This is Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin.
I'm Dr. Andy Galpin, a professor and director of the Human Performance Center at Parker University.
With this podcast, my goal is to help you better understand and maximize your own physical and mental performance, leveraging my two decades of experience with elite performers, including Olympians and world champions across numerous sports. The goal is to cover a range of tools, technologies, and strategies designed to help everyone—from beginners to record-breaks, and everyone in between.
I’ll use a format that I call the "3 I's.” For every topic, we'll explore how to 1) Investigate (measure it), 2) Interpret (determine what’s bad, ok, good, or even elite!), and 3) Intervene (implement changes). This framework will guide our discussions on both the science and actionable insights—the do’s and don’ts.
In the upcoming episodes of Season 2, we'll dive into topics such as how metabolism and metabolic rate truly work, how to maximize brain function and health, what sports nutrition looks like in the world’s best athletes, how to improve bone health and accelerate healing, the science of strength training for kids, and much more.
While not all of us are elite athletes—myself included—there are countless lessons and tools we can learn from those performing at the highest levels. And remember, as legendary coach Bill Bowerman stated, "If you have a body, you are an athlete." If you're not already, I hope you'll consider starting to train and recover like one.
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This is Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin.
I'm Dr. Andy Galpin, a professor and director of the Human Performance Center at Parker University.
With this podcast, my goal is to help you better understand and maximize your own physical and mental performance, leveraging my two decades of experience with elite performers, including Olympians and world champions across numerous sports. The goal is to cover a range of tools, technologies, and strategies designed to help everyone—from beginners to record-breaks, and everyone in between.
I’ll use a format that I call the "3 I's.” For every topic, we'll explore how to 1) Investigate (measure it), 2) Interpret (determine what’s bad, ok, good, or even elite!), and 3) Intervene (implement changes). This framework will guide our discussions on both the science and actionable insights—the do’s and don’ts.
In the upcoming episodes of Season 2, we'll dive into topics such as how metabolism and metabolic rate truly work, how to maximize brain function and health, what sports nutrition looks like in the world’s best athletes, how to improve bone health and accelerate healing, the science of strength training for kids, and much more.
While not all of us are elite athletes—myself included—there are countless lessons and tools we can learn from those performing at the highest levels. And remember, as legendary coach Bill Bowerman stated, "If you have a body, you are an athlete." If you're not already, I hope you'll consider starting to train and recover like one.
How to Use & Interpret Blood Tests for High Performance
Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin
2 hours 22 minutes
8 months ago
How to Use & Interpret Blood Tests for High Performance
In this episode, I discuss blood testing for athletic performance. I explain how performance-based blood testing differs from medical or disease-based blood panels and the pros and cons of blood testing for performance.
I explain how to choose specific blood markers based on your performance goals, scenario, and situation. I also discuss the timing, frequency, and preparation for blood tests to increase the accuracy and validity of results. I explain how to contextualize blood test results, interpret reference ranges, and account for the natural variability of blood markers. I also discuss how to improve blood test results through nutrition, behaviors, training, or supplementation.
Listeners of this episode will understand how to determine appropriate blood markers for yourself or your client based on specific training goals and how to interpret blood results so you can look, feel, and perform at your best.
Access the full show notes for this episode at performpodcast.com.
Thank you to our sponsors
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Timestamps
00:00:00 Blood Testing, Albumin, MCV
00:03:05 Sponsors: Eight Sleep & Vitality Blueprint
00:05:55 Blood Testing for Performance
00:09:24 Cons of Blood Work
00:13:39 Pros of Blood Work
00:19:30 Investigate: Blood Panels for General Health, CBC, CMP
00:25:14 Blood Panels for Performance; Bodybuilding, Protein Turnover
00:32:08 Sponsors: Momentous & LMNT
00:35:21 Albumin, Hydration, Inflammation
00:38:50 Endurance Training, Iron
00:46:33 Essential Vitamins & Minerals: Zinc, Chromium, Magnesium, B12
00:50:52 Sodium, Potassium
00:56:48 Energy & Fatigue, Blood Glucose
01:02:39 Sponsors: AG1 & Renaissance Periodization
01:05:18 Tool: Getting Good Blood Data, 48-Hour Rule, Timing, Hydration
01:12:55 Sensitive vs. Resilient Markers; Blood Test Consistency, Testosterone
01:19:41 Interpret: References Ranges, Blood Glucose, Homocysteine
01:28:44 Context & Interpretation, Strength vs. Endurance
01:34:13 Sleep Apnea, Hemoglobin, Endurance Training
01:37:33 Medical vs. Performance Blood Markers, Blood Volume, Creatinine
01:46:18 ALT, AST, Athlete’s Paradox
01:49:05 Optimal for What?, Context & Blood Markers
01:56:35 Tool: Analytical, Diurnal & Biological Variability
02:01:39 Patterns & Categories: Hydration, Inflammation
02:09:01 Intervene: Big Solutions, Direct Markers vs. Systemic Solutions
02:20:57 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Subscribe & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Perform Newsletter, Social Media
Disclaimer & Disclosures
Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin
This is Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin.
I'm Dr. Andy Galpin, a professor and director of the Human Performance Center at Parker University.
With this podcast, my goal is to help you better understand and maximize your own physical and mental performance, leveraging my two decades of experience with elite performers, including Olympians and world champions across numerous sports. The goal is to cover a range of tools, technologies, and strategies designed to help everyone—from beginners to record-breaks, and everyone in between.
I’ll use a format that I call the "3 I's.” For every topic, we'll explore how to 1) Investigate (measure it), 2) Interpret (determine what’s bad, ok, good, or even elite!), and 3) Intervene (implement changes). This framework will guide our discussions on both the science and actionable insights—the do’s and don’ts.
In the upcoming episodes of Season 2, we'll dive into topics such as how metabolism and metabolic rate truly work, how to maximize brain function and health, what sports nutrition looks like in the world’s best athletes, how to improve bone health and accelerate healing, the science of strength training for kids, and much more.
While not all of us are elite athletes—myself included—there are countless lessons and tools we can learn from those performing at the highest levels. And remember, as legendary coach Bill Bowerman stated, "If you have a body, you are an athlete." If you're not already, I hope you'll consider starting to train and recover like one.
