Most doctors look at your blood work and say "everything looks fine" — and within the standard reference ranges, they're right.

But here's the thing. Those reference ranges are built from population averages. And the average person in the US is not metabolically healthy. So "normal" and "optimal" are two very different targets.

If you're someone who actually wants to perform, look, and feel your best, it helps to understand what your numbers mean beyond the standard checkboxes. Here's a breakdown of the markers worth paying closer attention to.

Metabolic Markers — Start Here

These come first because if your metabolism isn't dialed in, nothing else works the way it should. Hormones, energy, body composition — all of it builds on this foundation.

Fasting Glucose: The standard cutoff is under 100 mg/dL, which is a reasonable clinical threshold. But for optimization purposes, the sweet spot is 70 to 85 mg/dL. Consistently sitting in the 90s is worth a conversation with your provider.

Fasting Insulin: This one doesn't always show up on a standard panel, but it's worth requesting. Optimal is under 5 mIU/L. Levels above 8 suggest insulin resistance may already be developing — even when glucose looks perfectly fine on paper.

Hemoglobin A1c: Think of this as your three-month blood sugar average. Optimal is below 5.3%, ideally in the high 4s to low 5s. It gives a much more complete picture than a single fasting glucose reading.

Once nutrition and training are dialed in, certain peptides can support metabolic function further. Tesamorelin is effective for targeting visceral fat. 5-Amino-1MQ improves cellular fat burning at a deeper level. GLP-1 agonists like Semaglutide or Tirzepatide can help restore insulin sensitivity when other approaches have plateaued.

Lipid Panel — It's Not Just About Cholesterol

Triglycerides should be under 100 mg/dL, ideally under 70. Elevated triglycerides often trace back to processed carbs and sugars rather than dietary fat.

HDL (your "good" cholesterol) should be above 60 to 70 mg/dL.

The number most people overlook is the Triglyceride-to-HDL ratio. Divide your triglycerides by your HDL. Under 1.5 is excellent. Over 3.0 is a meaningful signal worth addressing with your provider.

On LDL — total cholesterol is only part of the picture. Particle size matters a lot. Small, dense LDL particles carry more risk than large, fluffy ones. If this hasn't come up in your bloodwork conversations, it's a good question to ask.

Hormonal Health — Where Context Matters Most

Standard testosterone reference ranges are intentionally broad because they're designed to cover a wide population across all age groups. Optimal total testosterone for most men who are actively training and focused on performance tends to fall between 700 and 900 ng/dL — but your provider will factor in symptoms and individual context.

Free testosterone is the form your body can actually use, and it often tells a more complete story than total testosterone alone.

SHBG (Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin) is a protein that binds to testosterone, making it unavailable for use. High SHBG can leave you feeling off even when your total testosterone looks fine on paper.

For those who want to support natural testosterone production, a few options worth discussing with a knowledgeable provider: Gonadorelin stimulates the pituitary to produce LH and FSH. Kisspeptin works upstream in the hypothalamus and has shown effects on libido and testosterone. Clomiphene is a SERM that can raise testosterone without suppressing your natural production.

Thyroid and Inflammation — The Quiet Ones

A TSH reading alone gives you a starting point, but a complete thyroid panel including free T4, free T3, and thyroid antibodies gives you the full picture. Optimal TSH sits between 1 and 2. Free T3 in particular drives energy, metabolism, and mood — so symptoms still matter even when TSH looks normal.

For inflammation, two markers worth tracking:

hs-CRP measures systemic inflammation. Optimal is below 0.5 to 1.0 mg/L. Chronically elevated levels are associated with cardiovascular risk and slower recovery over time.

Homocysteine is less commonly discussed but connected to cardiovascular health and cognitive function. Worth including if you're building a comprehensive picture of your health.

The full video breakdown is up on Rumble — I walk through all of this in more detail, including where peptides fit into the bigger picture.

Watch it here:

Talk soon,

Lee

P.S. — If you haven't had fasting insulin included in your last panel, it's worth bringing up at your next visit. It's one of the more telling markers for where your metabolic health actually stands.