I’m 48 and getting ready to run my very first cycle. I’ve actually got a physical scheduled with my doctor tomorrow morning, so the timing is pretty perfect.
Since I'm already going in, what specific blood markers should I make sure he includes in the labs? I want to make sure I have a solid baseline before I start anything.
Thanks in advance for the help, I really appreciate any advice you guys have.
awesome that you’re getting a baseline first, that’s smart. so many people skip this step and regret it later
definitely get a full hormone panel—total and free test, estradiol, LH, FSH, SHBG. that gives a solid starting point
liver enzymes (AST, ALT) and kidney markers (creatinine, BUN) are good to have just to know your organ health before a cycle
lipid panel too—HDL, LDL, triglycerides. steroids can affect cholesterol, so baseline matters
don’t forget hematocrit and hemoglobin, especially if you’re planning on anything long-term, keeps tabs on your blood thickness
prolactin can be useful depending on what compounds you plan to run
TSH and thyroid panel are optional but good if you have any fatigue or metabolism issues
fasting glucose and HbA1c are nice to track metabolic health, especially if you’re adding orals or insulin-sensitive compounds
PSA if you want to be thorough, especially at 48—good baseline for prostate health
vitamin D and iron/ferritin can help explain energy levels or recovery issues if you see anything off later
honestly, just tell your doc you want a full “baseline wellness and hormones check” and they usually know what to include
get blood drawn early in the morning if possible, test levels are highest then for the most accurate baseline
keeping all these numbers saved in one place is huge—you’ll be able to compare cycle vs off-cycle easily
you might also ask for IGF-1 if you’re thinking about GH down the line, gives a good reference point
