Blood Tests & Lab Values

Introduction When I see athletic patients, they are often highly aware of anemia and iron deficiency, and may become concerned…

Introduction Iron deficiency is common in athletic populations, with higher rates observed in female athletes and endurance disciplines. It can…

Introduction: Lactate Testing for Athletes A sensation familiar to almost everyone is the buildup of “lactic acid” in the muscles….

Introduction Some of my patients are female athletes who naturally train at a high level. In many sports, there are…

Introduction: Why Post-Marathon Blood Work Can Be Misleading Many of my athletic patients are interested in blood tests. They tend…

Introduction Patients often ask me about their iron levels. Most are familiar with ferritin, as it has become something of…

Introduction: Which Blood Tests Do Athletes Actually Need It’s completely understandable that athletes want to maximize their performance. That’s only…

Introduction: When Your Iron Test Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story Interpreting iron status in athletic patients is often more complex…

Introduction: HRV and Blood Work Most athletes monitoring their health are doing it in silos. They review a blood panel…

Introduction In my physically active patients, one of the most important basic laboratory tests is the basic or complete blood…

Introduction: Inflammation Markers in Athletes C-reactive protein (CRP) is the most widely measured inflammatory marker in clinical practice, yet its…

Introduction: Hematocrit in Athletes Hematocrit in athletes is a parameter included in both basic and extended blood counts. It has…

Introduction Hemoglobin levels in runners are often lower than expected, and this frequently causes confusion when reviewing routine blood tests….

Introduction Most athletes who get their blood work done know to look at ferritin and hemoglobin, but fewer understand how…

Introduction If you’ve just received blood test results showing elevated platelets, you’re probably wondering when to worry about high platelet…

Introduction Seeing “Mean Platelet Volume High” on your blood test report can be alarming. Usually, when my patients have a…

Introduction Intense endurance training is commonly associated with a high white blood cell count after exercise, seen as a transient…

Introduction Many of my athletic patients are concerned about fatigue, under-recovery, and lack of improvement in results. The most important…

Introduction Mean corpuscular volume represents one of the most fundamental yet frequently misunderstood markers in athletic blood work interpretation. This…

Introduction: Creatine Kinase Elevated in Athletes In my clinical work, I occasionally see elevated creatine kinase (CK) in athletes. This…