100+ biomarkers, explained in plain English
Quick answer: A biomarker is something measurable in your body, like cholesterol or vitamin D. Longevity panels test 100 or more of them, grouped by the part of you they check: heart, blood sugar, liver, kidneys, blood cells, thyroid, hormones, inflammation and nutrients. Here’s every common one, with a line on what it tells you.
Most longevity panels share the same core list. This one is built from what Function Health, Superpower and Empirical Health publish. Markers marked (calculated) aren’t measured on their own. They’re worked out from other numbers on the list (more on measured vs calculated). Markers marked (on most checkups) are usually already in your yearly bloodwork. The rest are what longevity panels add.
Think of a blood panel like your car’s dashboard. Each light reports on one system, like fuel, oil or battery, and a mechanic reads them together to know how the car is really doing. Your markers work the same way. No single number means much alone, so a doctor reads them together, alongside your history. For how a longevity panel compares with your yearly bloodwork, see Biomarker testing vs an annual physical.
All 100 biomarkers, explained
Search for one, or tap an area. Each one says what it is and why it matters.
100markers explained
40usually on your yearly checkup
60what longevity panels add
Heart and cholesterol15
| Marker | What it is and why it matters | On a checkup? |
|---|---|---|
| Total cholesterol | All the cholesterol in your blood, the helpful and harmful kinds added together. It’s a rough starting point, but on its own it can hide a bad mix, so doctors look at the parts below. | Usually |
| LDL cholesterol | The main “bad” cholesterol, carried in particles that can lodge in your artery walls. Over years, that builds the plaque behind most heart attacks and strokes, which is why LDL is the number most heart care targets. | Usually |
| HDL cholesterol | The “good” cholesterol, which helps carry extra cholesterol back to your liver to be cleared. Low HDL is linked to higher heart risk. Very high HDL doesn’t add extra protection, though. | Usually |
| Triglycerides | A type of fat in your blood that your body makes from extra sugar, refined carbs and alcohol. High levels are linked to heart disease and insulin resistance, and they often drop quickly with diet changes. | Usually |
| Non-HDL cholesterolcalculated | Total cholesterol minus HDL, so it counts every kind that can clog arteries. It catches risk that LDL alone can miss, especially when triglycerides are high. | Usually |
| Total cholesterol to HDL ratiocalculated | Total cholesterol divided by HDL. It’s a quick way to see the balance of harmful to helpful cholesterol, and lower is better. | Usually |
| Triglyceride to HDL ratiocalculated | Triglycerides divided by HDL. A high ratio is a simple early sign of insulin resistance, often years before blood sugar rises. | Longevity extra |
| ApoB | A count of the particles that carry cholesterol into your artery walls. Since each particle can lodge in the wall, the number of particles tells you more about risk than the amount of cholesterol they carry. Many doctors now treat it as a sharper heart-risk measure than LDL. | Longevity extra |
| Lp(a) | An inherited type of cholesterol particle that raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. It’s set mostly by your genes and barely changes with diet or exercise, so testing once is usually enough. Knowing it’s high can change how aggressively you manage your other risks. | Longevity extra |
| ApoA1 | The main protein in HDL, the protective particles. Compared against ApoB, it shows the balance between particles that clog arteries and those that clear them. | Longevity extra |
| LDL particle number | How many LDL particles are in your blood. Two people with the same LDL cholesterol can have very different particle counts, and more particles means more chances to lodge in an artery wall. | Longevity extra |
| LDL particle size and pattern | Whether your LDL particles are mostly large and fluffy or small and dense. Small, dense particles slip into artery walls more easily, so a “pattern B” result points to higher risk. | Longevity extra |
| Large HDL particles | The bigger HDL particles, one of several HDL sizes. They add detail to a plain HDL number. | Longevity extra |
| Oxidized LDL | LDL that’s been chemically damaged. Damaged LDL is more likely to get stuck in artery walls and start plaque, so it may be a signal of active risk. | Longevity extra |
| Homocysteine | An amino acid your body normally recycles with the help of B vitamins. High levels are linked to heart disease, stroke and memory decline, and they often point to low B12 or folate, which is easy to fix. | Longevity extra |
Blood sugar and metabolism6
| Marker | What it is and why it matters | On a checkup? |
|---|---|---|
| Glucose | The amount of sugar in your blood at the moment of the draw, usually after fasting. It’s the standard diabetes screen, but it often stays normal for years while problems build underneath. | Usually |
| HbA1c | The share of your red blood cells coated in sugar, which reflects your average blood sugar over the past 2 to 3 months. It’s steadier than a single glucose reading, so it’s the main way doctors spot prediabetes and diabetes. | Sometimes |
| Fasting insulin | The hormone that moves sugar from your blood into your cells. When your cells stop responding well, your body makes more insulin to keep glucose normal, so insulin often climbs years before glucose does. That makes it one of the earliest warning signs of metabolic trouble. | Longevity extra |
| HOMA-IRcalculated | A score worked out from your fasting glucose and insulin. It estimates how resistant your body is to insulin, which helps catch problems early. | Longevity extra |
| Leptin | A hormone made by fat cells that tells your brain you’ve had enough to eat. High levels can mean your brain is ignoring the signal, which makes weight harder to manage. | Longevity extra |
| Uric acid | A waste product from breaking down certain foods and cells, best known for causing gout. High levels are also linked to high blood pressure, kidney stones and metabolic problems, so it’s an extra clue about your overall metabolic health. | Longevity extra |
Liver9
| Marker | What it is and why it matters | On a checkup? |
|---|---|---|
| ALT | An enzyme found mostly in liver cells, which leaks into your blood when they’re irritated. It’s the most common early sign of fatty liver, which often has no symptoms. It can also rise with alcohol or some medicines. | Usually |
| AST | An enzyme found in the liver and in muscles. Read alongside ALT, it helps show whether a problem is coming from the liver, and a hard workout can bump it up for a few days. | Usually |
| ALP | An enzyme made mostly by the liver, bile ducts and bones. High levels can point to a blocked bile duct or to bone changes, so doctors read it with the other liver markers. | Usually |
| GGT | A liver enzyme that’s especially sensitive to alcohol and bile duct problems. It can rise before other liver markers do, and high levels are also linked to heart and metabolic risk. | Longevity extra |
| Total bilirubin | A yellow pigment made when old red blood cells break down, which the liver clears. Very high levels can mean a liver or bile problem. Mildly high levels are common and often harmless, a trait called Gilbert’s syndrome. | Usually |
| Albumin | The main protein in your blood, made by your liver. It keeps fluid inside your blood vessels and carries hormones and medicines, so low levels can point to liver, kidney or nutrition problems. | Usually |
| Globulin | A group of blood proteins that includes your antibodies. High or low levels can hint at an immune or liver issue worth a closer look. | Usually |
| Total protein | Albumin and globulin added together. It gives a broad view of your nutrition, liver and immune health. | Usually |
| Albumin to globulin ratiocalculated | The balance between those two proteins. An unusual ratio can be an early hint of liver, kidney or immune problems. | Usually |
Kidneys and electrolytes10
| Marker | What it is and why it matters | On a checkup? |
|---|---|---|
| Creatinine | A waste product made by your muscles and cleared by your kidneys. When the kidneys slow down, it builds up, so it’s the standard kidney check. Very muscular people naturally run higher. | Usually |
| eGFRcalculated | An estimate of how much blood your kidneys filter each minute, worked out from creatinine, age and sex. It’s the main number used to spot and stage kidney disease, which usually has no symptoms early on. | Usually |
| Cystatin C | A protein cleared by the kidneys that, unlike creatinine, isn’t affected by muscle mass. It gives a more accurate kidney reading for people who are very muscular or very lean, and it’s also linked to heart risk. | Longevity extra |
| BUN (blood urea nitrogen) | A waste product from breaking down protein, which your kidneys clear. It shifts with hydration and how much protein you eat, so doctors read it with creatinine. | Usually |
| BUN to creatinine ratiocalculated | The balance between those two waste products. It helps tell simple dehydration apart from a kidney problem. | Usually |
| Sodium | A mineral that controls the balance of water in your body. Results mostly reflect how hydrated you are, and big swings can affect your brain and energy. | Usually |
| Potassium | A mineral that keeps your heart rhythm and muscles working. Both high and low levels can be dangerous, and some blood pressure medicines shift it, so it’s worth watching. | Usually |
| Chloride | A mineral that works with sodium to balance fluids and acidity. It’s mostly read alongside the other electrolytes. | Usually |
| Carbon dioxide (bicarbonate) | A measure of how much bicarbonate is in your blood, which keeps your blood’s acid level steady. Unusual levels can point to kidney or breathing problems. | Usually |
| Calcium | A mineral your body needs for bones, nerves, muscles and heartbeat. Your body holds it in a tight range, so a result outside it can point to a gland or kidney issue worth checking. | Usually |
Blood cells15
| Marker | What it is and why it matters | On a checkup? |
|---|---|---|
| White blood cells | Your infection-fighting cells, all types counted together. High counts can mean an infection or inflammation, and low counts can mean your immune system is run down. | Usually |
| Neutrophils | The most common white blood cell and your first responders to bacterial infections. They rise fast with infection or stress. | Usually |
| Lymphocytes | White blood cells that fight viruses and give your immune system its memory. Shifts can point to a recent viral illness or an immune issue. | Usually |
| Monocytes | White blood cells that clean up germs and dead tissue. Steadily high levels can point to long-running inflammation. | Usually |
| Eosinophils | White blood cells that rise with allergies, asthma and some infections. They help explain symptoms like allergies. | Usually |
| Basophils | The rarest white blood cell, involved in allergic reactions. They’re usually low, and high counts are uncommon and worth a follow-up. | Usually |
| Red blood cells | The cells that carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Too few can leave you tired and short of breath, and too many can thicken your blood. | Usually |
| Hemoglobin | The protein inside red blood cells that actually carries oxygen. Low hemoglobin means anemia, which often shows up as tiredness, and it’s one of the most useful numbers on a blood count. | Usually |
| Hematocrit | The share of your blood made up of red cells. It moves with hemoglobin and also with how hydrated you are. | Usually |
| MCV | The average size of your red blood cells. Small cells can point to low iron, and large cells can point to low B12 or folate, so it helps explain the cause of anemia. | Usually |
| MCH | How much hemoglobin each red blood cell carries. It’s read with MCV to sort out different kinds of anemia. | Usually |
| MCHC | How concentrated the hemoglobin is inside each red blood cell. It adds one more clue when sorting out anemia. | Usually |
| RDW | How much your red blood cells vary in size. A wide spread can be an early sign of a nutrient shortfall, sometimes before anemia shows up. | Usually |
| Platelets | Small cells that help your blood clot when you’re injured. Too few can mean easy bruising or bleeding, and too many can raise clot risk. | Usually |
| MPV | The average size of your platelets. It’s read with the platelet count to help explain unusual results. | Usually |
Thyroid5
| Marker | What it is and why it matters | On a checkup? |
|---|---|---|
| TSH | The signal your brain sends to tell your thyroid how hard to work. It’s the main thyroid screen: high usually means an underactive thyroid, and low usually means an overactive one. Thyroid problems are common and often explain tiredness or weight changes. | Sometimes |
| Free T4 | The main hormone your thyroid makes, in the form your body can use. It confirms what TSH suggests and shows how much hormone your thyroid is actually putting out. | Sometimes |
| Free T3 | The active thyroid hormone that sets the pace of your metabolism. It adds detail when TSH and free T4 don’t tell the whole story. | Longevity extra |
| TPO antibodies | Antibodies that show your immune system is attacking your thyroid. This is the most common cause of an underactive thyroid, and it can show up years before your hormone levels change. | Longevity extra |
| Thyroglobulin antibodies | Another sign of an immune attack on the thyroid. It’s read alongside TPO antibodies to spot early signs of autoimmune thyroid disease. | Longevity extra |
Hormones13
| Marker | What it is and why it matters | On a checkup? |
|---|---|---|
| Total testosterone | All the testosterone in your blood. It affects energy, muscle, mood, bone and sex drive in both men and women, and it naturally declines with age. | Longevity extra |
| Free testosterone | The small share of testosterone that isn’t bound to proteins and can actually act on your body. It can be low even when total testosterone looks normal, which explains symptoms the total misses. | Longevity extra |
| SHBG | A protein that holds onto testosterone and estrogen. It decides how much of each hormone is free to work, so it helps make sense of your other hormone results. | Longevity extra |
| Estradiol | The main form of estrogen. In women it’s read with cycle timing or menopause status, and in men it matters for bones, the heart and sex drive. | Longevity extra |
| Progesterone | A hormone that balances estrogen and supports the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and sleep. It helps explain cycle changes and symptoms around perimenopause. | Longevity extra |
| FSH | A hormone from the brain that drives the ovaries and testes. It rises around menopause, so it helps show where a woman is in that transition. | Longevity extra |
| LH | A partner hormone to FSH that triggers ovulation in women and testosterone production in men. It helps tell whether a hormone problem starts in the brain or in the ovaries or testes. | Longevity extra |
| Prolactin | A hormone best known for milk production. High levels outside pregnancy can lower sex drive, disrupt cycles and lower testosterone, so it’s worth checking when those symptoms show up. | Longevity extra |
| DHEA-S | A hormone made by your adrenal glands that your body turns into testosterone and estrogen. It falls steadily with age, and very low or high levels can point to an adrenal issue. | Longevity extra |
| Cortisol | Your main stress hormone, which also helps control blood sugar, blood pressure and sleep. It swings a lot through the day, so the time of the draw matters when reading it. | Longevity extra |
| AMH | A hormone that reflects how many eggs a woman has left. It helps with fertility planning, though it can’t predict exactly when menopause will come. | Longevity extra |
| IGF-1 | A hormone that reflects growth hormone activity in your body. It plays a role in muscle, bone and tissue repair, and very high or low levels are worth a closer look. | Longevity extra |
| PSA (total and free) | A protein made by the prostate, used as a screening test in men. Many harmless things can raise it, like an enlarged prostate, so the free PSA share helps sort out what needs a closer look. It’s best read with a doctor. | Sometimes |
Inflammation and immune5
| Marker | What it is and why it matters | On a checkup? |
|---|---|---|
| hs-CRP | A protein your liver makes when there’s inflammation in your body. Steady, low-level inflammation is linked to heart disease, so this sensitive version helps fine-tune heart risk. A recent cold or hard workout can raise it for a while. | Longevity extra |
| ESR (sed rate) | A measure of how fast red blood cells settle in a tube, which speeds up when there’s inflammation. It’s a broad signal that rises with infection and autoimmune conditions. | Longevity extra |
| ANA | A screen for antibodies that can attack your own body, as in lupus and other autoimmune conditions. A positive result is common in healthy people, so it only means something alongside symptoms and other tests. | Longevity extra |
| Rheumatoid factor | An antibody linked to rheumatoid arthritis. It helps explain joint pain, though some healthy people test positive too. | Longevity extra |
| Celiac antibody (tTG-IgA) | A screen for celiac disease, where gluten triggers the immune system to damage the gut. Celiac often goes unnoticed for years and can cause low iron, tiredness or gut trouble. | Longevity extra |
Nutrients and minerals15
| Marker | What it is and why it matters | On a checkup? |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin D | A vitamin your skin makes from sunlight, needed for strong bones, muscles and immunity. Low levels are very common, especially in winter, and easy to fix. | Sometimes |
| Vitamin B12 | A vitamin needed for healthy nerves and red blood cells. It can run low on a plant-based diet, with age, or on some long-term medicines, and low levels can cause tiredness, tingling and memory problems. | Sometimes |
| Methylmalonic acid (MMA) | A compound that builds up when your body doesn’t have enough B12 to work with. It can catch a B12 shortfall even when the B12 number looks normal. | Longevity extra |
| Folate | A B vitamin your body needs to make DNA and red blood cells. Low folate can cause anemia and raise homocysteine, and it matters a lot before and during pregnancy. | Longevity extra |
| Iron | The amount of iron in your blood right now. It swings with your last meal and time of day, so it’s read with the iron markers below rather than alone. | Longevity extra |
| Ferritin | The protein that stores iron in your body, so it shows how full your iron reserves are. Low ferritin is the earliest sign of iron deficiency. High ferritin can mean inflammation or iron overload. | Sometimes |
| TIBC (total iron-binding capacity) | How much iron your blood is ready to carry. It rises when your body is short on iron, so it helps confirm a deficiency. | Longevity extra |
| Iron saturationcalculated | How much of your blood’s iron-carrying capacity is in use. Very high levels can be a sign of inherited iron overload, which is common and treatable. | Longevity extra |
| Magnesium | A mineral involved in hundreds of processes, including muscles, nerves, sleep and blood sugar. Blood levels don’t fully show what’s stored in your body, so a normal result doesn’t rule out a shortfall. | Longevity extra |
| Zinc | A mineral that supports your immune system, wound healing, taste and smell. Low levels can slow healing and weaken immunity. | Longevity extra |
| Selenium | A mineral your thyroid needs, which also helps protect cells from damage. Both too little and too much can cause problems. | Longevity extra |
| Omega-3 (EPA, DHA, DPA) | Healthy fats, mostly from fish, measured in your red blood cells. They reflect your intake over the past few months, and higher levels are linked to better heart and brain health. | Longevity extra |
| Omega-6 (linoleic and arachidonic acid) | Fats from seed oils, nuts and meat. Your body needs them, and they’re read alongside omega-3s to see the overall balance. | Longevity extra |
| Omega-6 to omega-3 ratiocalculated | The balance between the two kinds of fat. A lower ratio is often recommended, though the evidence is mixed, and it’s easy to shift with food. | Longevity extra |
| Arachidonic acid to EPA ratiocalculated | Another way to see the balance between fats that drive inflammation and fats that calm it. It’s useful for tracking whether diet changes or fish oil are working. | Longevity extra |
Pancreas and other6
| Marker | What it is and why it matters | On a checkup? |
|---|---|---|
| Amylase | An enzyme made by your pancreas and salivary glands to digest starch. High levels can point to pancreas or salivary gland irritation. | Longevity extra |
| Lipase | An enzyme made by your pancreas to digest fat. It’s more specific to the pancreas than amylase, so it helps confirm a pancreas problem. | Longevity extra |
| Blood type (ABO) | Your blood group, which never changes. It matters for transfusions and pregnancy, and some blood types carry slightly different heart and clotting risks. | Longevity extra |
| Lead | A heavy metal from old paint, old pipes and some jobs and hobbies. No amount is good for you, and even low levels are linked to higher blood pressure and memory problems. | Longevity extra |
| Mercury | A heavy metal that mostly comes from eating a lot of large fish like tuna and swordfish. High levels can affect your nerves, so it’s useful if you eat a lot of fish. | Longevity extra |
| Biological agecalculated | An estimate of how old your body seems, worked out from your other blood results. It’s an interesting way to track your progress over time, but not something to act on by itself. | Longevity extra |
Urinalysis1
| Marker | What it is and why it matters | On a checkup? |
|---|---|---|
| Urine test (about 20 lines) | A set of checks on your urine, including color, clarity, pH, protein, sugar, ketones, blood, white cells, bacteria, crystals and casts. Together they screen for kidney problems, urinary infections and early signs of diabetes. Single lines rarely mean much alone, so a doctor reads them as a group. | Usually |
Add-ons you may see5
These usually cost extra or come with a higher tier.
| Marker | What it is and why it matters | On a checkup? |
|---|---|---|
| ApoE genotype | A gene with a few common versions, one of which raises the risk of Alzheimer’s and heart disease. The result is for life and can be hard to hear, so it’s best done with a doctor or genetic counselor. | Add-on |
| Amyloid beta 42/40 and p-tau217 | Newer blood tests for brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s, which can start years before symptoms. They’re still finding their place in care, so they’re best read by a specialist. | Add-on |
| Multi-cancer early detection | A blood test that looks for traces of tumor DNA from many kinds of cancer. A positive result needs follow-up to confirm, and a negative one doesn’t replace your regular cancer screenings. | Add-on |
| Organic acids (urine) | A long list of byproducts from your metabolism and gut bacteria. They’re meant to show how your body is using energy and nutrients, but the evidence for testing healthy people is still early. | Add-on |
| Mycotoxins and environmental toxins | Tests for mold toxins and chemicals like pesticides and plastics. Urine mold toxin tests aren’t validated, even when there’s a known exposure, like a moldy home. | Add-on |
No markers match. Try another word, or clear the filters.
Common questions
Do I need all 100?
Not necessarily. A doctor can pick the ones that matter for your age, history and goals. The longer list is useful as a baseline, and it shows trends when you retest.
Which ones does a regular checkup already cover?
Usually the basic cholesterol panel, glucose, a blood count, and the liver and kidney basics. Most of the rest are what longevity panels add.
What if one number is out of range?
One reading is a snapshot. Many things can shift a single result, like a hard workout, a bad night’s sleep or a recent cold. A doctor will usually look at the full picture and may retest before changing anything.
Prepared by the LongevityClinicsHub editorial team. How we research and source these guides.
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This guide is independent editorial content, written to orient, not to diagnose. It is not medical advice, and it is no substitute for a conversation with a licensed physician who knows your history. Where we describe what clinics claim, the claim belongs to the clinic.
Educational reading, not medical advice. Talk to a clinician about your own health.