Testosterone (for the women’s blood panel): At Vitality, we continually update our biomarker panel based on the latest research to ensure our recommendations maximize performance for both men and women. The latest research indicates that testosterone and progesterone are not reliable indicators of peak performance in women. These hormones fluctuate significantly throughout the menstrual cycle, which can impair their predictability in terms of physical performance (source, source). This fluctuation negatively affects their ability to help predict physical performance. Instead, we focus on more stable markers like DHEA-S and ratios such as cortisol-to-DHEA-S to assess physiological readiness for performance.

ApoB (Apolipoprotein B): ApoB is a key carrier of lipoproteins and is closely related to other cardiovascular health markers, such as LDL cholesterol (source). In our panel, we include 54 different markers that assess cardiovascular fitness and lipid metabolism, including LDL, to provide comprehensive insights without redundancy.

Vitamin/Mineral levels: Directly measuring all micronutrients in the blood often doesn't provide the most efficient or informative picture of nutrient status. Many essential nutrients function indirectly through their effects on enzymes and other proteins. Therefore, we focus on a select group of biomarkers that not only indicate nutrient levels but also give deeper insights into how your body utilizes these nutrients. For this reason, we have 54 biomarkers in our Micronutrient category even though many of them are not micronutrients themselves.