Identifying Optimal Young Adult Biomarkers Using DeepSeek

© Nils Osmar 2025. January 28, 2025
This post is not intended as, and should not be taken as, medical advice.
See full Medical Disclaimer

I asked DeepSeek to give me the optimal range for a number of biomarkers for a 21 year old male.

It gave it a little thought and came up with an answer. But in its first reply, I noticed that it was listing the standard “healthy range” for all adults. But I already had that information from my blood tests. So I asked it, “Those appear to be standard healthy ranges for all ages but not necessarily optimal or specific to 21 year olds. Is it possible to get more precisely tailored information?”

DeepSeek can think.

Like many Chatbots, DeepSeek can actually think logically, so it gave some thought to what I was asking, and Its reply was significantly better, more specific. It’s still capable of making mistakes, but its reasoning processes are transparent. In its thought process (which can be viewed) it realized I was interested in biomarkers tailored to longevity.

An excerpt from its thought process:

Okay, the user is asking for more precise biomarker ranges tailored specifically for a 21-year-old male, not just the standard ranges. They mentioned that the previous answer seemed too generic. Let me think about how to approach this.

First, I need to recall that standard lab ranges are indeed broad and cover all adults. But a 21-year-old male in optimal health might have values that are slightly different. For example, younger people often have better kidney function, so eGFR might be higher. Also, muscle mass affects creatinine, so a young male with more muscle might have higher creatinine but still normal kidney function.

I should look into sources that discuss age-specific ranges. Maybe sports medicine or studies on young adults. Also, consider that some markers like cholesterol might have optimal levels lower than the standard “normal” to prevent future issues. For example, LDL under 100 is good, but maybe even lower is better for someone young with no risk factors.

Liver enzymes like ALT and AST might be on the lower end for a healthy young person. Uric acid could be lower since they’re less likely to have metabolic issues. Testosterone levels, though not listed, might be relevant but the user didn’t ask for that…

It then gave me a list which I use to compare my biomarkers to this optimal individual. (To get similar biomarkers for a female, you’d just need to specify a female 21 year old.) There were some significant differences. For example, it had initially said 70–99 mg/dL was an optimal range; it corrected this to 70-85 mg/dL for a 21 year old. All of the levels were adjusted and made more precise and useful. It decided to give me testosterone levels even though I had nor requested them.

It’s new reply:

You’re absolutely right—standard reference ranges are broad and not always age-specific. For a 21-year-old male in optimal health (no chronic conditions, normal BMI, physically active, no medications), certain biomarkers may trend toward tighter or more “ideal” ranges due to peak physiological function. Below is a tailored breakdown incorporating age-specific considerations and emerging research on longevity/metabolic health:

Metabolic & Organ Function

Glucose (Fasting): 70–85 mg/dL
- Optimal: Lower end of normal (<90 mg/dL) to reflect insulin sensitivity. Levels >90 mg/dL in youth correlate with future metabolic risk.
Uric Acid: 3.5–5.5 mg/dL
- Optimal: Lower range reduces gout/kidney stone risk. Levels >6 mg/dL in young men may indicate early metabolic dysfunction.
BUN: 8–16 mg/dL
- Optimal: Lower BUN reflects efficient kidney function and adequate hydration.
Creatinine: 0.7–1.1 mg/dL (eGFR > 120 mL/min/1.73m²)
- Note: Muscle mass skews creatinine higher, but a young adult’s eGFR should be ≥120 (labs cap at ≥90).
BUN/Creatinine Ratio: 10:1–15:1
- Optimal: Lower ratio (hydration, reduced muscle breakdown).

Electrolytes & Minerals

Sodium: 137–142 mEq/L
- Optimal: Mid-range avoids extremes (linked to hypertension or dehydration).
Potassium: 4.0–4.5 mEq/L
- Ideal: Slightly above mid-range supports muscle/nerve function.
Calcium: 9.0–9.8 mg/dL
- Note: High-normal may reflect bone turnover in active young adults (not concerning if albumin is normal).
Phosphorus: 2.8–4.0 mg/dL
- Optimal: Lower end reduces vascular calcification risk long-term.

Liver & Inflammation

ALT (SGPT): <25 U/L
- Ideal: ALT >30 U/L in young men suggests NAFLD risk, even if “normal.”
AST (SGOT): <30 U/L
- Optimal: AST:ALT ratio <1.0 (indicates liver health).
Alkaline Phosphatase: 50–110 U/L
- Note: Slightly lower than lab upper limits (bone growth plate closure by age 21).
Bilirubin: 0.3–1.0 mg/dL
- Optimal: Mildly elevated (e.g., 1.2 mg/dL) can be benign Gilbert’s syndrome (common in young adults).
C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP): <0.5 mg/L
- Ideal: Reflects low inflammation (optimal for cardiovascular health).

Lipids & Cardiovascular Risk

Total Cholesterol: <170 mg/dL
- Optimal: Lower than standard ranges for long-term vascular protection.
LDL-C: <80 mg/dL
- Ideal: Aligns with AHA’s “optimal” for low lifetime risk.
HDL-C: ≥50 mg/dL
- Optimal: Higher HDL (>60 mg/dL) is protective (common in active young men).
Triglycerides: <90 mg/dL
- Ideal: Reflects efficient fat metabolism (no insulin resistance).
Apolipoprotein B: <75 mg/dL
- Optimal: Better predictor of CVD risk than LDL in youth.

Hematology (CBC)

Hemoglobin: 14.0–16.0 g/dL
- Note: Athletes may trend higher (17.5 g/dL) but rule out dehydration.
Hematocrit: 41–48%
- Optimal: Avoid >49% (linked to dehydration or erythrocytosis).
MCV: 82–92 fL
- Ideal: Mid-range (low MCV may indicate iron deficiency; high MCV suggests B12/folate issues, rare in young men).
Platelets: 180,000–350,000/µL
- Optimal: Lower end reduces clotting risk.

Emerging Biomarkers for Longevity

Ferritin: 50–100 ng/mL (avoid iron overload, linked to oxidative stress).
Testosterone: 500–900 ng/dL (peak in early 20s; impacts lipids/hematocrit).
Vitamin D: 40–60 ng/mL (supports immune/metabolic health).

Key Considerations

Muscle Mass: Higher creatinine (up to 1.2 mg/dL) is normal in muscular individuals.
Hydration: Mild dehydration skews BUN, hematocrit, and sodium upward.
Exercise: Transient elevations in AST/ALT post-workout are normal.

Final Note

“Optimal” ranges should align with preventive health goals (e.g., minimizing lifetime CVD risk, preserving kidney/liver function). Always pair labs with clinical context—genetics, diet, and lifestyle (e.g., alcohol, sleep) significantly influence biomarkers. For personalized guidance, consult a functional medicine provider or preventive cardiologist.

Not medical advice

This article is not intended as, and should not be taken as, medical advice. I’m not advising that people eat any particular diet or take any particular supplement(s), just reporting on what I’m doing. Supplements, like medications and other interventions, can have side effects; I would encourage people to research both possible benefits and side effects before starting on any supplementation regimen, and consult with a medical professional about any issues which might have a medical component. See full Medical Disclaimer

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Identifying Optimal Young Adult Biomarkers Using DeepSeek

DeepSeek can think.

An excerpt from its thought process: