How NiaHealth is making me a better runner
NiaHealth’s personalized biomarker insights are helping me train smarter, not harder
After years of endurance running, I’ve learned that improvement often comes from fine-tuning the small details—but sometimes it can be incredibly challenging to figure out what those details should be. Whether it’s training balance, recovery or nutrition, there’s always something to adjust. This past season, I encountered a few hurdles, experiencing persistent fatigue and slower recovery that didn’t align with my training load. When I connected with NiaHealth, I saw an opportunity to take a closer, data-driven look at what was really going on.
The process began with the NiaHealth portal, which was clean, direct, and easy to navigate. Entering information about my health, fitness and goals took just a few minutes. It felt efficient from the start, without unnecessary steps or jargon. The layout is intuitive, and within minutes, I’d completed everything I needed to start.
Bloodwork that told the full story
The bloodwork process was simple. A health professional came to my home to collect the sample, and the results were ready within days. Unlike typical at-home finger-prick kits, which can be unreliable due to collection issues, this was a clinical-grade blood draw analyzed in a certified lab. The report covered around 60 biomarkers—about four times more than what’s usually checked in a standard family doctor visit—including vitamins, minerals, hormones, inflammation markers and iron levels.
Each section included personalized recommendations and priorities, followed by a consultation with a NiaHealth doctor who explained the findings in context. Discovering that my ferritin levels were low helped explain months of fatigue and inconsistent training. Having that clarity—and a concise PDF summary to share with my family doctor—was a turning point. Since then, I’ve made small but meaningful changes that include adjusting my iron intake, improving post-run fueling and being more mindful of rest days.
Learning from the SECA scan
The SECA body composition scan was one of the most eye-opening parts of the process. Similar to a DEXA scan but much faster, it works by sending a gentle electrical current through the body while you stand barefoot on the device. In just a few seconds, it measures fat mass, muscle, bone and water distribution to give a complete picture of body composition.
The results showed details like muscle balance between my left and right sides, bone density, and areas that could be strengthened. The specialist guiding the test was thorough and took time to explain what each measurement meant. Even though most of my results fell in the healthy range, a few reflected genetic tendencies I’ve always been curious about. The NiaHealth team outlined what realistic progress could look like and suggested a timeline for reassessment that made sense for my training cycle.
A clearer path forward
NiaHealth turned my test results—blood markers, nutrient levels and body composition data—into practical insight, offering clear direction on how to strengthen both training and recovery.
As an athlete, I’ve often found it challenging to communicate performance-focused concerns in a general medical setting, but NiaHealth interpreted my data with that context in mind. The experience connected everyday health with athletic performance in a way that felt personal, useful and easy to apply. For runners of any level, understanding how your body functions can be the key to real progress, and NiaHealth made that understanding straightforward and actionable.
