BLOODWORK GUIDE
Disclaimer
Bloodwork is the cheat code. You can’t optimize what you don’t measure: guessing your hormones, lipids, and nutrient levels is how guys waste years spinning their wheels. This is the exact panel I run and what I actually look at. This isn’t medical advice, just a glimpse into what works for me. Do your own research and talk to a professional before changing anything.
WHY I GET BLOODWORK DONE
Baseline: You need numbers from when you feel good so you know what “off” looks like later.
Hormones: Total and free testosterone, estradiol, SHBG, LH, FSH: this is the full picture, not just one number.
Health markers: Lipids, blood sugar, liver, kidneys, thyroid. Looking jacked means nothing if your insides are wrecked.
Nutrients: Vitamin D, B12, magnesium, iron/ferritin: deficiencies here tank energy and get blamed on everything else.
THE CORE PANEL
Total + Free Testosterone: The headline number and the usable number. Free T matters more than most guys think.
Estradiol (E2): Too high or too low both cause problems. You want balance, not zero.
SHBG: Binds up your testosterone. High SHBG can mean low free T even with good total numbers.
LH + FSH: Tells you whether the signal from your brain is working. Low T with low LH is a different problem than low T with high LH.
CBC (Complete Blood Count): Red blood cells, hematocrit, hemoglobin. Baseline health, and the first thing that moves if something’s off.
CMP (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel): Liver enzymes (AST/ALT), kidneys (creatinine, eGFR), electrolytes. Non-negotiable.
Lipid Panel: Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides. Track the trend, not one reading.
HbA1c + Fasting Glucose: Average blood sugar over ~3 months. The earliest warning sign for metabolic issues.
Thyroid (TSH, Free T3, Free T4): Your metabolic engine. Low thyroid mimics low T symptoms almost exactly.
Prolactin: High prolactin crushes libido and can signal other issues. Cheap to check, often skipped.
Vitamin D: Most guys are deficient and don’t know it. Affects mood, immunity, and hormone function.
PSA: Prostate marker. Worth tracking once you’re 35+.
HOW OFTEN
Baseline: Get the full panel once so you have your “normal.”
Every 6 months: Re-run the core panel to track trends.
6–8 weeks after changing anything: New supplement, new protocol, new diet: retest and compare to baseline. That’s the whole point.
HOW TO READ IT
Ranges are population averages, not optimal. “In range” includes sick 70-year-olds. Track YOUR trend over time.
One bad reading means nothing. Retest before reacting. Sleep, stress, and even a hard workout the day before move numbers.
Symptoms + numbers together. Numbers without symptoms are data. Symptoms without numbers are guessing. You need both.
PRESCRIPTIONS THROUGH ALGORX
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GET YOUR BLOODWORK DONE
This is the lab I personally use: AlgoRX. Order your panel online in five minutes, walk into a lab near you, results back in a few days. No doctor visit, no guessing. Use code KASON at checkout.
This isn’t medical advice, it’s what I personally track and why. Do your own research, talk to a professional, and if you have questions about what to run or how to read it, DM me on Instagram (@KasonGrainger).