Introduction
- Continuous biomarkers such as heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), mobility, and oxygen saturation (SpO₂), have gained significant attention.1-3 These metrics are reliable proxies for general fitness and are well-validated in epidemiological research. However, they lack specificity, i.e. deviations can signal a broad range of potential issues, not specify a singular cause.
- To investigate underlying conditions, traditional lab-based blood testing remains essential. Blood biomarkers are critical, not just for routine wellness checks, but also for pinpointing the causes behind shifting trends in wearable-derived metrics.
Breaking biomarker testing silos
- Globally, wearable data and blood tests are managed by separate providers with separate systems to output results.
- Logistics and scheduling for lab work is added work and making sense of it all, often without support for early detection.
- Blood tests typically focus on clinical thresholds, potentially overlooking subtler, actionable shifts indicating early dysfunction that can be better managed with supplements and lifestyle changes.
Introducing Blood Vision and UltraTrace™
- Ultrahuman’s Blood Vision, enhanced with UltraTrace™ technology, bridges this gap by uniquely integrating blood biomarkers with continuous wearable data from the Ultrahuman Ring AIR, seamlessly delivered within the app.4, 5
- This integrated system enables users to correlate real-time changes in sleep, resting heart rate (RHR), HRV, and movement with blood biomarkers multiplexing data streams for deeper, personalized insights.
Below are two case studies of users leveraging the integrated insights from Blood Vision and Ring AIR to drive targeted, corrective wellness actions.
CASE 1: Metabolic risk revealed through Blood Vision, improved via lifestyle and sleep optimization
Profile
- 31-year-old police officer maintained an active but unstructured lifestyle shaped by the physical demands of his job.
- With no known medical conditions, his BMI was 29.6 kg/m² (obese category), likely due to sustained job-related stress.
- To take charge of his health, he began tracking key metrics with the Ultrahuman Ring AIR and proactively opted for a Blood Vision test focused on organ health and diabetes risk.
Findings
- Blood Vision revealed early signs of metabolic dysregulation, with abnormal markers in lipid metabolism, glucose regulation, and inflammation (Table 1).
- While glucose and insulin levels were normal, a HOMA-IR score of 2.6 suggested emerging insulin resistance. Elevated RBC count and ESR indicated increased cardiovascular risk.
Table 1. Results of first and second Blood Vision tests for case study 1. Green and red mark the changes in favorable and unfavorable directions respectively.
Action
-Ring AIR was used to consistently monitor sleep, activity, and recovery.
-He attended an orientation with Ultrahuman performance coaches and implemented structured workouts and recreational sports (badminton).
-Over six weeks, he logged daily sessions via the app and showed improved sleep patterns, decreased RHR, and increased HRV (Figure 1).
Result
-A follow-up Blood Vision in week 7 showed improvement in HDL cholesterol, hsCRP, insulin, and HOMA-IR, along with reductions in RBC count and ESR.
-The structured lifestyle changes led to better metabolic control, lower inflammation, and a reduction in cardiovascular risk (Table 1).
CASE 2: Elevated resting heart rate revealed iron-deficiency anemia and uterine fibroid
Profile
- 43-year-old female and long-term Ultrahuman Ring AIR user maintaining a moderately active lifestyle.
- Navigating perimenopause, she experienced frequent circadian disruption due to work-related travel across time-zones.
- She reported unusual heart rate spikes during workouts and heavy menstrual bleeding.
Findings
- Ring metrics showed elevated nighttime RHR by ~5 bpm and daytime RHR by ~8 bpm over 3 months. Recovery scores showed a consistent downward trend (Figure 2).
- Blood Vision revealed low ferritin (11.5 ng/mL) and low hemoglobin (10.2 g/dL), indicating iron-deficiency anemia (Table 2).
- Markers of inflammation (hsCRP, ESR, NLR) were elevated, and free T4 was slightly high, suggesting menopause progression.
Action
-Consultation with internal medicine and gynaecologist armed with ring and blood vision reports.
- Uterine fibroid was detected via ultrasound.
-A targeted treatment was started with ferrous fumarate, glutathione, selenium, and tranexamic acid. The supplement guidance from UltraTrace matched the clinical plan.
Result
-Within 12 weeks, both nighttime and daytime RHR decreased, reversing earlier trends (Figure 2).
-Recovery scores improved, though remained somewhat variable.
-The intervention led to iron restoration, likely better inflammation control and symptom relief from the fibroid (Table 2).
Table 2. Blood Vision results for case study 2
Conclusion
- Both case reports illustrate the complementary use of Blood Vision and Ring AIR, though applied in different sequences.
- Ring AIR offers continuous tracking of physiological metrics like heart rate, temperature, and sleep, while Blood Vision provides a snapshot of key biomarkers linked to symptoms, metabolic health, and disease risk.5
- In Case 1, Blood Vision established a baseline in a symptom-free user aiming to optimize health. In Case 2, Ring AIR flagged abnormalities that prompted targeted Blood Vision testing, aiding diagnosis and treatment.
- Used in combination, these tools expand the depth and precision of health monitoring by capturing distinct but interconnected parameters.
- Blood Vision’s on-demand access bypasses clinical delays and focuses on health optimization, and not just disease detection, through scientifically derived wellness ranges.
- UltraTrace recommendations, powered by Examine, offer evidence-based supplement guidance.
- Most importantly, integrating high-frequency wearable data with regular biomarker testing creates a powerful system for turning insights into measurable outcomes.
All users are strongly encouraged to seek medical advice if their markers are substantially different from typical ranges.
Disclosures
Both subjects provided their approval for their data being used for research analyses and communication. The subject from case report 2 shared additional medical advice and supplement outcomes over written communication.
Reach out to partnerships@ultrahuman.com for commercial queries and science@ultrahuman.com for scientific queries.
