October 6, 2026, 8:06 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Staying fit, active, and healthy for as long as possible is what most people wish for. However, if you want to know early on how your health is doing, you shouldn’t just pay attention to your well-being. Certain blood and body values can indicate risks long before symptoms appear. Preventive medicine specialist Dr. Anne Fleck therefore recommends having some key figures checked regularly.
The Basics: Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar, and Cholesterol
According to Dr. Fleck, the most important health values include blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. They provide insight into the risk of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and vascular damage. Particularly insidious: Elevated values often cause no symptoms for a long time.
Body weight should also be monitored. Additionally, the Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference can indicate whether there is problematic abdominal fat. An increased waist circumference is particularly associated with a higher risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
Oxidized LDL: An Important Marker for Vascular Health
In addition to the classic lab values, Dr. Fleck advises determining oxidized LDL cholesterol. This is a modified form of the so-called LDL cholesterol, often referred to as “bad” cholesterol.
An elevated value can indicate vascular calcifications. These, in turn, increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other blood vessel damage. The value is not yet part of standard diagnostics but can provide additional information about vascular health.
Homocysteine Can Indicate Hidden Deficiencies
The determination of the homocysteine level is also recommended by the preventive medicine specialist. Homocysteine is a metabolic product that can be measured in the blood.
Elevated homocysteine levels are considered a risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and vascular damage. At the same time, they can indicate that the body is lacking important micronutrients. These include vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and folic acid, particularly.
Early Warning System for Diabetes: the HOMA Index
It is not only elevated blood sugar that can indicate metabolic problems. Often, insulin resistance develops years earlier, where the body’s cells respond less effectively to the hormone insulin. “The so-called HOMA index for early detection of insulin resistance can also be determined,” says Dr. Fleck.
The HOMA index is calculated from fasting blood sugar and fasting insulin and can help identify an emerging metabolic disorder early. Insulin resistance is considered an important precursor to type 2 diabetes.
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Don’t Forget Vitamin D and Vitamin B12
Furthermore, Dr. Fleck recommends checking the supply of vitamin D and bioactive vitamin B12. A deficiency often goes unnoticed for a long time but can manifest in various ways.
Low vitamin D levels are associated with fatigue and exhaustion, among other things. A lack of vitamin B12 can also lead to fatigue and concentration problems. In severe cases, even nerve disorders are possible.
Prevention Begins Before People Become Patients
Knowing your key health values can help identify risks early and, if necessary, take countermeasures with your doctor. The goal: to prevent diseases like diabetes, dementia, obesity, or cardiovascular diseases from developing or to detect them early.
These topics are also the focus of the sixth BILD Prevention Summit on October 7, 2026, in Berlin. Experts from medicine, research, business, and politics will discuss the future of prevention. The focus will include vaccinations, neurodermatitis, obesity, Alzheimer’s, liver diseases, and how people can age healthily for as long as possible.