Best Blood Test for Longevity

Welcome to the Best Blood Test for Longevity — the canonical hub for longevity and aging in the OneTwenty blog.

This guide consolidates prior longevity posts into one place, centered on the most actionable idea: measure what matters, then improve it.

If you only run a few tests, start here:

• ApoB (particle count)

• Lp(a) (genetic risk; often tested once)

• hs-CRP (inflammation)

• Fasting glucose

• HbA1c

• Fasting insulin (and optionally HOMA-IR)

• CMP (liver enzymes, creatinine/eGFR, electrolytes)

• TSH + Free T4 (and sometimes Free T3)

A longevity lab panel is not a report card.

It is a feedback loop:

• Measure baseline

• Improve the levers that move the numbers

• Retest on a cadence

• Adjust based on trends

The goal is not just “normal.” The goal is to improve risk and build physiological reserve.

These are the levers that tend to dominate long-term outcomes.

1. Sleep (quality + consistency)

2. Nutrition (protein + fiber + minimizing ultra-processed foods)

3. Activity (zone 2 + strength training)

4. Nicotine (avoid)

5. Body composition (waist + lean mass)

6. Atherogenic particles (ApoB, plus LDL context)

7. Glucose control (fasting glucose, HbA1c, insulin)

8. Blood pressure (home monitoring + trends)

If you’re not sure what to do next, pick one lever, change one thing for 8–12 weeks, and retest the marker it should change.

Below is a practical “starter” panel that works for many people.

• CBC

• CMP

• Lipid panel

• ApoB

• Lp(a)

• HbA1c

• Fasting glucose

• Fasting insulin

• hs-CRP

• TSH + Free T4 (thyroid)

• Vitamin D (if not tested recently)

• Urine albumin/creatinine ratio (kidney + vascular risk)

Most legitimate “reverse aging” efforts are just:

• Lowering inflammation

• Improving glucose regulation

• Improving lipids (especially particle risk)

• Preserving or building lean mass

• Improving sleep and recovery

• Protein-forward diet and consistent meal timing

• 2–3 strength sessions/week

• 150+ minutes/week zone 2

• Consistent wake time + morning light

• Alcohol awareness (often visible in HRV/sleep)

Re-test HbA1c, fasting insulin, ApoB, and hs-CRP after ~12 weeks.

Retirement itself is not a biomarker.

But the drivers of a good retirement often overlap with the drivers of longevity:

• Purpose

• Social connection

• Movement

• Sleep consistency

• Lower chronic stress

A practical framing:

• Retire when you can maintain structure, community, and activity.

• Avoid trading job stress for financial stress.

A common cadence is:

• Every 3–6 months when actively changing something

• Every 12 months for maintenance baselines

Treat it as a signal to add context and look for trends. Many clinicians will repeat testing to confirm.

These pages are now incorporated here (and should 301 redirect to this guide):

• /blog/how-to-reverse-aging

• /blog/best-age-to-retire-for-longevity

• /blog/best-age-to-retire

• /blog/how-to-stay-alive