How to Read an IGF-1 Result: Age-Adjusted Ranges and the GH Axis
Why an IGF-1 blood result only makes sense against age- and sex-adjusted reference ranges, how labs express it as an SDS/z-score, what low and high values reflect in research, and why assays differ.
5 min read
DHEA-S Blood Test: The Adrenal Reserve Marker That Predicts Longevity
DHEA-S is the most abundant adrenal steroid and one of the strongest predictors of biological age. Learn what low and high DHEA-S means, optimal functional ranges, the longevity research, and how to test in Australia.
10 min read
Prolactin Blood Test: Interpretation, Confounders, and the Dopamine-GH Connection
Prolactin peaks overnight and falls through the morning, venepuncture stress and macroprolactin can fake a high result, and the cause list runs from prolactinoma to antipsychotics. A practical interpretation guide for men and women.
11 min read
AMH Ovarian Reserve Test Australia: What It Measures
The AMH ovarian reserve test Australia measures egg supply, not fertility. Learn age-based pmol/L ranges, PCOS patterns, IVF relevance, and what it cannot predict.
11 min read
SHBG Blood Test: Why Sex Hormone Binding Globulin Determines Your Free Testosterone
SHBG controls how much testosterone is actually available to your cells. Learn what drives high and low SHBG, optimal functional ranges, how to calculate free testosterone, and how to test in Australia.
8 min read
Progesterone: Optimal Ranges, Cycle Timing, and Why Standard Ranges Miss the Point
Progesterone is the most misinterpreted hormone on a standard blood panel. Reference ranges ignore cycle phase, testing timing destroys the result, and the oestrogen:progesterone ratio matters more than either value alone. Here's how to read it correctly.
17 min read
Fasting Insulin: The Most Underordered Metabolic Test in Australia
Fasting insulin reveals insulin resistance years before glucose or HbA1c move. This guide covers optimal ranges, HOMA-IR calculation, what elevated insulin predicts, how to get tested in Australia, and evidence-based strategies to bring it down.
15 min read
Cortisol Awakening Response and the DUTCH Test: What They Measure and Why They Matter
The cortisol awakening response (CAR) is the 50-160% spike in cortisol within 30-45 minutes of waking. Here's how the DUTCH test captures this pattern, what blunted or exaggerated CAR indicates, and how it integrates with 24-hour cortisol profiling.
11 min read
Testosterone Blood Test: Total, Free, and Optimal Ranges Explained
Total testosterone tells you less than you think. Free testosterone, SHBG, and the ratio between them determine how much androgen activity is actually available at the cellular level. Here's how to read your results properly.
15 min read
Estradiol (E2): Optimal Ranges for Women and Men Beyond the Lab Reference
Estradiol is the primary oestrogen in both women and men. Standard reference ranges miss the functional sweet spot. Here's how to interpret E2 in context, what drives suboptimal levels, and why the ratio with progesterone and testosterone matters as much as the absolute value.
14 min read
Cortisol, DHEA-S, and the adrenal panel — HPA axis interpretation
A single AM cortisol number tells you almost nothing about HPA axis health. DHEA-S, the cortisol:DHEA ratio, and a 4-point saliva curve reveal patterns that serum alone hides — especially for people under high training load or running stimulants.
10 min read
How to read your thyroid panel — beyond TSH
TSH is a pituitary hormone, not a thyroid hormone. Using it as your sole marker is like judging engine health by accelerator position. Here's what a complete panel actually tells you.
9 min read