What are Biomarker Ratios?
Biomarker ratios are calculated values that compare the levels of two or more individual biomarkers. These ratios provide additional insights into the balance and interactions between different physiological processes, which may not be evident when looking at the individual biomarker levels alone.
How Biomarker Ratios Differ from Individual Biomarkers
- Individual Biomarkers: These are specific measurements of substances in the blood, such as glucose, cholesterol, or specific hormones. Each biomarker provides information about a particular physiological aspect or organ function.
- Biomarker Ratios: These compare the levels of two biomarkers to each other. For example, the ratio of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) to HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol can provide insights into cardiovascular health that neither LDL nor HDL levels alone can offer. Ratios can reveal balance, proportionality, and interactions between biomarkers, offering a more comprehensive view of a patient's health status.
Common Biomarker Ratios and Their Significance
- LDL/HDL Ratio: Indicates cardiovascular risk. A higher ratio suggests a greater risk of heart disease.
- Albumin/Globulin Ratio: Assesses liver function, nutritional status, and immune function.
- Calcium/Phosphorus Ratio: Evaluates bone health and parathyroid function.
- BUN/Creatinine Ratio: Helps in assessing kidney function and hydration status.
- ALT and AST Ratios: These are particularly significant for liver health assessment.
Addressing Questions on Out-of-Range Ratios
When Ratios are Out of Range but Individual Biomarkers are Normal
This scenario can be confusing but is not uncommon. Here’s how to understand it:
- Interaction and Balance:
- Homeostasis: The body maintains balance (homeostasis) among various physiological processes. Ratios can indicate imbalances that are not apparent when looking at individual biomarkers.
- Compensation Mechanisms: Sometimes, individual biomarker levels might be within normal ranges due to compensatory mechanisms. However, the ratio can still indicate underlying issues. For example, in the case of glucose and insulin, both might be normal, but the insulin-to-glucose ratio can reveal insulin resistance.
- Early Detection:
- Subclinical Imbalances: Ratios can detect early stages of dysfunction before individual biomarkers become abnormal. This can be crucial for early intervention and prevention.
- Integrated View:
- Systemic Insight: Ratios provide an integrated view of the body's function. For instance, the LDL/HDL ratio is a more reliable indicator of cardiovascular health than LDL or HDL alone.
Example Scenarios:
- Normal Individual Biomarkers, Abnormal Ratio:
- Case: A patient has normal LDL and HDL levels, but an elevated LDL/HDL ratio.
- Interpretation: The patient might still be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease despite having normal LDL and HDL levels. This ratio can prompt further investigation and potential early intervention.
- Clinical Context:
- Comprehensive Assessment: It's essential to consider the clinical context. Out-of-range ratios should be interpreted along with clinical symptoms, patient history, and other diagnostic tests.
- Patient Communication:
- Education: Educate patients on the importance of ratios and what they signify. Explain that ratios provide a deeper insight into their health and can help in early detection of potential issues.
- Action Plan: Develop a plan based on the ratio results. This could include lifestyle changes, further testing, or preventive measures.
Conclusion
Biomarker ratios offer a nuanced and comprehensive view of a patient's health by highlighting interactions and balances between different biomarkers. They are essential for early detection of potential health issues and provide insights that individual biomarker levels alone might not reveal. Understanding and communicating the significance of these ratios can lead to better patient outcomes through timely and targeted interventions. The ALT and AST ratios, specifically, provide critical insights into liver health, helping to identify various liver conditions early and accurately.
In Part 2 of this two-part series, we'll explore more specifically the ratios that can be calculated from the liver enzymes ALT and AST. CLICK HERE to read part 2.
Biomarker Ratios and the Optimal Platform
In Optimal, we calculate many of these biomarker ratios for you. Some are commonly found on a blood test (Albumin: globulin, LDL: HDL, etc.), but some are what we call "Functional Ratios." These would include the Free T3: Reverse T3 Ratio and sodium: Potassium Ratio, to name a few. In addition to ratios, we perform the HOMA2 calculations, QUICKI calculations, and Free Testosterone calculations as well!
While we calculate these ratios for you, we also give you, the user, the power to turn on or off any ratio or calculation automatically performed by Optimal.
Please CLICK HERE to watch an important video we made showing you exactly how to do this.
Lastly, we have a very robust CALCULATORS PAGE on this website. CLICK HERE to access all our calculators, which are free for you to use!