Issue #438: How Max Improved His Biomarkers
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, March 18th.
In today’s email:
Learn: What’s Under the Hood?
Try: Make This Easy For Yourself
In the News: We’re Getting Fried
Check out my latest guest podcast where I talk to Rob Hoyer, MD and Abbass Shafii, MD.
It’s an amazing conversation with two expert doctors who focus on lifestyle medicine - they give their perspective on how much of our health we actually control, how we should think about blood tests, and a lot more…
Stat of the Day
Number of American adults who will fill out a March Madness bracket for men’s basketball this year. That’s 25% of the total population. The women are quickly catching up thanks to the rise in popularity over the past few years - 16% of all adults will submit a Women’s Final Four bracket. (US News & World Report)
Inspire
What’s Under the Hood?
Hey everyone - Max here. Giving Ryan a break today because I want to share a personal story. If I’ve learned one thing over the years, it’s this: knowing your body is important, but measuring it is essential.
At 44, I’ve grown to understand how my body reacts to life. I know when I’ve sat too long at my computer. I know when I’ve eaten too much processed food or slacked on my workouts. And I’ve known for a while that my sleep hasn’t been great - no tracker needed, I can feel it.
But even with all that awareness, I didn’t really know what was going on inside my body. And last June, I got a wake-up call.
“Silent” Low T
At Thrive25, we talk about taking control of your health and owning your physical exam - turning a doctor’s monologue into a real conversation, a dialogue. That means getting labs done before your appointment and walking in with a plan - an agenda with topics and questions.
So I followed our advice. I reached out to my PCP two weeks before the appointment and requested 20 biomarkers beyond the standard panels, including testosterone - something I’d never tested before.
The result? Pretty low. Like, even below the standard “normal” range (which, remember, is just the middle 95% of the population).
Thrive25 Biomarker Report: Testosterone - Low out of range
I was surprised. I’d always associated testosterone with energy and sex drive. But when I dug deeper, I started checking boxes I hadn't thought about:
✅ Poor memory
✅ Mood swings
✅ Restless sleep
Not exactly a winning combo for being a great partner or dad.
I wasn’t ready to jump to TRT, so I opened my Thrive25 app and looked at the science-backed Quick Wins for increasing testosterone naturally. I landed on two actions:
Improving my sleep - T production peaks during deep sleep
Breathwork - lowering cortisol (which suppresses T)
By making these small, consistent changes, my testosterone jumped 39% in five months and 52% since my first test. And I feel better than ever.
Thrive25 Biomarker Report: Testosterone - still some work, but improving!
Low WBC & B12
The testosterone results weren’t the only surprise. When I looked at my white blood cell (WBC) count, I noticed something strange - it had been consistently low for years.
Thrive25 App: WBC trending lower since 2019
When I asked my PCP, he shrugged it off. “5% of my patients are just naturally low.” That wasn’t going to work for me - I needed more context.
Remember my memory (above) - I forgot to mention overall brain fog. I initially blamed this on stress, poor sleep, or maybe even long COVID. But after discussing additional tests, my doctor and I decided to check Vitamin B12.
The result? A super low B12.
I don’t eat much red meat (especially beef liver, one of the best sources of B12). But I get plenty of animal protein, so I assumed I was covered. Clearly, I wasn’t.
My PCP referred me to a hematologist, and we ran a CBC panel, another B12 test, Folate, and a few more markers. After a deeper discussion, I started supplementing with methylated B12 and within months, my levels jumped to nearly 800.
Check my B12 results in Issue #436!
As for the low WBC, my hematologist suggested something interesting after seeing my spike in July (I worked out that morning) and reset in October: years of endurance training (triathlons, soccer, tennis) had reset my body’s stress response. My bone marrow simply produces fewer neutrophils than average, and that’s likely my normal. Maybe I am in that 5% my PCP mentioned, but now I have context!
Thrive25 App: WBC spike in July
Balancing Data & Life
I love data. At one point, I tracked everything - steps, workouts, calories, macros. But obsessing over numbers wasn’t making me healthier - it was keeping me from living.
I’ve since found a healthier relationship with data. I don’t need to track every step. But I do need to track the right things at the right time.
Most people don’t need 4 full lab panels a year. But an annual test (covered by insurance) can change the game. It can catch things we’d never notice otherwise - things holding us back from performing at our best today, or risks quietly building that could impact our future health.
📌 Step 1: Know where you stand
📌 Step 2: Know what to do about it
📌 Step 3: Make those actions sustainable
That’s what Thrive25 is - your Personal Longevity Advisor, helping you decode your health data and take action.
Thrive25 Partner Spotlight
Max just got another shipment of Momentous Essential Protein (as well as some Zinc and Tongkat Ali supplements) for his daily smoothies - getting 40% of his RDA in every shake.
Backed by science and expert-tested, Momentous Essential Protein uses a 70:30 blend of pea and rice proteins for a complete amino acid profile. Plus, it’s NSF-certified, so you know you’re getting top-quality, safe ingredients.
Thrive25 subscribers get 15% off with code Thrive at checkout. Click HERE!
We are a proud customer and affiliate of Momentous - please consider buying products from Momentous to support our mission.
Try
Make This Easy for Yourself
If you’ve had lab tests in the past couple of years, don’t just let them sit in your Electronic Health Record (or third-party partner - InsideTracker, Function Health, Quest, Labcorp). Put them to work.
Upload your results (PDF, screenshot, or even a photo) to the Thrive25 app
Get your Personalized Biomarker Report—understand your optimal ranges (not just “normal”)
Get science-backed Quick Wins to improve key markers
Ask our AI Advisor anything about your results
We’re now offering Early Access for just $50 for a full personalized Biomarker Report + a 12-month Thrive25 Membership.
📢 Join Thrive25 today. Optimize your health for the next 25 years.
H&L in the News
Hive-Minded Hummingbirds: In a first-of-its-kind discovery, hummingbirds in Ecuador’s High Andes were found nesting and roosting together like a colony - challenging what we know about their fiercely territorial nature. (NYTimes)
WiFi Overload - We're Getting Fried in the U.S.: U.S. WiFi blasts up to 90% more EMF than Europe, thanks to FCC regulations. Learn why lower transmit power matters for your health - and how to dial it down for a safer connection. (Tech Wellness)
Our Organs Age Faster Than We Think: A new proteomic clock reveals how old blood samples predict future disease. Tracking organ-specific aging, researchers found higher biological age linked to increased risk of 30 diseases - even decades later. (Source)
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Why Thrive25
We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.
To health!
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25, Inc. does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.