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Biomarker guide

Behind every number,
something worth understanding.

Your result gives you information. Here, we explore what it measures, what can affect it, and a question to bring to your clinician.

Reviewed by Atheal’s health team

All markers

145 markers and tests

Explore markers by the part of your health they help explain. Each guide puts the result in context; which tests you need depends on your situation.

A place to start

Six guides to names you might see on your report.

Blood sugar & insulin

Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c)

An estimate of your average blood glucose over roughly three months.

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Nutrients & iron

Ferritin

A marker of stored iron that also responds to inflammation.

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Heart & cholesterol

LDL Cholesterol (Martin-Hopkins calculation)

An estimate of LDL cholesterol using your standard lipid results.

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Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

TSH is the brain's signal to the thyroid and often the starting point for checking thyroid function.

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Nutrients & iron

Vitamin D (25-OH)

The usual blood marker for vitamin D status.

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Creatinine

Creatinine helps estimate kidney filtration, but muscle, food, and medicines also influence the number.

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See the idea, step by step

Read the whole picture

Reading a complete blood count

One sample, several kinds of information: oxygen-carrying cells, immune cells, and platelets.

Reading iron studies together

Stored iron, circulating iron, and hemoglobin answer different questions.

Reading thyroid tests together

Start with the control signal and the hormone response, then ask what the other tests add.

Reading kidney tests together

Filtering blood and keeping albumin out of urine are two different parts of the picture.

Reading a urinalysis

Appearance, chemical testing, and microscopy each reveal a different part of the sample.

Understanding units, ranges, and targets

The number, its unit, and the question being asked belong together.

Blood cells & proteins17

Cell counts, cell size, hemoglobin types, and blood-protein patterns.

Blood sugar & insulin5

Blood glucose and the body’s response to insulin over time.

Heart & cholesterol11

Blood fats and the particles carrying them, within the wider picture of heart health.

Thyroid7

Thyroid hormones, antibodies, and tests used in thyroid follow-up.

Reproductive health13

Hormones related to the menstrual cycle, testosterone, pregnancy, and fertility assessment.

Adrenal hormones4

Cortisol and adrenal hormones, where timing and the reason for testing matter.

Kidneys8

Kidney filtration, albumin in urine, and how these results fit together.

Liver & digestion13

Liver enzymes, bilirubin, proteins, and the digestive enzyme lipase.

Urinalysis19

Urine appearance, dipstick findings, and what microscopy adds.

Nutrients & iron20

Vitamins, iron, and the trace minerals the body needs in small amounts.

Electrolytes & mineral balance9

Minerals involved in fluid balance, nerves, muscles, and bones.

Inflammation & immunity6

Inflammation signals and tests used to investigate particular immune symptoms.

Muscles1

Muscle enzymes in the context of symptoms, exercise, and medicines.

CKCreatine Kinase (CK) TotalAn enzyme that can rise in blood when muscle cells are stressed or injured.

Biological age1

Research estimates combining several markers, with limits for individual interpretation.

PhenoAgePhenoAge (Biological Age)A research estimate that translates a pattern of blood results into an age-like score.

Metal exposure3

Tests chosen around the suspected source and timing of an exposure.

Tumour markers8

Tests for specific assessments and follow-up, rather than a general cancer-screening panel.