The #1 biohacking mistake is changing too much too fast.
A baseline turns “I feel better” into a measurable claim you can verify.
Track the boring stuff first — it explains most variability.
| Tier | What you measure | Typical tools | What it’s good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 0 | Sleep/time, steps, weight, BP (optional), subjective scales | Phone + scale + (optional) BP cuff | Most of the signal with almost no friction |
| Tier 1 | HR/HRV trends, sleep consistency | Wearable (ring/strap/watch) | Detecting stress, recovery, and sleep regularity changes |
| Tier 2 | Labs (metabolic + lipids + inflammation) | Lab panels 1–2×/yr | Verifying longer-term physiological shifts |
| Tier 3 | Continuous sensors + body comp imaging | CGM, DEXA, VO₂max testing | Deep dives and high-resolution experiments |
Accuracy note
Wearables are usually best for trends (changes over time), not absolute truth. Use consistent placement and don’t over-interpret sleep staging.
This is not medical advice and it is not a prescription for testing. It’s a pragmatic “starting list” many people use to anchor biohacking decisions — your clinician may add/remove items based on age, symptoms, medications, and risk factors.
Screening guidance exists — use it
If your “biohacking” is really screening for disease risk (diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular risk), anchor decisions in evidence-based screening recommendations and discuss results with a clinician. In the US, the USPSTF publishes updated recommendations for common screenings (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, statin use for primary prevention).[1][2][3]
Do
Don’t
US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Screening for Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/screening-for-prediabetes-and-type-2-diabetes ↩︎
US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Hypertension in Adults: Screening. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/hypertension-in-adults-screening ↩︎
US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Statin Use for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/statin-use-in-adults-preventive-medication ↩︎