A Proactive Approach to Health and Performance—Nutrient and Blood Testing

It is improbable to always know if physical condition and performance is at an optimal state as some issues have unspoken outcomes. However, the body’s system can be observed by blood testing to help achieve desired results whether training for a competition, pursuing an individual goal, or improving general health.

Besides looking at a lipid profile, another important step to monitoring health is by establishing a baseline of values for fasting glucose, ferritin, vitamin B-12, and vitamin D. For the purposes of this article, these are the four blood profiles that will be emphasized. Next comes knowing what the standard values are and then aiming for peak levels, if appropriate. 

This article originally appeared in NSCA Coach, a quarterly publication for NSCA Members that provides valuable takeaways for every level of strength and conditioning coach. You can find scientifically based articles specific to a wide variety of your athletes’ needs with Nutrition, Programming, and Youth columns. Read more articles from NSCA Coach »