Post 10

Five Blood Tests Your Doctor Doesn't Order

William Kasel·1 min read

Comprehensive bloodwork markers most doctors skip

01

Your annual physical checks maybe 20 blood markers.

I test 100+. Here are 5 markers your doctor probably doesn't order that could change everything. 🧵

02

1. hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein)

Standard CRP checks if you're acutely sick. hs-CRP measures LOW-GRADE chronic inflammation - the kind that drives heart disease, neurodegeneration, and metabolic problems.

Mine was 3.5. My regular CRP was "normal."

03

2. Homocysteine

Elevated homocysteine = methylation problems. Linked to heart disease, stroke, cognitive decline, depression, and pregnancy complications.

It's a $20 test. Most doctors never order it. If you have MTHFR variants, this is non-negotiable.

04

3. ApoB (Apolipoprotein B)

Better predictor of cardiovascular risk than LDL. Each ApoB particle can penetrate your artery walls.

The American Heart Association now recommends ApoB over LDL for risk assessment. Most doctors still only check LDL.

05

4. Fasting Insulin (not just glucose)

Your glucose can look perfect while your insulin is sky-high compensating for resistance.

By the time glucose rises, you're already insulin resistant. Fasting insulin catches the problem years earlier.

06

5. Full Thyroid Panel (not just TSH)

Most doctors check TSH only. TSH can look "normal" while Free T3 is tanked.

If you have the DIO2 genetic variant (~20% of people), your body converts T4 to T3 poorly. TSH will look fine. You'll feel terrible.

Full panel: TSH + Free T4 + Free T3 + TPO antibodies + Thyroglobulin antibodies.

07

Companies like Function Health run 100+ markers for ~$500/year. That's less than one ER visit.

You don't need a fancy doctor. You need better data.

Ask your doctor for these 5 markers at your next appointment. Most will order them if you ask.


This is what I put in The Manual every week.

Subscribe to The Manual →

More Posts