Why Tracking Biomarkers Matters in 2025
As we move beyond generic wellness advice (“eat better, exercise more”), the frontier is data-driven metabolic health—understanding how your body personally handles energy, stress, fat, sugar and recovery. A growing body of evidence shows many people who appear “okay” on routine screening still have sub-optimal metabolic profiles that raise long-term risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and impaired performance.
In 2025, tracking biomarkers helps you move from reactive to proactive, from “normal” to “optimal” and from generic to personalised. Consistent measurement + smart interpretation builds resilience, performance and health-span.
The 5 Biomarkers to Track
Here are the five essential markers I recommend, with rationale and actionable targets. Consider partnering with your clinician or testing lab for local reference ranges (especially relevant in Singapore/Asia).
1. Glycaemic/Insulin Control – Fasting Glucose, HbA1c & (if available) Fasting Insulin
Why it matters: How your body manages glucose is foundational. Poor glucose handling → insulin resistance → metabolic syndrome → downstream risk.
What to track & target:
- Fasting Glucose: Optimal < 90 mg/dL (some sources even target 70-85)
- HbA1c: Normal < 5.7% but many functional medicine practitioners aim for ~5.0-5.4% for optimal health.
- Fasting Insulin: <12 µIU/mL is normal; < 5 µIU/mL considered optimal in some contexts.
Practical-use tip: If fasting glucose/HbA1c are creeping up, intervene early—reduce refined carbs, increase fibre, improve sleep & recovery (sleep impacts glucose regulation strongly). Use this marker to monitor effect of lifestyle and training changes.
2. Lipid & Lipoprotein Profile – Triglycerides, HDL, LDLParticle Number / ApoB (if possible)
Why it matters: Dyslipidaemia is not just cholesterol; it reflects metabolic dysfunction—especially when triglycerides are elevated and HDL is low, which correlate with insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk.
Key targets:
- Triglycerides: <150 mg/dL normal; optimal often <80–100 mg/dL.
- HDL (“good” cholesterol): For men >40 mg/dL, women >50 mg/dL; optimal >50–60+ for both sexes.
- ApoB / LDL-particle: If available, lower is better; number of particles matters more than just LDL-C.
Action tip: If triglycerides are elevated and HDL low, focus on reducing sugar/fructose, increasing omega-3 fats, improving muscle mass and aerobic fitness (which improves lipid handling).
3. Blood Pressure (Systolic/Diastolic) & Waist-Circumference (Visceral Fat Proxy)
Why it matters: Elevated BP and central adiposity are key components of metabolic dysfunction and metabolic syndrome.
Target values:
- Blood Pressure: Ideal ~<120/80 mmHg. Some performance-oriented practitioners target lower systolic if safe.
- Waist Circumference: Women <35 inches (~88 cm), Men <40 inches (~102 cm) are typical thresholds. For Asian populations, cut-offs may be lower.
Practical note: Waist is a simple, cost-free measure of visceral fat (metabolically active fat) which is highly predictive of metabolic health. Use it monthly to gauge changes from training/nutrition.
4. Inflammation & Insulin Resistance Markers – hs-CRP, Uric Acid, ALT/AST (Liver Enzymes)
Why it matters: Chronic low-grade inflammation impairs metabolic flexibility, recovery and longevity. Elevated uric acid, elevated liver enzymes (ALT/AST) also signal metabolic stress.
Key targets:
- hs-CRP: ‘Good’ <1.0 mg/L; <3.0 mg/L often considered upper normal, but optimal is lowest feasible.
- Uric Acid: Elevated levels correlate strongly with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.
- ALT/AST: At higher-end of normal or above may suggest fatty liver/insulin resistance.
Behavioral leverage: These markers respond well to improved sleep, reduction in fructose/alcohol, improved body composition, regular movement, stress management.
5. Metabolic Flexibility / Energy Utilisation Markers – (Emerging) Mitochondrial Function, VO₂ Max, Visceral-Adiposity Estimates
Why it matters: Beyond “normal labs” we want our body’s metabolism to flex—switch between fuel sources, recover well, perform optimally. Emerging research emphasises mitochondrial markers, visceral fat estimation, VO₂ Max/fitness metrics.
Practical proxies:
- VO₂ Max (or estimate via fitness wearable): better fitness → better mitochondrial/metabolic health.
- Visceral adiposity (via imaging or indirect estimate) strongly correlates with risk. Recent deep-learning on wearables estimated VAT with r=0.86.
- Metabolomic profiles (if accessible): branched-chain amino acids, ketone bodies etc.
Use-case tip: While these aren’t standard in all labs, you can use VO₂ Max (or treadmill test), waist circumference, and body-composition tracking as proxies. If resources allow, advanced panels help.
Using the Data: A Simple Monitoring Framework
Here’s how you can integrate these biomarkers into your performance- and health-oriented workflow.
- Baseline measurement – At least once per year (ideally twice) measure the five markers above (through your clinician/lab).
- Set “optimal” targets—not just “normal” – Use the values above as guidance. Your goal is better than average, not just “within reference range”.
- Link to actionable inputs
- If fasting glucose or HbA1c creeping up → adjust carbs, improve sleep, increase NEAT (non-exercise activity).
- If triglycerides high & HDL low → reduce refined sugar, increase omega-3s, improve aerobic fitness.
- If waist circumference or BP high → focus on weight management, sodium/alcohol reduction, resistance training.
- If hs-CRP or liver enzymes elevated → reduce alcohol/fructose, increase recovery, evaluate visceral fat.
- If VO₂ Max or body-composition worsening → increase training specificity, strength + cardio mix, recovery optimisation.
- Repeat measurement every 6-12 months and track trends (not just single values). Good labs emphasise trajectory rather than snapshot.
- Contextualise results – Your age, sex, ethnicity (especially Asian/SEA populations) matter. Labs and bespoke coaching (Singapore-based) can help refine interpretation.
- Lifestyle integration – Biomarker tracking is only useful if it triggers behaviour change. Use data to decide what you change, then see how markers respond.
Why These Five & Not More?
There are many biomarkers out there (thyroid hormones, micronutrients, advanced lipid particles, metabolomics) but for most beginners or performance-oriented people, the five above represent great leverage—they correlate strongly with outcomes, are measurable in standard labs (or via fitness devices), and respond to behaviour/training/nutrition changes.
Advanced users may go deeper (e.g., ApoB, detailed lipoprotein particle size, metabolomics), but you’ll get the best ROI from tracking fewer, high-impact markers consistently.
