Order an athlete biomarker blood test panel to give insight into an athlete's body and performance. This panel analyzes key biomarkers to allow for the best health of the athlete and enhanced performance.
Analyzing a blood sample can allow an athlete to perform and train to their maximum potential. This detailed information can help the athlete and their coaches, in some cases, to manage training and nutrition, recognize body weaknesses, determine stress levels and muscle status, and, ultimately, improve the performance of the athlete and avoid injury. In addition, every athlete is different. Outcomes can vary, despite similar training regimes and diets, as genetic and environmental influences can cause athletes to respond differently. When analyzing and optimizing performance, these noted differences need to be considered and measured.
Overall, dietary deficiencies, hydration status, muscle status, cardiovascular endurance, injury risk, and inflammation can be identified by biomarkers. All of these factors directly relate to the athlete's success, health, and recovery, thereby facilitating greater optimization.
The athlete biomarker blood test panel includes:
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP-14) with eGRF Blood Test
- Glucose - Blood sugar level, the most direct test to screen for diabetes and also used in diabetes management.
- Kidney Profile
- Bun or Urea Nitrogen (BUN) - An indicator of kidney function.
- Creatinine, Serum - An indicator of kidney function.
- Bun/Creatinine Ratio - Calculated by dividing BUN by creatinine. This ratio can suggest conditions including dehydration or intestinal bleeding.
- Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) - Measures kidney function to determine kidney disease stage and detect early kidney damage.
- Liver Panel
- Protein, Total - Assists in determining liver and kidney function and nutritional health.
- Albumin Serum - One of the major proteins essential for the healthy function of the liver and kidney.
- Globulin, Total - One of the major proteins that assist the blood to clot properly and also comprises infection-fighting antibodies.
- Albumin/Globulin Ratio - Calculated by dividing albumin by globulin. When paired with other test results, this ratio can assist in the diagnosis of a variety of liver problems.
- Bilirubin, Total - Aids in the detection of hepatitis, sickle cell, anemia, cirrhosis, alcohol, and drug abuse. High concentrations may result in jaundice.
- Alkaline Phosphatase - A protein vital in detecting bone disorders and liver disease.
- Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST or SGOT) - An enzyme helpful in evaluating liver function. An elevated level is an indication of hepatitis.
- Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT) - An enzyme helpful in identifying liver damage. Abnormalities may represent liver disease.
- Fluids & Electrolytes
- Sodium - One of the major salts in body fluid. Sodium is important in water balance and the electrical activity of nerves and muscles.
- Potassium - Helps to control the nerves and muscles.
- Chloride - Similar to sodium, it helps to maintain the body's electrolyte balance.
- Carbon Dioxide, Total - Used to help detect, evaluate, and monitor electrolyte imbalances.
- Calcium - A mineral essential for the development and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. It is also important for the normal function of muscles, nerves, and blood clotting.
Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) - Helps detect liver and bile duct injury. Some doctors use it in all people they suspect of having liver disease; others use it only to help explain the cause of other changes or if they suspect alcohol abuse.
Lipid Panel Blood Test - Lipids are a group of fats and fat-like substances that are important constituents of cells and energy sources. They contribute to various functions in the body, such as the production of hormones, which are essential for growth and reproduction, the development of cells in tissues and organs throughout the body, and the absorption of nutrients from the food you eat. Excess lipids can cause the buildup of plaques in the blood vessels. Plaques cause the narrowing or blockage of blood vessels, leading to heart disease or events such as heart attack or stroke. Monitoring and maintaining healthy lipid levels is essential in staying healthy. VLDL included in LabCorp Only
Thyroid-stimulating Hormone (TSH) Blood Test - TSH is a hormone that is produced by the pituitary gland. This gland is responsible for ensuring that the thyroid hormones are released into the blood. TSH test is a thyroid function test used to assist in diagnosing thyroid disorders, monitoring thyroid replacement therapy in patients with hypothyroidism, diagnosing and/or monitoring female infertility problems, and occasionally the test is used to help evaluate pituitary gland function.
Testosterone Total Serum Test - Testosterone levels may be helpful in men for the diagnosis of hypopituitarism, hypogonadism, Klinefelter syndrome, and impotence (low values). Testosterone levels may be requested in women to investigate the cause of anovulation, amenorrhea, hirsutism, virilization, masculinizing tumors of the ovary, tumors of the adrenal cortices, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia (high values).
C Reactive Protein hs (Cardiac Risk Assessment) - Used to evaluate the level of inflammation in the body. The test is commonly ordered to monitor arthritis, pelvic inflammatory disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and coronary artery disease. The test is also used to measure infection after surgery and the level of damage sustained from a heart attack. The C-reactive protein blood test can aid in the diagnosis and treatment of a number of conditions, and results may be interpreted differently based on how the test is being used. In general, though, a higher than normal level of CRP in the blood indicates that there is inflammation in the body.
Hemoglobin A1C - Primarily used as a means of calculating average levels of glucose in the blood over an extended period of time. This test is used to evaluate glucose levels in the blood over the 2 to 3 months previous to the test. This test is very important in managing one's diabetes. Scientists believe that keeping the blood sugar in the body within normal range can help individuals with diabetes to avoid many of the risks and side effects that people with diabetes often face. The benefit of the hemoglobin A1c blood test is that it provides information on overall glycemic health over a several month period. Other blood tests of glucose levels are highly sensitive to determining glucose levels at the time the test is taken, but they do not give information on average glucose blood levels. The test works by measuring the hemoglobin A1c level. Hemoglobin is stored in the red blood cells. When glucose levels are high, the sugar starts to combine with the hemoglobin. It takes the body 8 to 12 weeks to bring hemoglobin A1c levels back to normal. Therefore, if hemoglobin A1c levels are high, it means that there has been a high level of glucose in the blood over the last 2 to 3 months.
Vitamin D 25-Hydroxy - Essential in the growth and formation of healthy bones and teeth. Without it, adults can develop osteomalacia, which is characterized by weakness, softness, or fractures of the bones. Vitamin D also helps regulate levels of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the blood and has been shown to influence the growth of other tissues in the body as well as the regulation of the immune system. Vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in the development of conditions such as cancer, heart disease‚ osteoporosis, and multiple sclerosis.
The body gets vitamin D from two sources: dietary intake through foods and supplements (exogenous) and through production in the skin upon exposure to sunlight (endogenous). Although vitamin D is found naturally in only a few foods, in the United States, many products are supplemented with it, including milk, breakfast cereals, and juices.
