November 1, 2015
Ahh…it's that precious moment of year again: the time when I saunter into my local laboratory, slap down a fancy requisition form printed off the internet, and politely request that they remove a couple dozen vials of my blood.
The video below is pretty straightforward. In it, I highlight and explain exactly what you should look for on your own blood tests, common issues I see in “healthy people” and exercise enthusiasts, and a few shocking numbers from my own blood (yep, I'm definitely not perfect!), including:
-One important ratio to look for that is a way bigger risk factor for heart disease than your cholesterol…
-When high HDL is a actually bad thing…
-The interesting effect of eliminating the daily sardines in my lunch…
–Two issues that I should probably target with smart supplementation ASAP…
–Why you should test for more than just one, single kind of inflammation…
-And much more…
After watching, you'll know everything you need to know about how to test your blood, which red flags to look for, and the things you need to look for that modern medicine often ignores.
Enjoy, and leave your questions below in the comments section.
More About The Greenfield Longevity Blood Test
Unless you know what your blood looks like under a microscope, there is no way for you to identify with 100% confidence what steps you should take to eat the right diet, to take the right supplements, to protect your health, to enhance your well-being, to perform at peak capacity, and perhaps most importantly, to live as long as possible with as high a quality of life as possible.
But sadly, most annual medical check-ups that the average physician orders are simply routine, old-school blood tests that don’t even test for the most important markers of disease risk, and that are simply designed to make sure you’re “not dying”. They aren’t designed to optimize longevity or to ensure your body is completely primed to perform at peak capacity.
However, what most people don’t realize is that you can skip your physician and simply manage the entire process for getting your blood work done yourself. And if you want to test absolutely every little thing that affects your organs, your energy, your hormones, your health and your longevity, then you should definitely keep reading.
Working closely with WellnessFX, America’s top laboratory for concierge blood testing and online access to all your blood testing results, I’ve developed the”Greenfield Longevity Blood Testing Package”, which is the most complete blood testing package that money can buy, and the exact test I review in the video above.
There is one blood testing package I specifically designed for men, and one for women. Here’s an example of what the men’s longevity panel covers:
- 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin D
- Apolipoprotein A-1
- Apolipoprotein B
- Blood Lead
- Blood Mercury
- Cardio IQ Lipoprotein Fractionation, Ion Mobility
- Complete Blood Count w/ differential
- Complete Metabolic Panel
- Copper
- Cortisol
- Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate
- Ferritin, serum
- Fibrinogen
- Folate
- Free Fatty Acids
- Hemoglobin A1c
- Homocysteine
- hs-CRP (High-sensitivity C-reactive protein)
- IGF-1 (Growth hormone surrogate)
- Insulin
- Iron, TIBC
- Lipid Panel
- Lipoprotein (a)
- Lipoprotein-associated Phospholipase A2
- Luteininzing Hormone
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids
- RBC Magnesium
- Reverse T-3
- Selenium
- SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin)
- T-3 Total
- T-3 Uptake
- T-4 (Thyroxine)
- T-3 Free
- T-4 Free
- Testosterone + Free Testosterone
- Thiamine
- Thyroglobulin Antibodies
- Thyroid Peroxidase AB
- TSH
- Uric Acid
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B12
- Zinc
- Estradiol
And the women’s longevity panel includes:
- 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin D
- Apolipoprotein A-1
- Apolipoprotein B
- Blood Lead
- Blood Mercury
- Cardio IQ Lipoprotein Fractionation, Ion Mobility
- Complete Blood Count w/ differential
- Complete Metabolic Panel
- Copper
- Cortisol
- Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate
- Ferritin, serum
- Fibrinogen
- Folate
- Free Fatty Acids
- Hemoglobin A1c
- Homocysteine
- hs-CRP (High-sensitivity C-reactive protein)
- IGF-1 (Growth hormone surrogate)
- Insulin
- Iron, TIBC
- Lipid Panel
- Lipoprotein (a)
- Lipoprotein-associated Phospholipase A2
- Luteininzing Hormone
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids
- RBC Magnesium
- Reverse T-3
- Selenium
- SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin)
- T-3 Total
- T-3 Uptake
- T-4 (Thyroxine)
- T-3 Free
- T-4 Free
- Testosterone + Free Testosterone
- Thiamine
- Thyroglobulin Antibodies
- Thyroid Peroxidase AB
- TSH
- Uric Acid
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B12
- Zinc
- Estradiol
- Progesterone
- Follicle Stimulating Hormone
As you can see, this is by far the most comprehensive blood testing package that exists, and I created it for the health enthusiast, biohacker and anti-aging individual who wants access to the same type of executive health panel and screening that would normally cost tens of thousands of dollars at a longevity institute.
Watch the video above to see what your dashboard will look like, along with even more details on each of the values you will gain insight into with this blood test.
Do you have questions, comments or feedback about my blood testing results, the Greenfield Longevity Panel, or any tidbits from the video? Leave your thoughts below and I'll reply!
So I’m from the wonderful world of Canada where I can get lots of these for free (Hopefully, I haven’t asked my doctor yet) but since I’m paying all these taxes I can’t afford the 1200 USD panel from wellness FX. Whats my next best thing if I can get all of this for free? Would a 20 minute consult from you be able to cover all of these in a different format than what your used to?
Why did nobody comment on the fact that there are TWO free testosterone values in this test? And they’re way different:
Free Testosterone 51.5
Testosterone (free) 5.9
What is the difference between these two and why are they so different?
In my case, free T tends to drop when I'm in periods of heavy training and/or calorie restriction.
Is this availabe to people who live in canada?
Hey Kyle, what we suggest for people in Canada is go to travel to one of the northern states in the US to get the testing done and then have the results analyzed via a Skype interview. It's a little more work but it can be done!
Hi Ben, know of anywhere to get tests like this done in Australia?
Hi Ben,
I just got a blood panel too, not as in depth as this, as mine was just for an annual check-up. However, I was worried about my high cholesterol as it’s actually identical to your cholesterol readings–maybe off by 1 or 2 points on each, by yes nearly identical! I am 29 yr old female who works out 2 hrs a day & I am a “pescatarian-vegan” (I think I made that up?) with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. After I told the Dr. I was pescatarian-vegan she said that I might have familial hypercholesterolemia (I am not convinced). Thanks for sharing your test results, it makes me feel better! Maybe I am normal & nothing is wrong after all!
We talk a little about that here: https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/2016/06/354/
what else? Blood glucose (low carb intake that is too low), autoimmune responses to food, low iodine, low selenium. Host of factors. Honestly for me to go over blood work like this in detail (warning, I'm not a doc!) I'd be happy to help you via a personal one-on-one consult. Just go to https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/coaching. and then choose a 20 or 60 minute consult, whichever you'd prefer. I can schedule ASAP after you get that.
Hi Ben, question regarding the low T3 and Free Testosterone…
Other than Cortisol, (stress etc.) What else could hinder T4 to T3 conversion?
I have ordered tests based using the same profile you posted here (results related to the question below.)
What if both – SHBG is high – and Free T is low, yet Cortisol seems fine…?
What else could possible be going on here? I am not a professional athlete but more of the person that goes to the gym twice a week with some hiit routine and a couple of yoga classes per week. On the other hand, I have been following a low carb diet (would say probably around 70 to 80 gr carbs a day) You mentioned in your post about Ketosis that low carb diet can also affect T4 to T3 conversion. Could that be the cause here? And if so, could low carb also explain the SHBG and Free Testosterone levels?
—————————————————
Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum: 106.8 (16.5-55.9)
Testosterone, Serum: 807 (348-1197)
Free Testosterone(Direct): 6.1 (6.8-21.5)
Tsh: 3.27 (0.45-4.5)
T3: 57 (71-180)
Cortisol: 10.9 (2.3-19.4)
Lp-Pla2: 209 (131-209)
did you ever get clarity on this?
Great video. Thank you! I was able to use it to look over my labs from last year at the same time. May need the ferritin supplement and the gluten free thyroid med. I will have new labs next week so I will compare last year to this year and see where the thyroid and specifically the ferritin level is at.
When is the podcast for the colonoscopy you did coming out??? Guess once that podcast comes out you will have no more secretes as you bare it all LOL!
Soon – no specific date yet but stay tuned!
Ben, I appreciate the time and effort to elaborate on all the details. Unfortunately the panel you're using is a bit out of reach financially. Could you recommend something like "Top Three!" tests, or "Top Ten Tests?" Some sub-two hundred dollars? Or perhaps a multi-stage process where we check A + B + C and later add D + E + F, and eventually X + Y + Z? I could likely reverse engineer the lab you used, but would welcome your input on a more structured way to break it down into more manageable chunks.
It's already been done to a certain extent. Check out DirectLabs "top ten tests" here: http://goo.gl/JJoOT
Thanks Ben for all the great information and putting this together. All of the information we can gather based on our bloodwork truly fascinates me; I just ordered the panel. Do you know how much this kind of testing has made its way into professional sports? Are they testing yet on a regular basis?
Unfortunately very few professional sports teams are doing this kind of testing with their athletes or even know how to interpret it. So the answer is no. Sad huh?
Ben — Yes, very sad considering millions of dollars are spent funding what happens outside of the body; I think there could be a fun and, of course, profitable (we are capitalists here) opportunity here with the right team in place. I believe this would be a compelling "product/offering"….any thoughts?
I'll have to see what my results look like (Yes, my liver enzymes will be elevated as they always are when I'm training). If I would have had all this information at my fingertips when I played, I believe it would have changed my life.
Hope you are having a great day Ben!
Trust me, I'm trying. Pro sports are a good old boys network that is tough to make inroads into.
I would love to get involved here and believe I could add significant value all the while positively fueling my own personal "addiction" to all of this! My email is [email protected] and I would be happy to discuss any ways in which I could help you move this effort forward. Have a great day and keep flipping tires with the kids. :)
Ben, just shot you a tweet. I've been really interested in the Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) protein for a few years now, and I'm amazed at how little is still known about it. It seems like a small percentage of the public have a genetic abnormality that causes them to produce excess amounts. As of now, medicine has no way of treating this abnormality beyond synthetic testosterone injections, which only raise free testosterone by adding more total testosterone to the body. I'm curios to hear your thoughts on SHBG and its function. Do you really believe that testosterone bound to SHBG is completely unavailable for use? I've read some theories that SHBG is simply a way for the body to store testosterone for longer periods of time. Curious to hear your thoughts. For what it's worth, Nettle Tea about an hour before bed seems to work well to counteract high SHBG counts by binding to the protein before it has the chance to bind up testosterone.
I'd love to check out these links/theories you have on SHBG. Can you leave them here in the comments section and I can review….
Thanks for sharing Ben, the WellnessFX setup looks really cool! Unfortunately though I'm UK based and it doesn't look like they're too keen on me shipping in my blood from overseas…
Look at curoseven.com
Great stuff. Thanks for sharing! I recently attended a seminar about the changing science of lipoproteins. Apparently there's something known as "dysfunctional HDL" which is increased during an inflammatory response. (Unfortunately not clinically measurable at this point in time). Interesting to note that exercise (an acute inflammatory stressor) is one of the few things that increases "HDL"… but whether that's the good or dysfunctional kind is yet to be determined.
But the apo protein I talk about associated with HDL can give clues!
Hi Ben may I ask why you are testing copper, lead and zinc in the blood ?. doesn't the body control toxic metals such as copper and lead (unless testing for acute exposure when blood then is relevant) and also zinc tends to be stored so surely the blood isn't the best measure for these? I would use RBC zinc or zinc tally test for zinc or DMSA challenge urine test or urine (baseline test) for toxic metals or hair mineral analysis. Interested to know your thoughts. thanks!
1. On Zinc, RBC Zinc is a good but expensive test, with blood Zinc still fairly sensitive, especially for the cost. Here's a paper discussing: http://www.med.or.jp/english/pdf/2004_08/359_364….
2. On Copper and Lead, exposure that exceeds the body's controls can lead to elevated amounts in the blood and chronic toxicity, and blood can also be helpful in identifying copper deficiency.
This is really informative. Thanks, Ben!
Wonder if your mild dehydration is caused b drinking too much water? Maybe adding a pinch of salt and drinking a bit less would help your tissues absorb more?
Interesting idea…I do use quite a high amount of minerals, but I also sweat boatloads every day…
Thanks for sharing Ben, the WellnessFX setup looks really cool! Unfortunately though I'm UK based and it doesn't look like they're too keen on me shipping in my blood from overseas… Dyou by any chance know of any UK based companies that offer similar in depth testing?
Look at CuroSeven.com!
Cheers Ben!
Isn't that LDL-P pretty high? Peter Attia says on his blog and in a few videos he has done that Cardiovascular disease risk is less about particle size and more about number of particles. I know the low inflammation is key here too. http://eatingacademy.com/cholesterol-2/the-straig…
My LDL is around 100 on a paleo-ish diet. You mentioned you did your 23 and me, do you have an apoe4 gene? I've seen research both ways on high fat vs. low-fat diet, and here it certainly looks like it's raising the LDL-P.
great insight though, thanks for sharing!!
Here’s a good anecdote in this type of discordance…likely Brit an issue unless trigs and FFA also high:
An analysis of “Get With the Guidelines” data published in 2009 studied almost 137 thousand patients with an acute coronary event. Almost half of those had admission LDL levels <100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L). Thus, LDL-C does not seem to be predicting risk in these patients. However, low HDL-C and elevated TG was common among these patients. Low HDL-C and high TG is generally associated with higher LDL-P.
Among discordant patients in the Framingham Offspring Study the group with the highest risk for future cardiovascular events had high LDL-P and low LDL-C, while the group with the lowest risk had low LDL-P but higher LDL-C.
Many patients with the metabolic syndrome or type-2 diabetes have the type of discordance where LDL-P is elevated but LDL-C may be close to normal. In these individuals, measurements of LDL-C may underestimate cardiovascular risk. Measurements of ApoB or LDL-P may therefore be helpful in these individuals.
Discordance may be an important clinical phenomenon. Sometimes the question of medical therapy in primary prevention arises when there is intermediate risk, based on LDL-C. In these cases a low LDL-P level might help to confirm that the risk is indeed low, which might justify avoiding statin therapy.
Statins tend to lower LDL-C more than LDL-P. Many individuals who reach the target for LDL-C with statins, may still have raised LDL-P. This may indicate residual risk despite what is generally defined as adequate treatment.
Ben, I do not see a package called “Longevity” on WellnessFX. Is this the premium panel ($998)?
Go here: https://greenfieldfitnesssystems.com/product/gree…