Bloodwork Methodology
Which markers we test, why we test them, and how your clinician interprets the results.
Why bloodwork comes first
Every LodeRx protocol starts with a lab panel. Not a questionnaire. Not a mood assessment. Not a symptom checklist that routes you to the most expensive product. A blood draw, processed at a CLIA-certified lab, interpreted by a licensed clinician.
This isn’t a philosophical choice — it’s a clinical one. Peptide therapy modulates hormone signaling, tissue repair, and cellular metabolism. Prescribing without lab confirmation is guessing. We don’t guess.
Core panel markers
Our standard panel includes markers that directly inform peptide prescribing decisions: IGF-1 (growth hormone proxy), comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), complete blood count (CBC), lipid panel, inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR), thyroid function (TSH, free T4, free T3), and testosterone (total and free, for TRT candidates).
Additional markers are ordered based on clinical need. If you’re presenting with fatigue, we’ll look at iron studies and vitamin D. Joint recovery patients get inflammatory markers weighted more heavily. The panel isn’t one-size-fits-all — it’s goal-informed.
How your clinician reads the panel
Reference ranges on lab reports tell you what’s “normal.” Our clinicians care about what’s optimal. A testosterone level of 350 ng/dL is technically within range for a 45-year-old man, but it’s at the bottom of that range. Context matters.
Your clinician reviews your panel against your age, symptoms, goals, and medication history. They’re looking for patterns, not just outliers. Low IGF-1 + poor sleep + declining recovery tells a different story than any one of those markers alone.
Follow-up cadence
Most protocols call for follow-up labs at 90 days. This isn’t arbitrary — it’s how long it takes for peptide therapy to produce measurable biomarker changes. Your clinician compares panels over time, adjusting dosing and protocol based on objective trends, not subjective reports.
If your markers aren’t moving in the right direction, your protocol changes. If they are, it stays. The labs decide.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. All treatment decisions are made by licensed clinicians based on individual patient evaluations and lab results. Content reviewed by the LodeRx clinical team.