After January Function Health labs showed major progress and a few stubborn biomarkers, I went back to Quest for the full 126-marker retest.

Yesterday, I went back to Quest Diagnostics for my Function Health Mid-Year Test.

Or at least, that was the original plan.

Function Health (referral link) offers a standard mid-year follow-up, but I decided to upgrade to the full panel instead. The reason was simple. Earlier this year, a handful of my out-of-range biomarkers were not included in the standard mid-year test. And if the whole point is to measure what changed, I want to actually measure what changed.

The upsell was $269.00.

For a full re-test of the same 126 biomarkers I did earlier this year, that did not feel crazy to me. Expensive? Sure. But in the world of health optimization, where people will spend that on supplements, wearables, cold plunges, sauna blankets, or one very enthusiastic Whole Foods or Erewhon run, this felt like a reasonable investment.

Now the waiting begins.

According to Function Health, full results should be ready in about four weeks.

A Quick Recap of My January Labs

When the dust settled from my January Function Health labs, the scorecard looked like this:

126 biomarkers tracked
12 Out of Range
94 In Range
20 Other

That was after five additional biomarkers showed up as In Range after I published my last blog post on February 24th.

Overall, the big picture was encouraging.

My cardiometabolic risk profile had improved dramatically compared to where things stood one year earlier. ApoB was strong. Inflammation was low. Triglycerides were stable. A1C looked good. My biological age was trending younger than my calendar age.

That was the win.

But the remaining out-of-range markers were where the real story moved next.

Not disaster markers.

Not panic markers.

More like “your body is doing a lot, maybe pay attention” markers.

The Markers I Wanted to Recheck

The first was ferritin.

My ferritin came in at 32, up from 18 in November 2025 after my WHOOP Advanced Labs. That was not anemia. My hemoglobin was strong at 15.5. But my iron stores were still lighter than ideal, especially with a high training volume and no red meat intake in over a year.

The good news was that ferritin had already nearly doubled from my November WHOOP Advanced Labs to 32 in January. So the question now is whether the trend continued.

Did the iron strategy keep working?

Did training volume blunt the improvement?

Did I actually build a stronger reserve?

That is one of the numbers I am most curious to see.

The second was DHEA Sulfate.

Mine came in at 45, which was low for age. Testosterone was still strong at 550, but DHEA is more of an upstream reserve signal. I think of it as one of those “how much output are you demanding from the system?” markers.

High training load. Chronic output. Lots of running. Lots of work. Lots of life.

Eventually, the body cashes the checks you keep writing.

The third area was immune and blood counts.

White Blood Cell Count was 3.2. Platelets were 131. Mildly low, and not necessarily alarming in the context of endurance training, but still worth watching.

This is the part of longevity that is easy to miss. Sometimes the thing that makes you healthier in one direction can create pressure in another. More training can improve cardiovascular health, body composition, mood, insulin sensitivity, and sleep pressure.

But too much training without enough recovery can start showing up elsewhere.

That is why labs matter.

They turn “I feel fine” into “let’s check the receipt.”

The fourth surprise was LDL Pattern B and small dense LDL.

This one annoyed me a little.

ApoB was excellent. Inflammation was low. The overall lipid story looked strong. But Function flagged elevated small dense LDL and Pattern B, suggesting particle quality could still improve.

Not a red alarm.

But definitely a signal.

So, that is why I upgraded to the full re-test. I did not want a partial answer. I wanted the full sequel.

The Quest Diagnostics Moment

Going to Quest for blood work is always funny to me.

You are sitting there trying to act completely normal while someone is literally extracting life out of your body. For me this time it was 14 vials of blood plus a urine test.

The technicians are always good at small talk. I assume this is part of the training. Keep the person chatting. Keep them relaxed. Make it feel casual.

“So, how was your Memorial Day weekend?”

“Good,” I said. “Also, I’m fine with the blood draw.”

Then, because I apparently cannot behave like a normal person even while being medically drained, I asked her a question.

Which third-party testing provider is the most popular at this location?

Her answer surprised me.

Function Health, by far.

Then WHOOP, Oura, and Superpower.

That was interesting.

Not scientific. Not a market report. Just one Quest location and one technician’s perspective. But still, it was a fun little real-world signal.

I also asked if she was familiar with Bryan Johnson or his blood panel.

She was not.

That surprised me too, mostly because in my corner of the internet Bryan Johnson is everywhere. But it was a good reminder that the longevity bubble is still a bubble. Most normal people are not spending their free time comparing ApoB, epigenetic clocks, ferritin, DHEA, HRV, and small dense LDL.

Imagine that.

The Blood Work Bundle Economy

The more I think about this space, the more interesting it gets.

Function Health, WHOOP, Oura, Superpower, Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint ecosystem, and others are all playing a similar game in different ways.

They are bundling biomarkers.

Quest Diagnostics or Labcorp usually handles the actual blood draw and lab testing at one of their thousand plus sites nationwide. Then each company layers its own interpretation, interface, recommendations, tracking, and “magic sauce” on top.

That is where the consumer value is supposed to show up.

The labs are the raw material.

The interpretation is the product.

And honestly, I think this is a good thing.

As more companies compete to package blood testing in a way normal people can understand, the cost of regular testing should keep coming down. The experience should improve. The insights should get clearer. And eventually, more people will stop waiting until something breaks before they look under the hood.

That is the future I want.

Preventive health should not feel like a luxury hobby for biohackers with spreadsheets.

It should feel normal.

What I Hope to See

I am not expecting perfection when the results begin to trickle in.

That is not how health works.

What I want to see is direction.

Ferritin moving up would be a win.

DHEA improving would be a great sign that my recovery and stress load are better matched.

White blood cells and platelets moving into a stronger range would suggest my training volume is not quietly suppressing immune reserve.

Small dense LDL improving would be another nice confirmation that the lipid story is not just good on the surface, but cleaner underneath too.

And if some things are still out of range, great.

That gives me the next experiment.

This is the part I enjoy most about health optimization. It is not about pretending you can control everything. You cannot.

It is about collecting better feedback.

Then making better decisions.

Final Thoughts

I took the full Function Health Mid-Year Test because I wanted the real comparison.

Not the highlight reel. Not the partial update. The full panel.

Earlier this year, my labs showed that the big cardiometabolic cleanup had worked. The next phase is more nuanced. Iron stores. Recovery capacity. Immune reserve. Particle quality. Training load. Stress adaptation.

I’m no longer fixing obvious risk, but instead building margin.

Now I wait about four weeks for the results.

And when they come in, we will see what the body says.

Hopefully something like, “Nice work and your biological age is steady around 35 years old.”

But knowing biomarkers, it will probably be more like, “Good start. Here are seven more things to obsess over.”

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🩺 Disclaimer

The content on I Won’t Die is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with any health concerns.

---

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From lab data to daily routine, how one simple addition is improving hydration, HRV, and how I feel every morning.

I’ve tried a lot of electrolyte drinks over the years.

If you’ve ever run a 5K, 10K, half marathon, or marathon, you know the drill. There’s always a sponsor handing out cups along the course. Some are great. Some… you take one sip and immediately regret your life choices.

So I never really thought much about electrolytes beyond race day.

That changed after my labs.

What the Data Actually Said

After my WHOOP Advanced Labs last November, one small thing stood out.

Not a red flag. Not a major issue.

Just a signal.

My BUN and BUN to creatinine ratio were slightly elevated, which often points to mild dehydration or high protein load at the time of testing.

The interesting part is that I already drink a lot of water.

Usually over one hundred ounces a day.

Hydration has always been one of my stronger habits.

But the takeaway was simple.

Water alone is not always enough.

The Adjustment

I did not overhaul anything.

I made a small change.

Electrolytes.

I started adding one scoop of electrolyte powder to about 24 ounces of water each day. On harder training days, or after a sauna or jacuzzi session, I might have two or three.

That’s it.

No complexity. No big protocol.

Just consistency.

What I Noticed

This is where it got interesting.

My HRV started improving.

Not overnight, but steadily.

Recovery scores became more predictable. Morning readiness felt smoother. Less variability.

And one pattern stood out.

If I have a glass of electrolytes before bed, I often wake up with a green recovery on WHOOP.

Not always. But often enough to notice.

There is a tradeoff.

I also wake up at night to use the bathroom more.

Worth it.

The One I Landed On

After trying a few options and doing a bit of research, I landed on:

KEY NUTRIENTS Electrolytes Powder (available on Amazon)

What I like:

• No sugar
• Sweetened with stevia
• No unnecessary additives
• Clean ingredient profile
• Easy to mix and drink

I started with lemonade and now rotate between:

• Strawberry Lemonade
• Pink Lemonade
• Orange
• Lemonade (again, still my favorite)

They also offer a range of other flavors and even unflavored options, which I may try next.

A 90 serving container usually runs around $40, but I’ve seen it closer to $25 when it goes on sale.

Why This Matters

It is about listening to small signals, not about adding another supplement to my daily routine.

My labs did not say “you have a problem.”

They said “there is an opportunity.”

Hydration is one of the fastest levers you can pull, and if your body is human like mine, you’ll feel the results right away!

It affects:

• HRV
• recovery
• sleep quality
• training output
• how you feel when you wake up

And unlike most things, it responds quickly.

Final Thoughts

The biggest improvements in my health this past year have not come from dramatic changes.

They have come from small, consistent adjustments.

This is one of them.

Easy to implement. Easy to maintain. Quietly effective.

And once it becomes part of your routine, you don’t really think about it anymore.

You just feel the difference.

---

🩺 Disclaimer

The content on I Won’t Die is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with any health concerns.

---

🚀 Get Started with Blueprint

Start optimizing your health today with $25 off your first order! Use our referral code to begin your Blueprint journey and take control of your longevity.

---

🏋️‍♂️ Track Your Sleep, Workouts & Recovery

Boost your performance and recovery with Whoop. Join with my referral link to get a free WHOOP 5.0 and one month free!

---

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Stay ahead with the latest news, updates, and insights. Download the I Won’t Die app now on the Apple App Store and Google Play!

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Have tips, photos, or questions? Want to collaborate? Reach out at [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you!

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A second attempt at Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint Speed of Aging test, two lancets, warmer hands, and a little more determination.

Back in January I attempted Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint Speed of Aging test.

And it failed.

Not philosophically. Not emotionally. Not metaphorically.

After waiting longer than anticipated for the results, the lab said they simply could not process my sample. Ugh!

A couple weeks ago, Blueprint sent a replacement kit and yesterday I gave it another shot.

Round two.

The Speed of Aging Kit Arrives

The Blueprint kit showed up looking exactly like the last one. Clean packaging, everything neatly organized, and a reminder that this tiny box holds the key to measuring something pretty profound.

Your biological aging rate.

Inside the kit were the usual suspects:

• two spring loaded lancets
• alcohol wipe
• gauze and bandage
• the blood spot card
• biohazard bag and return envelope

Everything you need to run a small longevity experiment from your kitchen counter. And that is exactly what I did last night!

Preparing for the Finger Prick

Last time I did this test the blood flow was strong and the sample filled quickly.

This time, not so much.

I followed the same advice the Quest technician gave me earlier in the year.

Warm hands.

So I ran them under hot water for a bit and set up my little testing station on the counter.

Alcohol wipe.
Lancet ready.
Sample card open and waiting.

I stared at the lancet again like it was a tiny plastic jack in the box.

The anticipation is still the worst part. I don’t mind at all having vials of blood drawn from my arm, but the anticipation of pricking my own finger is nerve-racking. Ha ha!

Pop. Again.

I pricked my finger and waited for the blood to flow.

It started slowly.

Slower than last time. I massaged my finger and it didn’t help much.

So naturally my brain went straight to the logical conclusion.

Better open a second blood source.

Second lancet.
Second finger. Ouch!

Now I had two active production sites.

Not exactly what the instructions call for, but efficiency matters.

Between the two fingers I was able to steadily blot the sample card until the circle filled and the blood absorbed through to the back.

That’s the key indicator that enough sample has soaked into the card for proper analysis.

Mission accomplished.

The Waiting Game

Once the card was fully saturated, I let it dry for about three hours.

After that it went into the biohazard bag, then into the return envelope.

Now it’s on its way back to the lab via USPS.

Results typically arrive digitally about two weeks after the sample is received.🤞

Why This Test Matters

The Blueprint Speed of Aging test is built on DNA methylation analysis, one of the most advanced methods currently available for measuring biological age.

Instead of looking at a handful of biomarkers, it analyzes epigenetic changes across thousands of DNA sites to estimate how quickly your body is aging. It measures the age of your lungs, blood, liver, kidney, heart, hormones, etc.

In other words, it measures the pace of aging itself, not just risk factors.

My Current Biological Age Signals

While I wait for the results, I already have two other aging indicators.

From my most recent Function Health panel:

Biological age: 35.3
About 10.8 years younger than my chronological age.

And from WHOOP:

WHOOP age: 30.8

WHOOP also tracks pace of aging, which currently shows 0.30x as of this morning.

Meaning my body is aging at roughly one-third the expected weekly rate based on recovery, sleep, HRV, and training load.

Different models. Different inputs.

But the signals are pointing in the same direction.

The Number I’m Watching

The Blueprint result is the one I’m most curious about.

The last time I ran this test in January 2025, my epigenetic age came back at 29.1 years old, roughly 15 years younger than my chronological age.

Since then I’ve doubled down on:

Mediterranean eating, consistent aerobic training, strength work, sleep discipline, and biomarker tracking.

So the big question now is simple…

Did the needle move or did the universe decide to humble me?

We’ll find out in about two weeks.

---

🩺 Disclaimer

The content on I Won’t Die is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with any health concerns.

---

🚀 Get Started with Blueprint

Start optimizing your health today with $25 off your first order! Use our referral code to begin your Blueprint journey and take control of your longevity.

---

🏋️‍♂️ Track Your Sleep, Workouts & Recovery

Boost your performance and recovery with Whoop. Join with my referral link to get a free WHOOP 5.0 and one month free!

---

📲 Download the I Won’t Die App

Stay ahead with the latest news, updates, and insights. Download the I Won’t Die app now on the Apple App Store and Google Play!

---

📩 Contact Us

Have tips, photos, or questions? Want to collaborate? Reach out at [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you!

---

🔗 Stay Connected

Follow us on Don't Die, Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn for Blueprint longevity and Bryan Johnson updates.

---

📬 Subscribe to I Won’t Die Newsletter

Get the latest longevity breakthroughs, Blueprint updates, and exclusive content straight to your inbox — sign up now!

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