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Bloodwork Results - Nearly 14 years of mild CR


drewab

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In March 2025, I will hit the 14 year mark of mild CR. While my regime is not as aggressive as many CR practitioners and in some ways reflects a healthy, obesity avoiding lifestyle, I am probably mildly CR'd to some degree. Or I would say that I live as our species intended too - without an overabundance of calories while having by body experience regular mild hormetic stressors.

At any rate, below are the results. Feel free to ask questions, critique, and engage in conversation. It would be neat to see other people start threads and share their bloodwork too. My mildly elevated LP(a) caught my attention despite the fact the other cardiac markers seem pretty solid. The extent to which it matters in in this context may be limited, but it was interesting as this was the first time I have had it measured. These results were fasted at 14.0 hours after my last meal. 

ApoB - 0.67 g/L (below <1.05 g/L)

LP(a) - 103 nmol/L (below <100nmol/L)

Vitamin B12 - 397 pmol/L (above >160pmol/L)

Ferritin - 49 ug/L (range 30-500ug/L)

Iron - 20 umol/L (range 8-35 umol/L)

Total Iron Binding Capacity - 56 umol/L (range 40-75 umol/L)

Iron Saturation Index - 0.36 (range 0.12 - 0.60)

TSH Progressive - 1.63 mIU/L (range 0.20 - 6.50 mIU/L)

Triglycerides - 0.73 mmol/L (below <1.70 mmol/L)

Total Cholesterol - 3.88 mmol/L (below <5.20 mmol/L)

HDL Cholesterol - 1.41 mmol/L (above > 1.00 mmol/L) 

LDL Cholesterol - 2.13 mmol/L (below <3.50 mmol/L)

PSA - 0.3 ug/L (below <2.6 ug/L)

HBA1C - 4.8% (range 4.3 - 5.9%)

Fasting Glucose - 4.4 mmol/L (range 3.3-6.0 mmol/L)

Potassium - 4.0 mmol/L (range 3.6-5.2 mmol/L)

Sodium - 141 mmol/L (range 135-145 mmol/L)

Creatinine - 73 umol/L (range 50-120 umol/L)

CRP - <5.0 mg/L (below 8.0mg/L) - *unfortunately the lab no longer does hs-CRP

ALT - 20 U/L (below <60U/L)

ALP - 77 U/L (range 40-120 U/L)

Albumin - 44 g/L (range 30-45 g/L)

WBC - 3.4 (range 4.0-11.0)

RBC - 5.06 (range 4.3-6.0)

Hemoglobin - 177 g/L (range 135-175 g/L)

Hematocrit - 0.50 L/L (range 0.40-0.52 L/L)

MCV - 98 fl (range 80-100 fL)

MCHC - 357 g/L (range 310-360 g/L)

RDW - 12.8% (below <16.0%)

Platelets - 126 (range 140-400)

Neutrophil Absolute - 1.8 (range 1.8-7.5)

Lymphocyte Absolute - 1.1 (range 0.5-4.5)

Monocytes Absolute - 0.3 (range 0.0-1.1)

Eosinophils Absolute - 0.1 (range 0.0-0.7)

Basophils Absolute - 0.0 (range 0.0-0.3)

 

 

Edited by drewab
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I haven't been particularly hardcore about anything for a while, also no longer eating mostly plant based, I eat meat regularly.  Decided to get some bloodwork this week just to look for any potential problems I should address now that I'm 50, including hormones and PSA which I've never had measured before so good to have a baseline. Also I wanted to have some reassurance that the supplements I've been taking are not harming my liver or kidneys (I've seen some warnings about Ashwagandha for example, which I've been taking somewhat regularly).  Blood was drawn after overnight fasting (16 hours).  Everything was within the normal ranges at least according to the lab report, I used Ulta Labs and Mike Lustgarten's affiliate link: https://www.ultalabtests.com/partners/michaellustgarten (first time using them, had no problems, seems good, price was reasonable, went through Quest)

Cholesterol & Triglycerides

    •  TRIGLYCERIDES
      (mg/dL)
      • 46
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: <150
    •  CHOL/HDLC RATIO
      ((calc))
      • 2.4
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: <5.0
    •  NON HDL CHOLESTEROL
      (mg/dL (calc))
      • 86
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: <130

HDL Particles

High density lipoprotein (HDL) particles are often referred to as good cholesterol, because they are associated with a decreased risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

    •  HDL CHOLESTEROL
      (mg/dL)
      • 60
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: > OR = 40

LDL Particles

Low-density lipoprotein particle (LDL-P) testing evaluates LDL particles according to their number, size, density, and/or electrical charge. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are particles that transport lipids throughout the body. Each particle contains a combination of protein, cholesterol, triglyceride, and phospholipid molecules. Their composition changes as they circulate in the blood. Some molecules are removed and others are added, resulting in lipoprotein particles whose properties vary from large and fluffy to small and dense. LDL particle testing determines the relative amounts of particles of differing properties. Traditional lipid testing measures the amount of LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) present in the blood, but it does not evaluate the number of particles of LDL (LDL-P). Some studies have shown that increased numbers of small dense LDL particles are more likely to cause atherosclerosis than fewer light, fluffy LDL particles. An increased number of small, dense LDL could be one of the reasons that some people have heart attacks even though their total and LDL cholesterol concentrations are not particularly high."

    •  LDL-CHOLESTEROL
      (mg/dL (calc))
      • 73
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: See Comments

 Metabolic & Endocrine Health

The endocrine system is the collection of glands, each of which secretes different types of hormones that regulate metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sexual function, reproduction, sleep and mood, among other things.

The endocrine system is made of eight major glands, which are groups of cells that produce and secrete chemicals. A gland selects and removes materials from the blood, processes them, and secretes the finished chemical product for use somewhere in the body. Almost every organ and cell in the body is affected by the endocrine system.

A group of glands that signal each other in sequence are usually referred to as an axis. One example is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which coordinates interactions among the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland and the adrenal, also called "suprarenal" glands, which are small, conical organs on top of the kidneys.

The endocrine system sends signals throughout the body, much like the nervous system, but unlike the immediate responses triggered by the nervous system, the effects can take a few hours or weeks. Hormones released from endocrine tissue into the bloodstream where they travel to target tissue to elicit a response.

Endocrine glands are vascular and generally do not have ducts, using intracellular vacuoles, or granules, to store hormones. They differ from, exocrine glands — salivary glands, sweat glands and glands within the gastrointestinal tract — which have ducts or a hollow lumen.

The endocrine system gets some help from organs such as the kidney, liver, heart and gonads, which have secondary endocrine functions. The kidney, for example, secretes hormones such as erythropoietin and renin.

Diabetes & Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body produces insulin but does not use it effectively. When people have insulin resistance, glucose builds up in the blood instead of being absorbed by the cells, leading to type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes. Most people with insulin resistance don’t know they have it for many years—until they develop type 2 diabetes, a serious, lifelong disease. The good news is that if people learn they have insulin resistance early on, they can often prevent or delay diabetes by making changes to their lifestyle.

When people with diabetes eat, the pancreas automatically produces the right amount of insulin to move glucose from blood into the cells. In people with diabetes, however, the pancreas either produces little or no insulin, or the cells do not respond appropriately to the insulin that is produced. Glucose builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine, and passes out of the body in the urine. Thus, the body loses its main source of fuel even though the blood contains large amounts of glucose. The three main types of diabetes are: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes

    •  GLUCOSE
      (mg/dL)
      • 86
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 65-99

Reproductive Hormones

    •  DHEA SULFATE
      (mcg/dL)
      • 196
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 61-442
    •  TESTOSTERONE, TOTAL, MALES (ADULT), IA
      (ng/dL)
      • 637
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 250-827

 Liver Health

The liver is one of the largest internal organs and is an important in your health. It is part of the digestive system and is connected to the small intestine by the bile duct. The liver is a multitasking organ, with many functions. Nearly all the blood that leaves the stomach and intestines passes through the liver for processing.

The liver is involved in these a group of body functions that include:

  • Production of clotting factors, blood, proteins, bile, and greater than a thousand enzymes.
  • Storage of energy from the food to provide fuel for muscles.
  • Uses the cholesterol in the blood.
  • Regulates the level of blood sugar and hormones in the body.
  • Removes poisons such as drugs and alcohol from the blood.

 

Liver Enzymes and Function Tests

Liver Enzymes and Function tests are used to see how well your liver is working. Your liver is the largest organ inside your body and it helps your body digest food, store energy, and remove poisons.

There are many kinds of liver diseases. Viruses cause some of them, like hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Others can be the result of drugs, poisons or drinking too much alcohol. If the liver forms scar tissue because of an illness, it's called cirrhosis. Jaundice, or yellowing of the skin, can be one sign of liver disease. Cancer can also affect the liver. You could also inherit a liver disease such as hemochromatosis.

    •  PROTEIN, TOTAL
      (g/dL)
      • 6.7
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 6.1-8.1
    •  ALBUMIN
      (g/dL)
      • 4.3
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 3.6-5.1
    •  GLOBULIN
      (g/dL (calc))
      • 2.4
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 1.9-3.7
    •  ALBUMIN/GLOBULIN RATIO
      ((calc))
      • 1.8
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 1.0-2.5
    •  BILIRUBIN, TOTAL
      (mg/dL)
      • 0.6
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 0.2-1.2
    •  ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE
      (U/L)
      • 59
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 35-144
    •  AST
      (U/L)
      • 19
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 10-35
    •  ALT
      (U/L)
      • 16
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 9-46

 Kidney & Urinary Health

The kidney and urinary tract make up the urinary / renal system that cleanses the blood and rids the body of excess water and waste in the form of urine. The urinary tract consists of two kidneys, two ureters (one from each kidney), tubes that drain urine from the kidneys into the bladder (a storage sac), and the urethra. Muscles help control the release of urine from the bladder.

The kidneys receive blood from the aorta, filter it, and send it back to the heart with the right balance of chemicals and fluid for use throughout the body. The urine created by the kidneys is moved out of the body via the urinary tract.

The kidneys control the quantity and quality of fluids within the body. They also produce hormones and vitamins that direct cell activities in many organs; the hormone renin, for example, helps control blood pressure. When the kidneys are not working properly, waste products and fluid can build up to dangerous levels, creating a life-threatening situation. Among the important substances the kidneys help to control are sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate (HCO3-), pH, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.

Kidney Function Metabolic

    •  UREA NITROGEN (BUN)
      (mg/dL)
      • 17
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 7-25
    •  CREATININE
      (mg/dL)
      • 1.19
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 0.70-1.30
    •  EGFR
      (mL/min/1.73m2)
      • 74
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: > OR = 60
    •  CALCIUM
      (mg/dL)
      • 9.5
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 8.6-10.3

 Electrolytes

Electrolytes are electrically charged minerals that are found in body tissues and blood in the form of dissolved salts. They help move nutrients into and wastes out of the body's cells, maintain a healthy water balance, and help stabilize the body’s pH level. The electrolyte panel measures the main electrolytes in the body: sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), chloride (Cl-), and bicarbonate (HCO3-; sometimes reported as total CO2).

Electrolytes

    •  SODIUM
      (mmol/L)
      • 141
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 135-146
    •  POTASSIUM
      (mmol/L)
      • 4.8
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 3.5-5.3
    •  CHLORIDE
      (mmol/L)
      • 105
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 98-110
    •  CARBON DIOXIDE
      (mmol/L)
      • 30
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: 20-32

 Tumor Markers

Tumor markers are substances, often proteins, which are produced by the cancer tissue itself or sometimes by the body in response to a cancer growth. Because some of these substances can be detected in body samples such as blood, urine, and tissue, these markers may be used, along with other tests and procedures, to help detect and diagnose some types of cancer, predict and monitor a person's response to certain treatments, and detect recurrence.

Newer types of tests have been developed that look for changes in genetic material (DNA, RNA), rather than proteins, in patient samples. The genetic changes have been found to be associated with certain cancers and can be used as tumor markers to help determine prognosis, guide targeted treatment, and/or detect cancers early on.

While tumor marker tests can provide very useful information, they do have limitations. Many tumor markers may also be elevated in persons with diseases other than cancer. Some tumor markers are specific for a particular type of cancer, while others are seen in several different types of cancer.

Not every person with a particular type of cancer will have an elevated level of the corresponding tumor marker and not every cancer has a tumor marker that has been identified as associated with it. Tumor markers alone are not diagnostic for cancer; for some types of cancer, they provide additional information that can be considered in conjunction with a patient's medical history and physical exam as well as other laboratory and/or imaging tests.

Tumor Indicators

Tumor markers are substances that are produced by cancer or by other cells of the body in response to cancer or certain benign (noncancerous) conditions. Most tumor markers are made by normal cells as well as by cancer cells; however, they are produced at much higher levels in cancerous conditions. These substances can be found in the blood, urine, stool, tumor tissue, or other tissues or bodily fluids of some patients with cancer. Most tumor markers are proteins. However, more recently, patterns of gene expression and changes to DNA have also begun to be used as tumor markers. Markers of the latter type are assessed in tumor tissue specifically. There are some limitations to the use of tumor markers. Sometimes, noncancerous conditions can cause the levels of certain tumor markers to increase. In addition, not everyone with a particular type of cancer will have a higher level of a tumor marker associated with that cancer. Moreover, tumor markers have not been identified for every type of cancer.

    •  PSA, TOTAL
      (ng/mL)
      • 1.61
        Jan 2025
      •  
      • Range: < OR = 4.00
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Your bloodwork results look great Gordo. I would be curious to hear what a day in the life looks like for you these days in terms of nutrition, movement, fasting, sleep, stress, etc. I'm interested in what shifted your perspective from plant-based to an omnivorous eating pattern. I've taken ashwaganda intermittently to mitigate stress (it really works for me) but was alerted to the dangers by a friend of mine who is also a CR practitioner. 

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18 hours ago, Dean Pomerleau said:

The only thing that looks a little weird to me is your eGFR (on the low side) and creatinine (a bit on the high side) for a man your age with two intact kidneys.

These two I can explain, I take this creatine supplement, half scoop (2.5g) daily, this elevates creatinine a bit but is not a problem: How the use of creatine supplements can elevate serum creatinine in the absence of underlying kidney pathology This ALSO reduces eGFR.

I've been keeping an eye on the Rejuvenation Olympics leaders and from what I've seen most are taking creatine, I also remember long ago Michael R mentioned he uses creatine. Dave Pascoe takes twice the amount that I take. Siim Land takes it, Bryan Johnson likes it so much he created his own branded product for it 😂.
 

Creatine

Moving on with creatine. There’s a lot of research about how creatine increases maximal strength, power, near-maximum intensity exercise, and lean body mass, and even reduces the incidence of injuries during training (R; R; R).

But creatine also has many longevity-boosting effects. It slows down age-related muscle loss and other disorders, such as neurodegeneration, memory impairment, and stroke (R). Creatine has been shown to slow down the progression of Parkinson’s in humans (R). Thus, creatine not only improves aspects of your physical health, but it also has benefits for your cognitive aging and brain health (R).

Dietary sources of creatine are red meat and fish, but you would have to consume a very large amount to reach the efficacious dose of 3-5 grams/day. Thus, supplementation with creatine is the easiest and most effective way to get an effect.

Edited by Gordo
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Creatine is a very inexpensive supplement with excellent evidence for improving muscle mass, strength, and physical performance, especially in resistance training and high-intensity exercise. Longevity? No direct evidence I'm afraid, although muscle mass and strength are associated to longevity so there would be an indirect correlation.

I take creatine everyday, 2-3 grams, my creatinine last time was on average values, but I did not measure GFR. I would explore further the GFR issue, though.

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