Wellness Elite Fitness
The WEF/EAMD Executive Panel · 2026

49 markers. Reference ranges. Optimal ranges.

"Within normal limits" is the start of the conversation, not the end. Mainstream laboratory ranges flag disease; optimal ranges flag where high-performing members actually function. We publish both.

Medical Review
Swet Chaudhari, MD — Elite Aesthetic MD
Cellular Health
Dana Kantara, MHS
Last Updated
11 May 2026
What we publish

Three ranges, not one.

Standard laboratory reference range. Optimal range from the preventive-medicine and longevity literature. For some markers, a third "best-case" range for members optimizing aggressively.

Who reads it

A physician and a cellular-health expert.

Dr. Swet Chaudhari, MD (CMO) does the medical screening at Elite Aesthetic MD. Dana Kantara, MHS interprets cellular-health trends. Your coach receives the programming brief downstream.

What we won't do

Diagnose. Treat. Prescribe.

WEF is a wellness practice, not a medical provider. Anything outside reference range is routed back to your ordering physician — or, in Mode B, to Dr. Chaudhari at EAMD.

Two pathways

Bring your own results. Or draw with us.

Mode A — how most members use this

Bring your own labs.

Most members already have annual labs drawn through their own physician or executive physical. Upload the PDF or lab-portal export and Dr. Chaudhari and Dana review the trends, screen for follow-up, and translate the relevant numbers into your programming brief.

This marker library is published as an educational reference. Bring your existing labs in for physician review at EAMD — the ranges shown are educational context, not a self-ordering or self-diagnostic instruction.

No additional charge — included with Diamond and Diamond Plus membership.
Mode B — concierge order

Draw at EAMD.

Dr. Chaudhari orders the full WEF/EAMD Executive Panel at Elite Aesthetic MD under his Texas medical license. Single physician owning the order, the review, and the explanation. For members between physicians or who prefer the panel ordered concierge-style.

EAMD is cash-pay only — no insurance billing. Flat fee disclosed at consult before any work is done.

Cash-pay flat fee — disclosed at consult.
The 49 markers — by category
Lipid + Cardiovascular — 7 markers

The 2026 standard of care has moved past LDL-C.

ApoB and Lp(a) are now the anchor cardiovascular markers per the American Heart Association and the European Society of Cardiology. We test all three.

ApoB

Apolipoprotein B2026 Anchor
Standard range
< 130 mg/dL
Optimal
< 80 mg/dL
Best (for high-risk)
< 60 mg/dL
Pre-analytical
12h fast preferred

ApoB counts every atherogenic particle — LDL, VLDL, IDL, and Lp(a). It is the 2026 standard-of-care primary cardiovascular marker per ESC/EAS and the American Heart Association. ApoB is what causes plaque; LDL-C is just an estimate of the cholesterol cargo inside.

Lipoprotein(a)

Lp(a)2026 Anchor
Standard range
< 75 nmol/L
Optimal
< 30 nmol/L
Frequency
Once per lifetime
Heritable
Genetically determined

Lp(a) is genetically determined and changes little over a lifetime. About one in five adults carries elevated Lp(a) — an independent cardiovascular and aortic-stenosis risk that statins do not lower. Identifying elevated Lp(a) changes long-term prevention strategy. One test, once.

LDL cholesterol

LDL-C
Standard range
< 100 mg/dL
Optimal
< 70 mg/dL
Best (for high-risk)
< 55 mg/dL
Pre-analytical
12h fast

LDL particles deliver cholesterol to arterial walls. Lower is generally better; the target depends on overall risk. Members with elevated Lp(a) or family history should aim below 70.

HDL cholesterol

HDL-C
Standard range
> 40 (M) · > 50 (F) mg/dL
Optimal
60–90 mg/dL
Note
Very high HDL (>100) loses benefit
Pre-analytical
12h fast

HDL-C is associated with cardiovascular protection, but the relationship is a window, not a ceiling. Extremely high HDL signals dysfunction in some cases.

Triglycerides

Standard range
< 150 mg/dL
Optimal
< 80 mg/dL
Best
< 60 mg/dL
Pre-analytical
12h fast required

The single most useful lipid marker for metabolic health and insulin sensitivity. Optimal sits well below the standard cutoff.

Triglyceride / HDL ratio

Calculated
Standard
< 3.0
Optimal
< 1.5
Best
< 1.0
Calculated from
TG ÷ HDL-C

The single best surrogate for insulin resistance derivable from a standard lipid panel.

Total cholesterol

Standard
< 200 mg/dL
Optimal
140–180 mg/dL
Pre-analytical
12h fast preferred
Read with
ApoB · LDL · HDL · TG

A starting point, not an endpoint. The composition (ApoB particles, HDL function, TG) matters far more than the headline number.

Metabolic + Insulin Sensitivity — 3 markers

Insulin rises five to ten years before glucose does.

HbA1c shows the past 90 days. Fasting insulin shows the future. We test both, plus HOMA-IR to tie them together.

Hemoglobin A1c

HbA1c
Standard
< 5.7%
Optimal
< 5.3%
Best
< 5.0%
Pre-analytical
None — 90-day average

90-day average glucose. The "normal" upper bound (5.6) already represents the prediabetic threshold; longevity-medicine targets sit well below 5.4.

Fasting insulin

Standard
2.0–24.9 µIU/mL
Optimal
< 5 µIU/mL
Best
< 3 µIU/mL
Pre-analytical
10–12h fast required

Insulin rises five to ten years before glucose does in the development of insulin resistance. The lab "normal" upper bound (~25) is far above the metabolically healthy range. Most premium-medicine practitioners target fasting insulin below 5.

HOMA-IR

Calculated
Standard
< 2.5
Optimal
< 1.0
Calculated from
(glucose × insulin) / 405
Read with
TG/HDL ratio

Insulin-resistance score derived from fasting glucose and fasting insulin. Below 1.0 is insulin-sensitive; 1.0–2.5 is intermediate; above 2.5 is insulin-resistant.

Inflammation — 2 markers

The fire you can't see.

hs-CRP is the established baseline. GlycA is an emerging NMR-derived composite that outperforms it for long-term mortality prediction.

hs-CRP

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein
Standard
< 3.0 mg/L
Optimal
< 1.0 mg/L
Best
< 0.5 mg/L
Note
Spot value can spike with infection or hard training — read the trend

Systemic inflammation marker. Persistently elevated hs-CRP predicts cardiovascular events independent of cholesterol. Short-term elevation can reflect a cold or recent training; interpret the trend, not the spot value.

GlycA

NMR inflammation compositeNew 2026
Standard
< 400 µmol/L
Optimal
< 350 µmol/L
Available via
NMR LipoProfile (Quest)
Evidence
Outperforms hs-CRP for all-cause mortality

NMR-derived chronic-inflammation composite. Outperforms hs-CRP for cardiovascular and all-cause mortality prediction; less affected by acute infections.

Thyroid — 6 markers

Beyond TSH alone.

An isolated TSH misses Hashimoto's, conversion problems, and stress-induced functional hypothyroidism. The full panel is TSH + Free T3 + Free T4 + Reverse T3 + TPO + Tg antibodies.

TSH

Thyroid stimulating hormone
Standard
0.4–4.5 mIU/L
Optimal
0.5–2.0 mIU/L
Note
Physician interprets clinical significance
Pre-analytical
Consistent timing

The "normal" TSH range was set against populations with significant subclinical thyroid disease. Modern endocrinology and preventive medicine target 0.5–2.0 for optimal energy, body composition, and cognition.

Free T3

Standard
2.3–4.2 pg/mL
Optimal
3.2–4.2 pg/mL
Target
Upper-third of range
Suppressed by
Stress · low-cal · overtraining

The biologically active thyroid hormone. Many members with "normal TSH" have suboptimal free T3 — chronic stress, low-calorie dieting, and overtraining all suppress conversion.

Free T4

Standard
0.8–1.8 ng/dL
Optimal
1.1–1.6 ng/dL
Read with
Free T3
Role
Storage form

The storage form of thyroid hormone. Read alongside free T3 to assess conversion.

Reverse T3

rT3New 2026
Standard
9–24 ng/dL
Optimal
10–17 ng/dL
Elevated by
Stress · illness · dieting
Signal
Functional hypothyroidism

Rises with stress, illness, dieting, and overtraining. High rT3 with normal TSH and low-normal free T3 suggests functional hypothyroidism that standard panels miss.

TPO antibodies

Thyroid peroxidase AbNew 2026
Standard
< 35 IU/mL
Optimal
< 9 IU/mL
Screens for
Hashimoto's thyroiditis
Often missed by
Basic thyroid panels

The screening test for Hashimoto's thyroiditis — the most common cause of hypothyroidism. Without antibody testing, autoimmune thyroid disease is routinely missed.

Tg antibodies

Thyroglobulin AbNew 2026
Standard
< 4.0 IU/mL
Optimal
< 1.0 IU/mL
Pairs with
TPO Ab
Catches
TPO-negative Hashimoto's

Second antibody for autoimmune thyroid disease. Some Hashimoto's cases are TPO-negative but Tg-positive.

Sex Hormones + HPA Axis — 6 markers

The hormonal substrate of energy and recovery.

Testosterone, estradiol, SHBG, DHEA-S, cortisol — tested for both sexes. Total testosterone alone misses 30–40% of functional hypogonadism in older men with elevated SHBG.

Total testosterone

Standard (M)
264–916 ng/dL
Optimal (M)
600–900 ng/dL
Optimal (F)
30–60 ng/dL
Pre-analytical
7–10 AM draw

Anabolic, libidinal, cognitive, and cardiovascular substrate. The "normal" lower bound is too low for most active members — fatigue and low libido often resolve in the 500–800 range for men.

Free testosterone

Standard (M)
47–244 pg/mL
Optimal (M)
100–220 pg/mL
Optimal (F)
2.0–6.0 pg/mL
Catches
High-SHBG functional hypogonadism

Total testosterone misses 30–40% of functional hypogonadism in older men with elevated SHBG. Free T (or calculated free T from total + SHBG + albumin) is the actionable metric.

Estradiol

E2
Standard (M)
10–40 pg/mL
Optimal (M)
20–30 pg/mL
Standard (F)
Cycle-dependent
Tested for
Both sexes

Tested for both sexes. In women: perimenopause workup, HRT candidacy, bone density. In men: low E2 correlates with bone loss, libido decline, mood; very high E2 with normal T suggests excess aromatase activity.

SHBG

Sex hormone binding globulin
Standard (M)
10–57 nmol/L
Optimal (M)
20–40 nmol/L
Optimal (F)
30–80 nmol/L
Required for
Free T calculation

SHBG binds testosterone and estradiol; high SHBG reduces free hormone availability. Required to calculate free testosterone accurately.

Cortisol (AM)

Standard
6.0–23.0 µg/dL
Optimal
10.0–18.0 µg/dL
Pre-analytical
7–9 AM draw, fasted
Timing matters
Diurnal rhythm

The HPA-axis morning anchor. Low AM cortisol can flag adrenal insufficiency; chronically high signals chronic stress, insomnia, or Cushing's. Timing of the draw matters.

DHEA-S

Standard
Age & sex adjusted
Optimal
Upper-third of age range
Declines with
Age
Correlates with
Healthier aging trajectories

Adrenal androgen precursor; declines steadily with age. Maintaining DHEA-S in the upper-third of age-adjusted range correlates with healthier aging trajectories.

Longevity + Performance — 8 markers

The decade-scale trajectory.

Vitamin D, B12, folate, homocysteine, Omega-3 Index, IGF-1, magnesium, zinc — the markers that anchor the long arc, not just the next physical.

Vitamin D, 25-OH

Standard
30–100 ng/mL
Optimal
50–80 ng/mL
Affects
Bone · immune · mood · muscle
Note
Hormone, not a vitamin

Hormone, not a vitamin. Affects bone density, immune function, mood, and muscle. Optimal is well above the 30-ng/mL "sufficiency" floor.

Omega-3 Index

RBC EPA+DHANew 2026
High-risk
< 4%
Optimal
8–12%
Best
10–12%
Most Americans
4–5%

RBC omega-3 content. Independent cardiovascular and cognitive-aging marker. Most Americans run at 4–5%; the 8–12% target requires consistent EPA+DHA intake (~2 g/day) or a fatty-fish-rich diet.

IGF-1

Insulin-like growth factor 1New 2026
Standard
Age-adjusted
Optimal
Mid-range for age
Tradeoff
High IGF-1 = pro-growth, anti-autophagy
Read with
Growth-hormone axis

Growth-axis marker reflecting nutritional status, growth-hormone secretion, and overall anabolic tone. Counterintuitively, very high IGF-1 may shorten lifespan even as it supports muscle mass. The optimization target is middle-of-range for age, not maximum.

Homocysteine

Standard
< 15 µmol/L
Optimal
< 7 µmol/L
Responds to
B12 · B6 · folate
Risk for
CV · cognitive decline

Methylation-cycle output. Independent cardiovascular and cognitive-decline risk factor. Cheap, actionable — responds to B12/B6/folate supplementation.

Vitamin B12

Standard
200–900 pg/mL
Optimal
500–900 pg/mL
Subclinical defic. below
500 pg/mL
Role
Methylation · neurology

Cofactor for methylation and neurological function. Levels below 500 can produce subclinical neurological symptoms despite the "normal" lab range starting at 200.

Folate

Standard
> 3.1 ng/mL
Optimal
10–25 ng/mL
Pairs with
B12
Role
Methylation · RBC production

Methylation, red-cell production, neural function. Paired with B12 for the methylation panel.

Magnesium

Standard
1.7–2.4 mg/dL
Optimal
2.0–2.4 mg/dL
Better assay
RBC magnesium (when available)
Affects
Sleep · muscle · glucose

Cofactor for over 300 enzymatic reactions. Affects sleep, muscle recovery, glucose handling, blood pressure. Serum magnesium underestimates deficiency — RBC magnesium is more accurate when available.

Zinc

Standard
60–120 µg/dL
Optimal
90–130 µg/dL
Affects
Immunity · T synthesis · healing
Deficiency common in
Older adults

Immune function, testosterone synthesis, wound healing. Deficiency is common in older adults and impairs taste, immunity, and recovery.

Iron Status — 4 markers

Ferritin alone misses iron overload.

The full panel — iron, TIBC, transferrin saturation, ferritin — screens for hereditary hemochromatosis, notably prevalent in people of Northern European descent.

Ferritin

Standard (M)
24–336 ng/mL
Optimal (M)
50–150 ng/mL
Optimal (F)
50–120 ng/mL
High = inflammation or overload
Read with TSAT

Iron storage marker. Low ferritin precedes anemia by months; high ferritin can flag inflammation, fatty liver, or iron overload.

Transferrin saturation

TSATNew 2026
Standard
15–50%
Optimal
25–35%
High alert
> 45% → HFE genetic test
Calculated from
Iron ÷ TIBC × 100

A screening marker for hereditary hemochromatosis. Elevated saturation is a finding Dr. Chaudhari interprets in clinical context; we do not interpret it for members directly. Hemochromatosis is one of the most common genetic conditions in people of Northern European descent and is reliably under-diagnosed.

Iron (serum)

New 2026
Standard
60–170 µg/dL
Optimal
80–150 µg/dL
Read with
TIBC · TSAT
Diurnal variation
Highest in AM

Circulating iron. Read alongside TIBC and saturation to characterize iron status.

TIBC

Total iron binding capacityNew 2026
Standard
240–450 µg/dL
Optimal
250–380 µg/dL
Rises in
Iron deficiency
Used to calculate
TSAT

Transferrin's iron-carrying capacity. Rises in iron deficiency.

Kidney (Advanced) — 1 marker

What eGFR-by-creatinine misses.

Members with substantial muscle mass have elevated creatinine that suppresses their calculated eGFR. Cystatin C is independent of muscle mass.

Cystatin C

New 2026
Standard
0.5–1.0 mg/L
Optimal
0.5–0.8 mg/L
Independent of
Muscle mass
Catches
Early CKD missed by creatinine

Kidney function marker that — unlike creatinine — is independent of muscle mass. Catches early renal decline that eGFR-by-creatinine misses in athletic and high-muscle-mass members.

Specialty testing — through EAMD consult

Mast cell. Allergy. Mold sensitivity. Symptom-triggered.

These are not standing panel items. They are ordered by Dr. Chaudhari at Elite Aesthetic MD when symptoms or history warrant. The consult comes first; the test second. Every workup below is cash-pay through EAMD.

  • Mast cell activation workup (MCAS)Serum tryptase (baseline + acute), 24-hr urinary N-methylhistamine, 24-hr urinary 11β-PGF2α, 24-hr urinary leukotriene E4, TPSAB1 copy-number for hereditary alpha-tryptasemia, KIT D816V by ddPCR. Indication: recurrent multi-system episodes meeting Valent/Akin consensus criteria — flushing, anaphylaxis-like reactions, dermatographism, GI cramping with histamine-rich foods.
  • Mold + fungal allergy workupTotal IgE, fungal-specific IgE 4-panel (Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Penicillium), Aspergillus IgG precipitins. Indication: respiratory complaints, water-damaged-building exposure history, suspected hypersensitivity pneumonitis or ABPA. This is the AAAAI-endorsed allergic-mold workup — see "What we don't run" below for the distinction from the unvalidated "mold colonization" panels.
  • Cardiovascular advancedNT-proBNP, NMR LipoProfile (LDL-P, HDL-P particle count), 4Kscore (men >50 with PSA flag).
  • ImagingCoronary Artery Calcium (CAC) scan — men >45, women >55, or any elevated Lp(a). Single highest-yield imaging test for cardiovascular prevention.
  • Continuous Glucose Monitor trial14-day CGM for members with HbA1c 5.5–5.9 or fasting insulin >10. Stelo, Levels, or Lingo.
  • Bone healthVitamin K2 (MK-7), DXA scan referral.
What we don't run

The line we hold.

A physician-advised, evidence-based practice draws the line at tests that lack peer-reviewed validation, FDA clearance, or clinical-decision utility. We don't run these, regardless of demand.

  • Urinary mycotoxin panels (any vendor)CDC and NIOSH have explicit guidance against using these for clinical diagnosis. Mycotoxins are detectable in most urine from dietary exposure alone; there is no validated clinical threshold.
  • "CIRS" / Shoemaker biomarker bundlesC4a, MSH, MMP-9, TGF-β1, VEGF marketed as a mold-illness panel. Not endorsed by AAAAI, ACAAI, IDSA, or any U.S. allergy/immunology society.
  • Nasal MARCoNS cultureFinding multi-antibiotic-resistant coag-negative staph does not establish causation. The clinical-significance literature is thin.
  • HLA-DR/DQ marketed as "mold susceptibility"The genetic test is real and useful for celiac and other indications; the Shoemaker interpretation as a mold-susceptibility haplotype is not validated.
  • IgG food sensitivity panels(Cyrex, Vibrant, ALCAT). IgG is a memory antibody, not an allergy marker per AAAAI.
  • Heavy-metal hair analysisMethodology unreliable; if heavy-metal exposure is suspected, blood and urine are validated.
  • SpectraCell micronutrient testingMethodology contested; standard serum testing of B12, folate, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc is defensible.
  • Telomere-length testingNo clinical-decision use case.
  • Adrenal saliva "stress index"Contested outside DLMO sleep research; serum cortisol is standard.
  • Chromogranin A as a wellness screenNeuroendocrine-tumor marker; PPI use elevates it; terrible PPV in wellness populations.

References

  1. Castells M, Giannetti MP, Hamilton MJ, et al. Mast cell activation syndrome: Current understanding and research needs. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2024;154(2):255-263. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2024.05.025
  2. Akin C, Gülen T, Castells MC, et al. Diagnosis and Management of Patients With Mast Cell Activation Syndromes: Status 2026. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2025;14(1):19-28. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2025.10.046
  3. Valent P, Akin C, Hartmann K, et al. Updated Diagnostic Criteria and Classification of Mast Cell Disorders. HemaSphere. 2021;5(11):e646. doi:10.1097/HS9.0000000000000646
  4. Blitshteyn S. Dysautonomia, Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome as Migraine Comorbidities. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2023;23(11):769-776. doi:10.1007/s11910-023-01307-w
  5. Palmer RF, Dempsey TT, Afrin LB. Chemical Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation. J Xenobiot. 2023;13(4):704-718. doi:10.3390/jox13040045
  6. American Heart Association 2024 Preventive Cardiology Guidelines — ApoB primacy.
  7. ESC/EAS 2024 Dyslipidaemias Guidelines — ApoB and Lp(a) thresholds.
  8. Endocrine Society 2023 Clinical Practice Guidelines for Testosterone Therapy.
  9. CDC Mold Resources — Indoor Environment and Health (updated 2024).

Educational reference only. This library is published as educational context for members discussing their results with a licensed physician. It is not diagnostic, not a self-ordering instruction, not a substitute for individualized physician interpretation, and not medical advice. Reference ranges reflect standard U.S. laboratory norms. Optimal ranges reflect peer-reviewed longevity-medicine and preventive-cardiology consensus. Best ranges reflect peak-optimization targets and are not appropriate for all members. Clinical interpretation belongs with Dr. Swet Chaudhari, MD at Elite Aesthetic MD or with the member's primary physician. Wellness Elite Fitness is a wellness facility, not a medical provider. Anything outside reference range is routed back to the member's ordering physician, or to Dr. Chaudhari at Elite Aesthetic MD when Mode B is selected. Do not act on these ranges without physician review.

Two pathways. One review.

Bring labs from your own physician, or have Dr. Chaudhari order the full panel at Elite Aesthetic MD.

Submit existing labs Book EAMD consult