Athlete screening panel

Detailed description of each biomarker in the Athlete blood test 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 and bone. Elevated levels can indicate liver damage, bone disease, 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. ALP is also important in bone health.   Benefits for Athletes: Detects potential liver issues and allows for monitoring. Ensures proper liver function, crucial for recovery, performance, and overall health. Can also be used alongside other markers of bone 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 or inflammation.   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.   AST What: An enzyme primarily found in the liver and heart. Elevated levels can indicate liver damage, heart problems or inflammation.   Shows: Assesses liver health and function. The liver plays a crucial role in energy metabolism, nutrient breakdown, detoxification, and many processes relevant to athletes. AST is also important in heart health.   Benefits for Athletes: Detects potential liver issues and allows for monitoring. Ensures proper liver function, crucial for recovery, performance, and overall health. Can also be used alongside other markers of heart 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.   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 optimising training plans to maximise 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.   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.   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.   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.   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 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.   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 anaemia (low red blood cells) or polycythaemia (too many red blood cells). Can be affected by iron status, hydration, and other factors.   Benefits for Athletes: Optimal haemoglobin levels are essential for oxygen delivery to muscles during training and competition. Ensures that athletes are not anaemic, 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 anaemia (low red blood cells) or polycythaemia (too many red blood cells). Can be affected by iron status, hydration, and other factors.   Benefits for Athletes: Optimal haematocrit levels are essential for oxygen delivery to muscles during training and competition. Ensures that athletes are not anaemic, 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 anaemia and other types of anaemia, 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.   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 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.   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.   MCH What: Measures the average amount of haemoglobin in each red blood cell.   Shows: Helps classify anaemia, assess iron status, and may indicate certain nutritional deficiencies.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps distinguish between different causes of anaemia, crucial for targeted treatment and optimising performance. Provides clues about potential nutritional deficiencies impacting blood cell production.   Who: Athletes diagnosed with anaemia 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 haemoglobin in each red blood cell.   Shows: Helps classify anaemia, assess iron status, and may indicate certain nutritional deficiencies.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps distinguish between different causes of anaemia, crucial for targeted treatment and optimising performance. Provides clues about potential nutritional deficiencies impacting blood cell production.   Who: Athletes diagnosed with anaemia 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 anaemia, assess iron status, and may indicate certain nutritional deficiencies.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps distinguish between different causes of anaemia, crucial for targeted treatment and optimising performance. Provides clues about potential nutritional deficiencies impacting blood cell production.   Who: Athletes diagnosed with anaemia or those with fatigue, especially combined with risk factors for deficiencies.   Important: Interpretation requires considering the full panel of red blood cell measurements.   Monocytes 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.   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 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.   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 oestradiol 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.   Prolactin What: A hormone that stimulates milk production after childbirth but has other functions. High levels (hyperprolactinaemia) can interfere with hormonal balance and energy levels.   Shows: Used to evaluate causes of irregular 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 anaemia, assess iron status, and may indicate certain nutritional deficiencies.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps distinguish between different causes of anaemia, crucial for targeted treatment and optimising performance. Provides clues about potential nutritional deficiencies impacting blood cell production.   Who: Athletes diagnosed with anaemia 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 anaemia, assess iron status, and may indicate certain nutritional deficiencies.   Benefits for Athletes: Helps distinguish between different causes of anaemia, crucial for targeted treatment and optimising performance. Provides clues about potential nutritional deficiencies impacting blood cell production.   Who: Athletes diagnosed with anaemia 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 anaemia and other types of anaemia, 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.   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 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.   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 anaemia and other types of anaemia, 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.   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.   ​