Cortisol in Athletes: What Your Blood Test Is Actually Telling You
Introduction: Why Cortisol in Athletes Has a Reputation Problem Cortisol is one of the most frequently blamed hormones in health…
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Testosterone in Athletes: What Your Blood Work Is Actually Telling You
Introduction When I work with athletes or review their blood work, I find that the conversation around hormones almost always…
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Creatinine in Athletes: When Kidney Function Tests Mislead
Introduction Athletes represent a distinct population in whom creatinine measurements are frequently influenced by factors such as greater muscle mass,…
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Electrolytes in Athletes: What Your Blood Work Is Actually Telling You
Introduction Electrolytes in athletes play a central role in athletic physiology, and exercise does affect the body’s electrolyte balance. At…
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EPO in Athletes: Erythropoietin Levels, Clinical Interpretation, and the Doping Divide
Introduction EPO in athletes sits at a contested intersection of sports medicine, clinical diagnosis, and anti-doping science. Endurance athletes speak…
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NT-proBNP in Athletes: Heart Failure Marker or Training Adaptation?
Introduction In clinical practice, NT-proBNP is often included in the evaluation of patients presenting with exertional breathlessness, including athletic individuals….
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RDW in Athletes: Red Cell Distribution Width As An Early Indicator of Iron Deficiency
Introduction: Why RDW in Athletes Is Often Overlooked In my clinical practice, the evaluation of anemia often focuses primarily on…
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Troponin After Marathon and Endurance Events: When to Worry
Introduction In clinical practice, endurance events such as marathons and ultramarathons represent a level of physical stress that can produce…
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Bilirubin in Athletes: Causes, Gilbert’s Syndrome, and Exercise-Induced Hemolysis
Introduction Bilirubin in athletes is observed more frequently than in the general population. In my clinical practice, isolated mild elevations…
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Haptoglobin in Athletes: The Hemolysis Detection Marker
Introduction Some of my patients may have heard of the protein haptoglobin, but it remains relatively unfamiliar—and even when recognized,…
