Bloodwork for Lifters

Bloodwork for Lifters

Bloodwork is not optional. It is the only way to know what is actually happening inside your body. Running AAS without monitoring your blood markers is flying blind.

When to test

• Pre-cycle: Your baseline. Everything else is measured against this.
  
• Mid-cycle (week 6 to 8): Check that your levels are where you expect and catch problems early.
  
• Post-PCT (4 to 6 weeks after finishing PCT): Confirm your natural production has recovered.
  

What to test

Hormones

• Total testosterone
  
• Free testosterone
  
• Estradiol (use the sensitive/LC-MS assay, not the standard immunoassay)
  
• LH and FSH (pre-cycle and post-PCT, not mid-cycle since they will be suppressed)
  
• SHBG
  
• Prolactin (especially if running 19-nors like Deca or Tren)
  

Liver

• ALT and AST (elevated values suggest liver stress, especially relevant with oral AAS)
  
• GGT
  
• Bilirubin
  

Cardiovascular

• HDL and LDL cholesterol (AAS typically tank HDL and raise LDL)
  
• Triglycerides
  
• Hematocrit and hemoglobin (elevated hematocrit increases blood viscosity and stroke risk)
  

Other

• Complete blood count (CBC)
  
• Kidney function (creatinine, BUN, eGFR)
  
• Fasting glucose and HbA1c (especially if running growth hormone or insulin)
  
• PSA (prostate specific antigen, baseline and periodic)
  

Reading trends, not snapshots
A single blood test is a point in time. What matters is the trend across multiple tests. Your HDL dropping from 55 to 28 over 8 weeks tells a story. A single reading of 38 without context tells you much less.

Compare every result to your own baseline, not to the lab's reference range. Lab ranges describe the general population. Your pre-cycle values are what is normal for you.

If something looks significantly off, see a doctor. Bloodwork is a monitoring tool, not a substitute for medical advice.