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Andrew Huberman's Blood Test Markers: What He Covers and Why

Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist who covers biomarkers on his podcast, discusses four markers most consistently across episodes: vitamin D, testosterone, ApoB, and morning cortisol. Below is the target he cites for each, his stated mechanism, and where it comes from.

AI-curated · Expert-attributed
Compiled by AI from the named experts’ own public statements, with every figure attributed to its source. These are individual expert protocols, not clinical guidelines or FixFirst medical advice. Evidence & methodology
4 markers, each attributed to Huberman Timing-specific targets, not just numbers Free 45-second read on your own results
Vitamin D: reference range vs. Huberman's target
The standard NIH sufficiency floor is 30 ng/mL. Huberman targets above 40 ng/mL. The full gap between deficiency, sufficiency, and optimal is covered on the low vitamin D guide.
See the low vitamin D guide

Timing and pairing matter as much as the number

Two of Huberman's four markers, cortisol and testosterone, are ones he frames as incomplete without a second data point: cortisol needs its time-of-day context, testosterone needs SHBG alongside it.

This page is part of FixFirst's Longevity blood markers series, which attributes every target to the person who cited it rather than presenting it as FixFirst's own clinical claim. ApoB and cortisol are not yet part of FixFirst's supported marker set; they appear here as informational content on what Huberman discusses, not as markers the analyzer currently checks.

Vitamin D is one of the more commonly tested markers on this list and is covered in more depth, including the gap between the standard deficiency threshold and the level Huberman targets, on the low vitamin D guide.

The 4 markers, grouped

Hormones and vitamins Huberman ties to energy, mood, and reproductive function, and cardiovascular/circadian markers he covers alongside sleep and stress content.

Cluster 1 of 2
Hormones & vitamins
Huberman flags vitamin D and testosterone as the two most commonly deficient or suboptimal markers in his audience, both with outsized downstream effects on energy, mood, and immune function.
Core Usually in a standard panel Ask Request specifically
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Vitamin D
Huberman targets above 40 ng/mL, above the standard NIH sufficiency floor of 30 ng/mL. He points to vitamin D's role in testosterone synthesis, immune modulation, and serotonin-linked mood regulation, and recommends testing before supplementing rather than assuming deficiency. Source (Huberman Lab AI).
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Testosterone (Free T, DHT, SHBG)
Huberman frames testosterone as a four-test system: total T, free T (target 5–21 ng/dL), DHT (30–85 ng/dL), and SHBG (10–57 nmol/L). He treats SHBG as the binding governor that determines how much total testosterone is actually available, and flags chronic cortisol elevation as a suppressor of the whole axis. Source (Huberman Lab episode).
Cluster 2 of 2
Cardiovascular & circadian
Huberman pairs a cardiovascular risk marker with a circadian-timing marker, arguing both are underused relative to how much information they carry.
Core Usually in a standard panel Ask Request specifically
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ApoB
Huberman targets under 60 mg/dL and cites ApoB alongside Lp(a) as the two lipid tests he considers more informative than a standard cholesterol panel, since ApoB directly reflects the number of particles capable of penetrating the arterial wall. Source (Huberman Lab AI).
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Morning Cortisol (timing, not just level)
Huberman targets a fasted morning cortisol of 10–20 mcg/dL that peaks 30–45 minutes after waking (the cortisol awakening response) and tapers to a low evening baseline. He treats a flat morning curve as a sign of HPA-axis burnout and chronically elevated evening cortisol as a sign of ongoing stress that disrupts sleep. Source.

Frequently asked questions

What blood markers does Andrew Huberman recommend testing?
Across Huberman Lab episodes, the four markers he covers most consistently are vitamin D, testosterone (tested alongside free T, DHT, and SHBG), ApoB, and morning cortisol, checked for both level and time-of-day pattern rather than a single reading.
What testosterone target does Huberman cite?
Huberman cites free testosterone of 5–21 ng/dL, DHT of 30–85 ng/dL, and SHBG of 10–57 nmol/L as the panel to test together, rather than total testosterone alone, since SHBG determines how much of the total is biologically active.
Why does Huberman care about morning cortisol specifically?
Huberman treats the cortisol awakening response, a 50–100% spike in the 30–45 minutes after waking, as healthy and necessary for alertness and immune function. A flat morning curve or elevated evening cortisol are the patterns he flags as problematic, not a single cortisol number in isolation.
Does Huberman recommend ApoB over a standard cholesterol test?
Huberman aligns with Peter Attia in citing ApoB and Lp(a) as more informative than a standard LDL cholesterol reading, because ApoB counts every atherogenic particle capable of penetrating the arterial wall rather than estimating cholesterol content alone. He targets ApoB under 60 mg/dL.

References & Guidelines

Keep reading: Longevity blood markers hub · Low vitamin D · Peter Attia's blood test panel

Once you have your results

Huberman's targets sit above the standard sufficiency floor for vitamin D and outside the default panel entirely for ApoB and cortisol. Seeing where your own results land against the standard clinical range is the first comparison point.

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