The Three Numbers Every Pilot Should Track
ApoB, HRV, and fasting insulin tell you more about a 20-year flying career than any FAA medical. Here's why — and what good looks like.
If you only track three numbers across your flying career, make them ApoB, HRV, and fasting insulin. Each one is a leading indicator of a system that quietly degrades under operational load — and each one is fixable years before it shows up on an FAA medical.
ApoB measures the actual number of atherogenic particles in your bloodstream. It's a far better predictor of cardiovascular events than LDL cholesterol alone. Target: under 80 mg/dL for healthy operators, under 60 mg/dL for aggressive prevention.
HRV (heart rate variability) is the daily readout of your autonomic nervous system. Chronic circadian disruption flattens it. A rising 7-day HRV trend means your recovery is winning. A falling trend, even with normal sleep totals, means the load is accumulating.
Fasting insulin catches metabolic dysfunction five to ten years before fasting glucose moves. Most pilots with 'normal' A1C still have insulin in the 10–15 range — already a sign the system is compensating. Target: under 6.
Three numbers. Two blood draws and a wearable. That's the entry-level dashboard for a 30-year flying career.
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