Review - ForthEdge Blood Profiling Technology

There is a lot you can tell about your body, from the outside. Dark sunken eyes suggest fatigue; cramps suggest dehydration; yellow skin suggests anaemia. Yet, there is a huge amount that cannot be identified or seen without looking deeper within: underlying health problems, weaknesses and illness; these are far more likely to show up in your blood, even if you look and feel okay superficially.

ForthEdge offers a unique service: blood profiling, by post.

Blood accounts for about seven percent of human bodyweight, but it is critical to every bodily function we perform. It is also an incredible resource to learn about our bodies. The bio-markers contained within our blood cells can provide valuable information on everything from vitamin balance to hormone levels. For a bike rider, the health of your inner bodily system is fundamental, and profiling your blood is the most effective way to monitor and understand it.

I was recently contacted by the UK based blood profiling company ForthEdge. The ForthEdge team work with amateur and professional athletes, to carry out detailed blood bio-marker testing, with the aim of improving performance and health.

Through simple self-administered finger tip blood sampling, sent to the ForthEdge team by post, you are provided with a detailed analysis of your blood profile; plus helpful advice on how to correct any imbalances that are found.

The process of blood bio-marker testing should help to safeguard hard-earned performance and fitness gains, as well as minimising your risk of over-training, fatigue and tiredness.

The results from my first test were interesting and informative...



The First Test

I took my first blood test a few weeks after I had returned from the #7Countries7Passes tour; a time when I was interested to see how well recovered I was from the mammoth trip, after several weeks of low volume and low intensity recovery rides.

The ForthEdge test results are broken down into logical areas, such as 'Blood', 'Cardiovascular', 'Metabolic', 'Kidney', 'Muscle Function' and 'Minerals'. The results that you get will depend on which test set you choose out of the four available: "Endurance", "Power", "Race Fit" or "HIT".

My results came back largely "Normal" in most categories. My Creatine Kinase and Cortisol levels were a bit high, and my Chloride levels a bit low; suggesting a bit of stress and possible dehydration.

This initial test was largely to set a baseline of values though, in a period when hopefully I was fairly well rested. I am intrigued to see how my values develop over time, and what changes with more intense training and events heading towards 2018.

I will update this blog with more insights as my tests progress...

Click on the link below to find out more about ForthEdge.







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