management, along with medications when needed.   TSH What: A hormone that stimulates the production of thyroid hormones. Optimal thyroid function is essential for metabolism, energy levels, and overall health.   Shows: Assesses overall thyroid health and identifies potential underactive (hypothyroidism) or overactive (hyperthyroidism) states.   Benefits for Athletes: Ensures optimal thyroid function, crucial for performance, recovery, and body composition.   Who: Athletes with fatigue, unexplained weight changes, or suspected thyroid issues. Routine screening for all athletes is important, as thyroid dysfunction can be subtle.   Important: Some conditions can affect thyroid test results, so interpretation should consider the athlete's full clinical picture.   UIBC What: Measures the unsaturated iron-binding capacity of the blood, reflecting the amount of transferrin that is not bound to iron.   Shows: Assesses iron stores, distinguishes between iron deficiency anemia and other types of anemia, and can detect iron overload.   Benefits for Athletes: Iron deficiency is common in athletes, especially females and endurance athletes. Maintaining optimal iron levels is essential for endurance performance and recovery.   Who: Routine screening, especially for female athletes, endurance athletes, those with heavy menstrual bleeding, or those with restricted diets.   Important: Interpretation requires considering the combination of these markers and an athlete's dietary intake.   Urea What: A waste product filtered from the blood by the kidneys. High levels can indicate kidney problems or other health issues.   Shows: Kidney function, which is crucial for fluid balance, electrolyte regulation, and waste removal.   Benefits for Athletes: Maintains hydration status and electrolyte balance by ensuring the kidneys are functioning properly. Detects kidney issues early before impacting performance.   Who: Important for all athletes, especially those with high protein intake or participating in endurance sports, which can stress the kidneys.   Important: Levels can fluctuate with hydration status, so interpretation requires context.   Vitamin D What: A fat-soluble vitamin crucial for calcium absorption, bone health, immune function, and overall health. Shows: Vitamin D levels. Deficiency is common and can affect bone health, immune function, and athletic performance. Benefits for Athletes: Ensures adequate vitamin D levels for bone health, muscle function, and immune support, all essential for optimal performance and recovery. Who: Athletes of all levels, especially those with limited sun exposure, those with bone health concerns, or those with a higher risk of deficiency. Important: Supplementation may be recommended based on levels and individual needs. White Cell Count What: Measures the total number of white blood cells, which are involved in immune function and inflammation.   Shows: Assesses overall immune system health and response. High levels may indicate active infection, inflammation, or certain conditions. Low levels can suggest a weakened immune system.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps monitor for infections, especially in athletes with frequent illness. May reveal underlying inflammation impacting recovery.   Who: Athletes with signs of infection, frequent illness, or suspected immune system dysfunction.   Important: Specific white cell subsets provide more detailed information about the nature of infection or inflammation.   Sources and related content