THE VANGUARD BLOG
Physician-curated deep dives into the science of men's health optimization.
Monograph
Steroid hormone measurement in blood is dominated by two distinct technologies. Immunoassay — the standard method used by most commercial U.S. clinical laboratories for testosterone, estradiol, cortisol, and most other steroid hormones — uses…
30 May 2026
Monograph
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA, sometimes written DXA) is the gold-standard imaging modality for measuring bone mineral density and the most accurate consumer-accessible method for measuring body composition (fat mass, lean mass, visceral…
30 May 2026
Monograph
Full-body magnetic resonance imaging — sold under brands including Prenuvo, Ezra, and Q Bio — is a consumer-direct whole-body MRI scan marketed for early detection of cancer and incidental findings. The scans take approximately 45–60 minutes,…
30 May 2026
Monograph
Galleri is a blood test developed by GRAIL (now an independent public company after spin-off from Illumina) that detects cell-free DNA shed by cancer into the circulation. Using methylation pattern analysis on a panel of ~100,000 genomic sites,…
30 May 2026
Monograph
Cleerly is an AI-powered analysis platform applied to coronary CT angiography (CCTA), the contrast-enhanced cardiac CT that visualizes both calcified and non-calcified plaque in the coronary arteries. Where coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring…
30 May 2026
Monograph
"Biological age" — as distinct from chronological age — has become one of the most-marketed concepts in the longevity consumer space. The underlying science is real and increasingly substantial: it is now well-established that certain DNA…
29 May 2026
Monograph
Continuous glucose monitoring devices have been the standard of care in insulin-dependent diabetes for over a decade — Dexcom and Abbott Libre systems track interstitial glucose every 1–15 minutes via a small subcutaneous sensor worn for 10–15 days,…
29 May 2026
Monograph
Coronary artery calcium scoring is a non-contrast CT scan of the heart that quantifies calcified atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries. The Agatston score, derived from the area and density of calcified deposits, has been the standard…
29 May 2026
Monograph
Lipoprotein(a), abbreviated Lp(a) and pronounced "L-P-little-a," is an LDL-like lipoprotein particle with a specific protein attachment — apolipoprotein(a) — that makes it independently atherogenic. Roughly 20% of the global population — about 1.4…
29 May 2026
Monograph
Apolipoprotein B (apoB) is the structural protein on every atherogenic lipoprotein particle — LDL, VLDL, IDL, chylomicron remnants, and lipoprotein(a). Each of these particles carries exactly one apoB molecule, which means circulating apoB…
29 May 2026
Monograph
Yohimbine is an indole alkaloid from the bark of the Pausinystalia yohimbe tree, used as a traditional aphrodisiac in West African medicine and prescribed for erectile dysfunction in the U.S. and Europe before sildenafil became available in 1998.…
29 May 2026
Monograph
Hair transplantation moves hair from a donor area at the back and sides of the scalp (which is genetically resistant to DHT-mediated miniaturization) to a recipient area at the front and crown (which is not). The transplanted hairs retain their…
29 May 2026
Bug report, content request, or general comment — we read everything.