Blood tests can be confusing, but they don’t have to be. Join me in Episode #332 to learn how to interpret your comprehensive blood test results as I walk through key markers for cardiometabolic, hormonal, and overall health.
If you have listened to The Proof before, you’ll know that I promote a plant-predominant lifestyle focusing on whole foods. This dietary pattern is based on nutrition science and ethical and environmental considerations, and is the lifestyle I personally follow. That’s why I decided to walk you through the results from my most recent blood test in this episode: to show you the tangible outcomes of living and eating this way.
This episode is a thorough guide to blood tests, and you’ll learn not only about my results but also key insights from lipidologist Dr Thomas Dayspring and practising physician and endocrinologist Dr Karl Nadolsky.
Specifically, I cover:
- Introduction (00:00)
- Personal Health Journey and Lifestyle Context (04:06)
- Cardiometabolic Biomarkers: Cholesterol, Triglycerides, and ApoB (09:29)
- Debunking the Triglycerides-to-HDL Ratio Debate (20:56)
- Insulin Sensitivity and Metabolic Health Markers (29:10)
- Hormones: Testosterone Levels and Testing (30:42)
- Thyroid Function: Family History and Test Interpretation (37:19)
- Iron and Micronutrient Insights (50:12)
- Key Lifestyle Habits for Optimal Health and Final Thoughts (51:44)
I hope this episode helps you better understand what to look for in your next blood test and how to interpret your results. Remember that your background is unique and that reviewing your blood test independently is not a substitute for discussing your results with your personal physician.
Download my full blood test results here, and discover my blood test guide here.
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Additional resources
- My full blood test results • The Proof
- Blood Test Guide • The Proof
- Cholesterol Units Converter • Omni Calculator
- Dr Thomas Dayspring • The Proof previous episodes
- New heart disease test you should order | Thomas Dayspring, Md • The Proof Episode #320
- Omega-3 vs Omega-6: The Ultimate Guide to Essential Fatty Acids | A Masterclass • The Proof Episode #331
Supporting studies
- ApoB triumphs once more over LDL-C and non-HDL-C in risk prediction: ready for guidelines? • PMID: 38819813
- Characterization of atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels with low oxygenated blood and blood pressure (Pulmonary trunk): role of growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) • PMID: 34920697
- Dietary Iron Intake and Body Iron Stores Are Associated with Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in a Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies • PMID: 24401818
- Effect of HDL-Raising Drugs on Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Regression • PMID: 24728455
- Ferritin levels and risk of metabolic syndrome: meta-analysis of observational studies • PMID: 24884526
- High density lipoprotein as a protective factor against coronary heart disease. The Framingham Study • PMID: 193398
- Iron, Oxidative Stress, and Metabolic Dysfunction—Associated Steatotic Liver Disease • PMID: 38397806
- Is Isolated Low HDL-C a CVD Risk Factor?: New Insights from the Framingham Offspring Study • PMID: 27166203
- Plasma HDL cholesterol and risk of myocardial infarction: a mendelian randomisation study • PMID: 22607825
- There is urgent need to treat atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk earlier, more intensively, and with greater precision: A review of current practice and recommendations for improved effectiveness • PMID: 36124049
