Office Hours: The Blood Tests That Actually Matter for Your Health

The podcast explores the importance of understanding and interpreting lab tests for proactive health management, arguing that standard "normal" ranges are often inadequate for optimal health. It emphasizes the need to identify root causes of health issues rather than merely addressing symptoms. Dr. Hyman introduces Function Health, a company he co-founded, as a platform for comprehensive diagnostic testing and longitudinal health tracking. He advocates for regular, in-depth testing to catch early signs of metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, and other imbalances. The discussion covers key labs to track, including those related to metabolic health (glucose, A1C, insulin), inflammation (HSCRP, ferritin), cholesterol (ApoB, lipoprotein little a), thyroid function, and nutrient levels, highlighting the limitations of conventional testing methods.