How to Read Your Core Longevity Panel Results
Heart Health Markers
We collect values for five key heart health markers: ApoB, LDL, HDL, Triglycerides & Total Cholesterol. These markers reveal your overall lipid profile. Together, these provide a core view of your cardiovascular health that can help assess your risk for heart disease, as well as provide key data points for how your heart is working and pumping blood to the rest of your body.
ApoB
Normal Range: <90 mg/dL
ApoB, or apolipoprotein B, is a protein that provides a good approximation of the total number of atherogenic (plaque forming) lipoproteins in your blood. Beyond the standard LDL-C, and HDL-C measurements, ApoB shows you the actual number of “bad” cholesterol molecules in the bloodstream.
Lower than normal value?
ApoB levels can decrease in conditions that affect lipoprotein production in the liver such as liver disease, malnutrition, hyperthyroidism, cholesterol lowering medication, and genetic disorders.
Higher than normal value?
Increased levels of apoB are often seen in diabetes, hypothyroidism, kidney disease, pregnancy, and medications such as beta blockers, diuretics.
Quick tips to optimize this marker
Diet and exercise modifications that lower LDL levels (and increase HDL, the “good” cholesterol) will help to lower your ApoB levels and help to decrease your risk of heart disease.
LDL
Normal Range: <160 mg/dL
Often known as “bad” cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein is a type of lipoprotein that consists of cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol, LDL-C) and similar substances along with a small amount of protein. High amounts of LDL-C are not preferable because it is associated with cholesterol plaques, atherosclerosis, and heart disease.
Lower than normal value?
Not usually a concern, and not typically monitored. They may be seen in individuals with liver disease, hyperthyroidism, or inherited lipoprotein deficiency.
Higher than normal value?
Increased LDL-C may be caused by a diet which includes foods with high levels of saturated fat, excessive weight, lack of physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption. Certain medications and genetic conditions may also increase LDL-C.
Quick tips to optimize this marker
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is an important part of treating high levels of LDL-C. A diet low in saturated fat and trans unsaturated fats (trans fats), avoiding smoking, controlling high blood pressure and diabetes, achieving and maintaining desirable body weight, and getting regular exercise are a few key ways to further optimize LDL-C levels.
HDL
Normal Range: 40-300 mg/dL
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) measures the cholesterol in HDL particles. HDL-C is often referred to as the “good cholesterol” because HDL-C picks up excess cholesterol in the body and carries it to the liver for removal.
Lower than normal value?
HDL levels are typically lower in people who have metabolic syndrome, as well as a cluster of conditions that include obesity, increased blood pressure and high blood sugar levels.
Higher than normal value?
Higher HDL levels are associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
Quick tips to optimize this marker
Increased physical activity can lower your triglycerides, the most common type of fat in your body, while increasing your HDL levels. A diet low in saturated fat and trans unsaturated fats (trans fats), avoiding smoking, controlling high blood pressure and diabetes, achieving and maintaining desirable body weight, and getting regular exercise are a few key ways to further optimize HDL levels.
Total Cholesterol
Normal Range: <200
A waxy, fat-like substance found in every cell, this test measures the total amount of cholesterol molecules found in the blood to check your heart health and assess cardiovascular health.
Lower than normal value?
Although very rare, low levels may be associated with some forms of cancer.
Higher than normal value?
High cholesterol levels are associated with plaque production in the arteries, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Quick tips to optimize this marker
To decrease cholesterol levels, you can quit smoking, exercise regularly, eat a heart-healthy diet, manage your stress, and get enough sleep each night.
Triglycerides
Normal Range: <150 mg/dL (fasting)
Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your body, and come from foods such as butter, oils, and other fats. They also come from excess calories that your body converts into triglycerides for storage in fat cells. When your body needs energy, it releases these triglycerides.
Lower than normal value?
Low levels are typically not cause for concern. Low triglyceride levels could also be an indication of an underlying condition, such as malnutrition or malabsorption.
Higher than normal value?
Higher than normal levels may elevate your risk of arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries or thickening of the artery walls), heart attack, stroke, and heart disease.
Quick tips to optimize this marker
Increased physical activity can lower your triglycerides while increasing your HDL levels. In terms of diet, try to avoid trans fats. Foods prepared with shortening, such as cakes and cookies, often contain trans fats, as do most fried foods and some margarines. Limit saturated fat, found in meats and full-fat dairy products. If you smoke, finding a way to quit can also help.
Diabetes/Insulin Resistance Markers
We collect values for four key diabetes & insulin resistance markers: Glucose, Insulin, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR. These markers help to determine your likelihood to have and/or develop diabetes. It can also help track how your body is responding to insulin and glucose levels to potentially prevent damage to nerves and blood vessels, as well as reduce risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and/or vision loss.
Glucose
Normal Range: 70-125 mg/dL
Otherwise known as blood sugar, glucose comes from the foods you eat and drink to fuel the body. It is sugar transported in your blood and used by cells in your body for energy. Sugar is one of three types of carbohydrates along with fiber and starch.
Lower than normal value?
Low levels of glucose (hypoglycemia) is often related to diabetes treatment.
Higher than normal value?
If fasting blood glucose is above normal, it is highly likely you have prediabetes or diabetes.
Quick tips to optimize this marker
Regular exercise and following a diet that is lower in carbohydrates and higher in lean proteins can help to lower blood glucose.
Insulin
Normal Range: 2-24 mIU/mL
Released by the pancreas, insulin is a hormone that helps move blood sugar (glucose) from the bloodstream into cells—helping to keep glucose at the right levels.
Lower than normal value?
Most commonly caused by Diabetes Mellitus Type. Hypopituitarism or pituitary insufficiency is a rare condition which may cause lower insulin levels.
Higher than normal value?
Insulin resistance, obesity, Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, pregnancy, and some tumors may increase the levels of insulin.
Quick tips to optimize this marker
Improving diet, committing to regular exercise, losing weight, and improving sleep have been shown to help decrease insulin levels.
HbA1C
Normal Range: <5.7%
Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) is the substance in your red blood cells that is formed when Hemoglobin (the molecule which carries oxygen inside red blood cells) has glucose attached to it. The higher the amount of glucose in your bloodstream, the more hemoglobin A1C that is formed. Since hemoglobin A1C lasts a long time, it is a good indicator of blood glucose levels over the past 2 to 3 months.
Lower than normal value?
Low HbA1C levels are ideal. It is not a cause for concern.
Higher than normal value?
This often means you have too much glucose in your bloodstream. If your HbA1c is between 5.7% and 6.4%, for example, you may have prediabetes; if your HbA1c is 6.5% or higher, you may have diabetes.
Quick tips to optimize this marker
Improving diet, regular exercise, losing weight, improving sleep have all been shown to reduce HbA1C levels.
HOMA-IR
Normal Range: 0.7-1.9
Homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) is a calculation that indicates your level of insulin sensitivity by taking into account the relationship between insulin and glucose. HOMA-IR may be more informative than either fasting glucose or fasting insulin levels alone.
Lower than normal value?
Likely, this suggests you are sensitive to insulin.
Higher than normal value?
Your body is using more insulin than normal to keep your blood glucose in balance. The higher the number, the more resistant you are to insulin and its ability to regulate the amount of glucose in your blood.
Quick tips to optimize this marker
Improving diet and regular exercise have been shown to decrease HOMA-IR.
Inflammation Marker
Inflammation is the process your body uses to provide the healing chemicals and nutrients needed to help repair the damage caused by infections or injury. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is a slow, progressive condition caused by a misfiring of the immune system that keeps your body in a constant, long-term state of high alert. By understanding the level of potential chronic inflammation it could help prevent inflammation-caused cellular damage that may trigger diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
hs-CRP
Normal Range: 1-3 mg/L
High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein (hs-CRP) is a protein that increases in the blood with inflammation. Studies have suggested that persistent low level of inflammation plays a role in atherosclerosis (narrowing of blood vessels) which is associated with heart disease.
Lower than normal value?
This is not a cause for concern.
Higher than normal value?
A high or increasing amount of CRP in the blood suggests the presence of inflammation.
Quick tips to optimize this marker
Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet and committing to regular exercise have been shown to lower hs-CRP.
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