Blood values and your metabolism
Your blood values make your metabolism visible. Sugar, fats and thyroid all help decide how easily you lose weight. Look up a value below. Each one gives the normal range and what a deviation means.
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ALP (Alkaline Phosphatase)
Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme that in adults comes mainly from two tissues. Those are the bile ducts in your liver, and your bones. After sixty that balance shifts. Bone turnover picks up again, and the normal range rises with it. That is exactly why this result is so often misread in later life. A number that falls outside the line for a thirty-year-old may sit inside your own band. This page sets out what does and does not matter.
ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase)
An ALT blood test measures alanine aminotransferase, an enzyme that sits mainly in the liver. If it ends up in the blood, liver cells have been damaged. In men the limit is 45 u/l, in women 34 u/l. For anyone losing weight this is one of the most useful values on the report. Fatty liver is the most common cause of a mildly raised number. And it is exactly the value that comes down as you lose weight.
AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase)
If you take medication, AST is probably on your report to monitor that medication. AST is an enzyme from your liver and your muscles, which explains why it comes up alongside muscle complaints. On older reports it is called SGOT. A raised value does not mean you should stop your medicine, and that decision is not yours alone in any case. There is something else few people know: as you lose muscle over the years, your baseline drops with it, which makes a normal result less reassuring than it looks.
Active Vitamin B12
Active Vitamin B12 measures the bioavailable B12 your body can use. As we age, B12 absorption may decline, making this test particularly relevant for older adults seeking to maintain their vitality and cognitive function.
Albumin
Albumin levels can decline with age due to changes in liver function and nutrition. Monitoring supports awareness of liver health and nutritional adequacy in later years.
Amylase
Amylase monitoring is important for seniors, as pancreatic function may change with age. Regular testing helps detect digestive health changes early.
ApoA1 (Apolipoprotein A1)
ApoA1 measures HDL's protective function, which becomes increasingly important for cardiovascular health as you age. Regular monitoring supports heart disease prevention.
ApoB (Apolipoprotein B)
ApoB measures the atherogenic particles that accumulate over a lifetime. Monitoring is essential for managing cardiovascular risk and supporting heart health in later years.
Basic Blood Count
A basic blood count measures three core values in your blood: hemoglobin, white blood cells and platelets. Together they say something about oxygen transport, immune defence and clotting. It is a simple baseline check, without the red-cell indices and white-cell differential of a complete blood count.
Basophils
Basophils are the rarest white blood cells in your blood count. In adults the basophil value sits between 0 and 0.2 x10⁹/l, whatever your weight. In a monitoring programme this is the value that moves least. From your baseline to your six-month check the range stays the same. If your basophils are low or zero, that is normal and you need do nothing. If something does change lastingly, the explanation lies outside your programme. Below you can read what your number means, and which values do show your progress.
Bicarbonate
As we age, the kidneys' ability to regulate acid-base balance may change. Monitoring bicarbonate can help ensure metabolic stability and support overall well-being in later years.
Bilirubin (Direct)
Direct bilirubin monitoring is particularly relevant for seniors, as age-related changes in liver function and increased medication use can affect bilirubin metabolism. The risk of gallstones and bile duct conditions also increases with age.
Bilirubin (Indirect)
Indirect bilirubin is the part of your bilirubin that your liver has not yet processed. The value is not measured separately but calculated: your total bilirubin minus your direct bilirubin, in the same unit. That split helps to show where an abnormal total is coming from. This page explains what your indirect bilirubin result can mean.
Bilirubin (Total)
Total bilirubin monitoring is especially relevant for seniors, as age-related liver changes and multiple medication use can affect bilirubin processing. Regular testing helps identify liver or bile duct conditions that become more common with advancing age.
C-Peptide
C-Peptide helps assess pancreatic health and insulin production, which can change with age. Monitoring supports diabetes prevention and metabolic stability in later years.
CRP (C-Reactive Protein)
Chronic low-grade inflammation tends to increase with age. Monitoring CRP supports awareness and management of inflammation-related health risks in later life.
Calcium
Calcium is vital for maintaining bone density as you age. Regular monitoring supports fracture prevention and helps maintain mobility and independence in later years.
Ceruloplasmin
Ceruloplasmin helps transport copper and supports iron metabolism. Monitoring these functions can contribute to healthy ageing and maintaining cognitive well-being.
Chloride
Maintaining proper chloride balance becomes important as kidney function may change with age. Regular testing supports fluid balance and overall metabolic stability.
Cholesterol/HDL Ratio
The cholesterol/HDL ratio is your total cholesterol divided by your HDL. Cardiovascular risk tends to rise with age, and a lower ratio points to a more favourable profile. Learn what your value can mean.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
A complete blood count counts your red blood cells, your white blood cells and your platelets from one tube, and determines the amount of haemoglobin. During a period of weight loss, something important changes about the interpretation. You eat less, so you take in less of everything, including the building blocks for blood cells. The blood count, however, responds slowly. It is a late indicator, and that is exactly why it helps to know how to read it.
Copper
Copper supports brain health, connective tissue integrity, and iron metabolism — all important aspects of healthy ageing. Regular monitoring helps maintain these vital functions.
Creatinine
Your creatinine level says something about your kidney function, but weight loss adds another factor. Creatinine comes from your muscles, so losing muscle mass often lowers the value by itself. Drinking too little during a strict diet pushes the value up instead. If you use GLP-1 medication, your doctor also monitors your kidney values partly for that reason. This page explains what a high and low creatinine level can mean during weight change. It also covers when an unusual result simply reflects less muscle or fluid.
Cystatin C
Cystatin C is especially valuable for older adults, as it provides accurate kidney function assessment regardless of age-related muscle loss. Unlike creatinine, which may underestimate kidney decline in seniors with reduced muscle mass, cystatin C offers a more reliable measure.