Longevity & Metabolic Biomarker Ranges
14 of the biomarkers that matter most for metabolic health and aging — with the guideline source for every range, and an honest line between real targets and longevity-community conventions.
Medically reviewed by Charles Kamen, MD, board-certified neurologist ·
This is an educational reference of biomarker ranges with the guideline source for each — not a set of personal targets.A “standard” range is the lab or diagnostic-guideline range (ADA, NCEP, KDIGO); an “optimal” range is a tighter target that is sometimes guideline-backed and sometimes only a longevity-community convention. We label which is which so you can tell evidence from aspiration. Only a licensed clinician can interpret your results.
The reference
What each marker measures, its conventional guideline range, and any commonly-cited “optimal” range — attributed to its source.
| Biomarker | What it measures | Conventional range (source) | Commonly-cited “optimal” / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ApoB | Counts all atherogenic (LDL/VLDL/Lp(a)) particles — particle number tracks cardiovascular risk. | Lab upper limit ~<130 mg/dL (Cleveland Clinic). | High-risk target <65 mg/dL (2019 ESC/EAS). A general "<80 mg/dL" is a longevity-community convention, not a screening guideline. |
| LDL-C | Cholesterol carried in LDL particles — a primary driver of atherosclerosis. | <100 optimal; 100–129 near-optimal; 130–159 borderline; 160–189 high; ≥190 very high mg/dL (NCEP ATP III). | Modern 2018 ACC/AHA guidance is risk-based rather than a single fixed target; lower is generally pursued in higher-risk patients. |
| hs-CRP | High-sensitivity marker of low-grade vascular inflammation. | Cardiovascular-risk tiers: low <1, average 1–3, high >3 mg/L; >10 prompts a re-test (CDC/AHA). | 2018 ACC/AHA uses ≥2.0 mg/L as a statin "risk-enhancer." Lower is generally considered favorable. |
| HbA1c | Roughly the 3-month average of blood glucose. | Normal <5.7%; prediabetes 5.7–6.4%; diabetes ≥6.5% (ADA Standards of Care). | Within the normal range; specific targets are individualized by a clinician. |
| Fasting glucose | Blood glucose after an overnight fast. | Normal <100; impaired (prediabetes) 100–125; diabetes ≥126 mg/dL (ADA Standards of Care). | Within the normal range; individualized. |
| Fasting insulin | Fasting pancreatic insulin output — can flag insulin resistance before glucose rises. | No formal guideline cutoff; typical lab intervals ~2.5–13 µIU/mL. | "Optimal" values such as <10 or 2–6 µIU/mL are practitioner conventions, not guideline-defined. |
| HOMA-IR | A calculated insulin-resistance index (fasting insulin × glucose ÷ 405). | No consensus guideline cutoff; population intervals run roughly 0.4–2.9. | Commonly cited: <2.0 favorable, ≥2.5–3.0 notable resistance — population- and assay-dependent, not a fixed guideline. |
| Triglycerides | Circulating fat; part of atherogenic dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome. | Normal <150; borderline 150–199; high 200–499; very high ≥500 mg/dL (NCEP ATP III). | Within the normal range; lower is generally favorable. |
| HDL-C | Cholesterol carried in HDL particles; inversely associated with risk. | Low <40 mg/dL; ≥60 mg/dL is treated as a protective ("negative") risk factor (NCEP ATP III). | Higher is generally considered favorable, though very high HDL is not necessarily better. |
| Lp(a) | A genetically determined, largely heritable atherogenic lipoprotein. | Low <75 nmol/L (<30 mg/dL); gray-zone 75–125 (30–50); high ≥125 nmol/L (≥50 mg/dL) (NLA 2024 / EAS). | Lower is favorable; nmol/L and mg/dL are different measures and convert only approximately. |
| Vitamin D (25-OH) | Circulating vitamin D status. | Deficiency <20 ng/mL; sufficiency ≥20 ng/mL (NIH / IOM). | The older Endocrine Society "≥30 ng/mL optimal" was withdrawn in 2024 and is no longer endorsed. |
| Homocysteine | A sulfur amino acid whose level depends on B-vitamin status. | 5–15 µmol/L; >15 is hyperhomocysteinemia (StatPearls / NIH). | A "<10 µmol/L optimal" is an emerging-evidence convention, not a firm guideline cutoff. |
| eGFR (kidney) | Estimated kidney filtration rate. | G1 ≥90; G2 60–89; G3a 45–59; G3b 30–44; G4 15–29; G5 <15 mL/min/1.73m² (KDIGO 2012). | Higher is generally better; CKD requires eGFR <60 or kidney damage for ≥3 months. |
| ALT (liver) | A hepatocellular enzyme; a marker of fatty liver and metabolic syndrome. | ~7–56 U/L, lab-dependent (Cleveland Clinic). | Lower sex-specific "healthy" limits (~30 U/L men, ~19–22 U/L women) are proposed in hepatology literature but are not a single accepted guideline cutoff. |
How this reference is built: compiled and reviewed by Charles Kamen, MDfrom guideline sources — the American Diabetes Association Standards of Care (glucose, HbA1c), NCEP ATP III and ACC/AHA (lipids), CDC/AHA (hs-CRP), the National Lipid Association and EAS (Lp(a)), NIH/IOM (vitamin D), and KDIGO (eGFR). Where a popular “optimal” value has no guideline behind it, we say so rather than presenting it as established.
Educational reference only — not medical advice and not personal targets.Reference ranges vary by laboratory, assay, age, sex, and clinical context, and guidelines change over time (for example, the Endocrine Society withdrew its vitamin-D “optimal” threshold in 2024). Nothing here diagnoses a condition or recommends a treatment. Interpret any result with a licensed clinician.
Biomarker Reference FAQ
What is the difference between a "standard" and an "optimal" biomarker range?
A standard or normal range is the lab or diagnostic-guideline range (for example, ADA ranges for HbA1c and glucose, or NCEP ranges for lipids). An "optimal" range is a tighter target — sometimes guideline-backed (such as the ESC/EAS ApoB target for high-risk patients) and sometimes only a longevity-community convention without guideline support. This reference labels which is which.
Why measure ApoB if my LDL cholesterol is normal?
ApoB counts atherogenic particles directly, while LDL-C measures cholesterol mass. When the two disagree, cardiovascular risk tends to track ApoB. This is educational context, not a directive to test or treat.
Do the units matter for Lp(a)?
Yes. Lp(a) is reported in either nmol/L (particle count) or mg/dL (mass); these are different measurements and convert only approximately, so the reporting unit should always be noted.
Are these ranges my personal targets?
No. These are educational reference ranges with their guideline sources. Only a licensed clinician can interpret your results in the context of your history, medications, and overall health.
Related reading: Longevity medicine at LiveNow · Peptide evidence-grade index · GLP-1 medications compared
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