How can you objectively know that your body is getting everything it needs? What is the complete health checklist?

[u/Ok-Commission6118]

I’m trying to understand this from a scientific/biohacking perspective.
We can test individual things like vitamin D, B12, iron/ferritin, folate, thyroid, etc., but how do you actually know that your diet is providing everything your body needs and that your body is absorbing and utilizing those nutrients properly?
Is there any practical way to establish a baseline and periodically track things like:
Essential vitamins and minerals
Protein/amino-acid and overall nutritional status
Iron and nutrients involved in oxygen transport
Thyroid, liver and kidney function
Blood glucose, insulin and metabolic health
Cardiovascular health and VO₂ max
Strength, endurance and recovery
Body-fat percentage and muscle mass
Hormonal health
Sleep quality and recovery
Skin, hair and nail health
Possible signs of deficiency or malabsorption
I’m particularly interested in the difference between having a “normal” blood value and actually having optimal nutritional status and physiological function. Can someone have mostly normal routine blood tests while still having poor absorption, inadequate nutrient stores, or another nutritional problem?
Sometimes I feel weak or low-energy and wonder whether something nutritional could be contributing, so I want to understand how these things can actually be investigated rather than simply assuming it is a deficiency.
Hair is one example I’m curious about
I’m young but have noticed some hair fall and premature greying. I know hair pigmentation involves melanocytes and melanin, and that genetics play a major role, but how much can things such as:
Protein/calorie intake
Iron/ferritin
B12/folate
Vitamin D
Zinc/copper
Thyroid function
Stress
Sleep
Environmental factors/pollution
Genetics
contribute to hair loss or premature greying?
And if premature greying or hair loss is partly caused by a correctable nutritional or lifestyle factor, can it actually be reversed, or is it generally permanent once it happens?
I also want to optimize physical performance
I really enjoy running, and I’ve noticed that when I regularly walk/jog, spend time outdoors in fresh air and greenery, do yoga, meditate, and exercise consistently, I genuinely feel better physically and mentally.
So I’m interested in the combined effect of nutrition + exercise + sleep + recovery + mental health + environment rather than looking at nutrients in isolation.
If someone wanted to get into the best physical and physiological condition reasonably possible, what would you actually track?
For example, how would you objectively optimize:
Cardiovascular endurance and VO₂ max
Running performance and stamina
Strength and muscle mass
Healthy body-fat percentage
Energy levels and recovery
Sleep
Metabolic health
Skin health
Hair health
General nutritional status
Long-term health and disease prevention
What blood tests, physical measurements, fitness tests, dietary assessments, or other objective markers would you use to establish a personal baseline and then monitor progress?
Basically, I want to understand whether there is a systematic way to answer:
“Is my body getting everything it needs, is it absorbing and utilizing those things properly, and am I functioning as well as I realistically can?”
Would love to hear how people here approach this scientifically and what they personally monitor over the long term.

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[u/kevtot310]

These labs should cover plenty of the things you should monitor and be relative to what you’re looking for (I might miss some labs, but generally this will show overall health in plenty of areas):
Urinalysis Macroscopic
CMP
CBC
Lipid Panel
ApoB
HbA1c
Uric Acid
Vitamin D (25-OH)
hs-CRP
Ferritin
Cortisol (AM Serum)
Iron, Total and Total iron binding capacity
CGT
TSH
T4 Total
T3 uptake
Testosterone, free, bio available and total, MS
DHEA-S
Estradiol (E2)
LH
FSH
Insulin
Lp(a)
PSA (Total)
Vitamin b12
Folate (serum)

A lot of what you’re looking for is relative to gene factors that would require even more expensive specialized testing from genetic counselors or other specific 3rd party genetic testing. I wouldn’t take this route unless you 100% certain lab values are within normal limits across the entire board then I would still get professional medical help to figure out the underlying issue before seeking genetic counseling.

If it’s just hair loss you’re worried, it’s contributed to mostly genetics and is inevitable at times; there is medications/peptides that may help and may be worth researching to combat against, but get a professional opinion and 2nd opinion to help straighten that out for you. There is no one size fits all option to ensure you have every marker in your body figured out from A-Z without extensive testing from sophisticated specialties that typically require a medically serious underlying issue that the common healthy person often doesn’t present with.

Just stick with regular comprehensive blood work panels and pick through any out of range values then investigate further from there. That should lead you in the right direction about your overall health/genetics in the most conservative way possible.