🧬 BIOMARKER CHEAT SHEET — KNOW YOUR NUMBERS OR STAY IGNORANT 🧬
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BIOMARKERS
INSPIRED BY BLUEPRINT PROTOCOL

NOTE: Bryan Johnson measures 200+ biomarkers monthly. These 12 are the ones he considers most actionable for the average person. Get tested annually at minimum — ideally quarterly. You cannot optimise what you do not measure. Every number on this page is publicly available from Bryan Johnson's Blueprint project.

— CARDIOVASCULAR —
🫀
ApoB (Apolipoprotein B)
The number of LDL and VLDL particles in your blood — a more accurate predictor of cardiovascular risk than standard LDL cholesterol.
BJ TARGET
< 60 mg/dL (Bryan Johnson's target — below the 5th percentile of his age group)
STANDARD RANGE
< 100 mg/dL (standard lab range — not optimal)
WHAT MOVES THIS NEEDLE
  • ›Reduce: extra virgin olive oil, oily fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), walnuts, avocado
  • ›Reduce: eliminate seed oils, trans fats, processed meats
  • ›Reduce: lower refined carbohydrate and sugar intake — raises VLDL particles
⚠ RED FLAG

ApoB above 100 mg/dL at any age represents meaningful cardiovascular risk. Above 130 mg/dL requires intervention.

🧠
Homocysteine
An amino acid produced during methionine metabolism. Elevated levels are toxic to blood vessels and neurons — independently associated with heart disease and dementia.
BJ TARGET
< 8 µmol/L
STANDARD RANGE
< 15 µmol/L (standard — far too permissive for optimal health)
WHAT MOVES THIS NEEDLE
  • ›Reduce: B12 (salmon, sardines, eggs), folate (leafy greens), B6 (fish, poultry)
  • ›Reduce: ensure adequate riboflavin (B2) — deficiency impairs homocysteine metabolism
  • ›Increase: alcohol, smoking, coffee (high doses), poor sleep, B-vitamin deficiencies
⚠ RED FLAG

Above 15 µmol/L doubles cardiovascular risk. Above 30 µmol/L is severely elevated and neurotoxic. Most people over 50 are deficient in the B vitamins needed to control it.

🩺
Triglycerides
Blood fat levels after a fast. High triglycerides indicate your body is converting excess carbohydrates to fat — a direct marker of dietary quality.
BJ TARGET
< 70 mg/dL (< 0.8 mmol/L)
STANDARD RANGE
< 150 mg/dL (standard — inadequate for longevity)
WHAT MOVES THIS NEEDLE
  • ›Reduce: eliminate refined carbohydrates, sugar, and alcohol — these are the primary drivers
  • ›Reduce: omega-3 supplementation (EPA/DHA from fish oil) reduces triglycerides by 20–30%
  • ›Worsen: white bread, pasta, rice, fruit juice, alcohol — all rapidly converted to triglycerides
⚠ RED FLAG

Above 150 mg/dL indicates metabolic dysfunction. Above 500 mg/dL is a medical emergency (pancreatitis risk). Triglycerides above 70 with low HDL is the primary metabolic syndrome pattern.

— METABOLIC —
🩸
Fasting Glucose
Your blood sugar level after an 8-hour fast. Primary indicator of insulin resistance and diabetes risk.
BJ TARGET
< 85 mg/dL (< 4.7 mmol/L)
STANDARD RANGE
70–100 mg/dL (below 100 is 'normal' — below 85 is optimal)
WHAT MOVES THIS NEEDLE
  • ›Improve: time-restricted eating, reducing carbohydrate intake, exercise before meals
  • ›Improve: apple cider vinegar before meals, cinnamon, berberine
  • ›Worsen: processed sugar, refined grains, sedentary behaviour, poor sleep
⚠ RED FLAG

Consistently above 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) is pre-diabetes. Above 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) fasting is Type 2 diabetes.

🩸
HbA1c (Glycated Haemoglobin)
Your average blood sugar level over the past 90 days. A more reliable indicator of metabolic health than a single fasting glucose test.
BJ TARGET
< 5.1% (Bryan Johnson maintains this aggressively)
STANDARD RANGE
Below 5.7% (5.7–6.4% is pre-diabetic)
WHAT MOVES THIS NEEDLE
  • ›Improve: eliminate all processed sugar and refined grains
  • ›Improve: time-restricted eating, high-fiber vegetables, resistant starch
  • ›Improve: regular exercise — both aerobic and resistance training
⚠ RED FLAG

Above 5.7% indicates impaired glucose metabolism. Above 6.5% is diabetic range. This number moves slowly — changes take 90 days to show up.

⚗
Uric Acid
A metabolic waste product of purine breakdown. Elevated levels cause gout, but also impair metabolic health, blood pressure, and are associated with Alzheimer's disease.
BJ TARGET
< 5.0 mg/dL (< 297 µmol/L)
STANDARD RANGE
Men: 3.4–7.0 mg/dL (the upper end of 'normal' is not optimal)
WHAT MOVES THIS NEEDLE
  • ›Reduce: eliminate fructose (especially high-fructose corn syrup), reduce alcohol completely
  • ›Reduce: adequate hydration, cherry extract, vitamin C
  • ›Increase: high red meat intake, alcohol, high-fructose foods, dehydration, crash dieting
⚠ RED FLAG

Above 6.0 mg/dL is associated with gout risk. Above 7.0 mg/dL is crystallisation threshold. Chronically elevated uric acid predicts metabolic syndrome.

— INFLAMMATION —
🔥
hs-CRP (High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein)
A marker of systemic inflammation. Elevated levels are associated with heart disease, cancer, and accelerated aging.
BJ TARGET
< 0.5 mg/L
STANDARD RANGE
< 3.0 mg/L (standard — inadequate for longevity)
WHAT MOVES THIS NEEDLE
  • ›Reduce: omega-3 rich fish daily (salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies)
  • ›Reduce: extra virgin olive oil oleocanthal — functions like low-dose ibuprofen
  • ›Reduce: eliminate all seed oils, processed foods, refined sugar
⚠ RED FLAG

Above 3.0 mg/L indicates high cardiovascular risk. Above 10 mg/L suggests active infection or serious inflammatory condition.

— HORMONAL —
⚡
Testosterone (Total + Free)
Primary male sex hormone. Regulates muscle mass, libido, mood, bone density, and metabolic rate.
BJ TARGET
Total: 800–900 ng/dL. Free testosterone in upper quartile for age.
STANDARD RANGE
300–1000 ng/dL total (wide range — aim for upper third of your age group)
WHAT MOVES THIS NEEDLE
  • ›Increase: resistance training, adequate sleep (7–9 hours), zinc from oysters and pumpkin seeds
  • ›Increase: vitamin D3 optimisation, healthy dietary fat intake (olive oil, eggs, fatty fish)
  • ›Decrease: excess alcohol, poor sleep, obesity, chronic stress, seed oil-heavy diet
⚠ RED FLAG

Below 400 ng/dL at any age is sub-optimal and worth investigating. Below 300 ng/dL (hypogonadism) requires medical consultation.

😤
Cortisol
The primary stress hormone. Chronically elevated cortisol accelerates biological aging, promotes fat storage, and impairs immune function.
BJ TARGET
Morning cortisol in optimal range. Consistent low baseline throughout day.
STANDARD RANGE
Morning: 6–23 mcg/dL. Afternoon: 2–11 mcg/dL.
WHAT MOVES THIS NEEDLE
  • ›Reduce: magnesium, ashwagandha (Bryan Johnson uses), consistent sleep schedule
  • ›Reduce: morning sunlight exposure, meditation or breathwork, social connection
  • ›Increase: poor sleep, excessive caffeine, chronic stress, overtraining without recovery
⚠ RED FLAG

Chronically elevated cortisol causes insulin resistance, muscle loss, hippocampal atrophy, and immune suppression. It compounds with every stressor.

🦴
IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1)
A growth hormone signalling molecule. Complex relationship with longevity — too low impairs muscle repair; too high increases cancer risk.
BJ TARGET
100–130 ng/mL (Bryan Johnson maintains deliberately moderate levels)
STANDARD RANGE
Age-dependent: roughly 100–300 ng/mL for adults
WHAT MOVES THIS NEEDLE
  • ›Increase: quality protein (animal sources — meat, fish, eggs), resistance training
  • ›Decrease: caloric restriction, plant-dominant diet, intermittent fasting
  • ›Note: Bryan Johnson deliberately avoids very high protein intake to moderate IGF-1
⚠ RED FLAG

Chronically very high IGF-1 (> 300 ng/mL) is associated with increased cancer risk in epidemiological data. The longevity-optimal range is moderate.

— NUTRIENTS & MICRONUTRIENTS —
☀
Vitamin D (25-OH)
A fat-soluble hormone (not technically a vitamin). Regulates over 1,000 genes, immune function, calcium metabolism, and mood.
BJ TARGET
60–80 ng/mL (150–200 nmol/L) — significantly above the clinical minimum
STANDARD RANGE
> 20 ng/mL (clinical sufficiency — optimal is much higher)
WHAT MOVES THIS NEEDLE
  • ›Increase: direct sun exposure (UV-B), vitamin D3 supplementation with K2
  • ›Increase: oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), egg yolks, mushrooms (UV-exposed)
  • ›Note: absorption requires adequate magnesium — deficiency in magnesium blocks D3 activation
⚠ RED FLAG

Below 20 ng/mL is deficient. The majority of people in northern latitudes are deficient year-round without supplementation. Supplement D3 with K2.

🔩
Ferritin
The primary iron storage protein. Too low = iron deficiency and impaired oxygen transport. Too high = oxidative stress and organ damage.
BJ TARGET
50–80 ng/mL (Bryan Johnson monitors this to avoid both extremes)
STANDARD RANGE
Men: 20–250 ng/mL (extremely wide — not useful for optimisation)
WHAT MOVES THIS NEEDLE
  • ›Increase: red meat, oysters, sardines, pumpkin seeds, dark leafy greens with vitamin C
  • ›Decrease: regular blood donation, high tea/coffee consumption, calcium with iron-rich meals
  • ›Note: high ferritin (> 200 ng/mL) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease
⚠ RED FLAG

High ferritin is more dangerous than most people realise. Above 200 ng/mL in men, iron acts as a pro-oxidant. Bryan Johnson donates blood twice yearly partially for this reason.

Target ranges inspired by Bryan Johnson's publicly documented Blueprint Protocol and published longevity research. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by Bryan Johnson.

This is not medical advice. Get your actual biomarkers tested by a doctor or direct-to-consumer lab.

Ignorance of your biomarkers is not bliss. It is just a slower way of failing.