The 'normal' reference ranges on lab tests are based on averages from a sick population, so what is considered normal is not necessarily optimal for your health.

You should request a fasting insulin test, not just a fasting glucose test, as high insulin is a much earlier warning sign of metabolic problems.

Services like Function Health allow you to order comprehensive lab panels with over 100 biomarkers directly, bypassing the need for a doctor's referral.

A lower percentage of free PSA (less than 25%) compared to your total PSA indicates a higher risk of prostate cancer, offering more nuance than the total PSA number alone.

A major study found that colonoscopies can reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer by 31% and the risk of dying from it by 50%.

Every pathological change that a doctor can see on an exam or scan is always preceded by a biochemical change, which is why early blood testing is so critical.

The Galleri test is a blood test that can screen for over 50 types of cancer with a very low false positive rate of less than 0.5%.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is most often caused by insulin resistance, so metabolic health should be tested, not just reproductive hormones.