Bloodwork Diagnostic Tool
About this tool
Which blood work to get before peptides
Many peptide protocols are started with no baseline. That makes it hard to tell later whether a compound did anything, or whether a side effect came from the compound or from something that was already off. This tool reads the pattern in your symptoms and your goal, points at the system most likely involved, and builds a panel you can bring to your doctor. It is a research framework, not a diagnosis.
What blood work should I get before starting peptides?
Based on the research, the useful baseline depends on the goal. Fat loss protocols usually point at metabolic markers like fasting glucose, insulin, A1c and a lipid panel. Growth hormone peptides point at IGF-1, meaning the marker that reflects growth hormone output. Anything touching testosterone points at total and free testosterone, estradiol, SHBG and LH. This tool narrows the list to what your pattern suggests.
Do I need bloodwork before retatrutide or tirzepatide?
Nothing requires it, but without a baseline it is hard to measure what changed. Fasting glucose, insulin, a lipid panel, liver enzymes and thyroid markers are the ones that tend to move on these compounds, so they are the ones worth having a before number on.
What should I test if I feel tired or flat on a GLP-1?
Fatigue on a GLP-1 is often a food intake problem rather than a compound problem, but the research also points at thyroid, iron and ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and testosterone as the markers that most often explain it. The tool asks about the pattern first and then suggests which of those to request.
How often should bloodwork be rechecked on a protocol?
A common research approach is a baseline before starting, a recheck at roughly 8 to 12 weeks once the compound has reached a steady level, and then as needed when something changes. Your doctor sets the actual cadence.
Can I ask a follow-up question about a marker?
Yes. The free Research Search Engine answers questions about what a marker reflects, how it tends to move on a given compound, and what research suggests about timing a retest.
Is this tool a diagnosis?
No. It is an educational tool that organizes what to ask for. Interpreting results and deciding what to do with them is between you and a licensed clinician.
For educational and research purposes only. Not medical advice.