A healthy, athletic lifestyle with great body composition will lead to longer life, but in some instances can also lead to complications in your blood work. More muscle, more problems.
I’m not a physician, so if you have a lab marker that’s off, talk to your doctor. If you’re on my coaching program, it is mandatory that you have lab work done with your doctor and consult with them afterwards.
Here are some specific lab markers that can be affected by you being in shape:
BUN RATIO/CREATININE
These are kidney markers, and they can be thrown off from high protein diets, having a lot of muscle mass, and exercising intensely. If these markers are consistently off for you, make sure you are properly hydrated prior to labs and talk to your doctor about reducing protein intake and creatine intake temporarily prior to labs. Another possible solution is run a GFR with Cystatin C along with standard labs.
AST / ALT
These are liver enzymes that can also be thrown off if you work out routinely or if you have a lot of muscle mass. My liver enzymes were consistently slightly elevated, so I spoke to my doctor and had a sonogram of my liver. My liver was fine, I just happen to be jacked. 💪
CREATINE KINASE and CRP
These markers look at muscle damage and inflammation, respectively. Keep in mind inflammatory markers are crude and systemic.
If you have a very athletic lifestyle, these markers can be thrown off. Make sure to consult with your doctor if you have any concerns.
I help clients on the lifestyle end of weight loss. Click the link in bio to take your health and fitness to the next level with my coaching program.
