Blood Labs, Clear Answers

Most lab reports end with a shrug: “You’re fine.” We think you deserve better than fine. This conversation is a practical guide to reading your blood work with confidence, using trends over time, and translating numbers into action you can stick with. Brent from Sage Healthspan joins us to unpack why “normal” ranges aren’t the goal in a metabolically unwell population, how a closed-data AI can protect privacy while clarifying your results, and which overlooked biomarkers can change your prevention plan.

We walk through the markers that move the needle. For cardiovascular risk, ApoB outperforms total cholesterol, while Lp(a) can reveal a genetic risk hidden in standard panels and point you toward a timely calcium score. Men should treat PSA as a low-friction lifesaver rather than an afterthought. Women deserve complete hormone panels, not piecemeal tests that miss the bigger picture. We also break down composite markers, ratios, and biological age as motivators—useful not as verdicts, but as guides to your next best step.

The episode connects labs with real life. Sleep, training load, season, and environment all shape your biology. Wearables like Oura can inform when to push or pull back; vitamin D shifts with sunlight; fasting changes testosterone; and context matters as much as the number itself. We share how Sage ingests historical labs, normalizes units, explains biomarkers in plain English, and even drafts smart questions you can email to your doctor so every appointment counts. The aim is simple: lower friction, improve clarity, and build health agency that compounds over time.

If you’re ready to move from “okay” to optimal, tune in and learn how to centralize your data, fill panel gaps affordably, and make better daily choices backed by evidence. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s ready to own their health, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show.