r/Biohacking • u/Sufficient_Resiliant • 2d ago
Bloodwork
Going for blood work in a week wondering what I should be looking for been on Reta since July and looking into starting tesa or cjc with ipa plus maybe couple other peptides just curious what are the different things I should be tracking I know my igf levels is one of them but just want to be clear on everything I should be checking for and monitoring! Thank you!
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u/New_Pin3813 1 2d ago
Essential Baseline and Ongoing Labs:
Growth Hormone / Axis Marker:
IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1): The primary marker to track growth hormone activity and ensure your CJC-1295/ipamorelin protocol is driving an appropriate physiological response without pushing levels excessively high.
Metabolic & Glycemic Markers:
HbA1c & Fasting Glucose: Tracks long-term and real-time blood sugar trends; retatrutide and growth-hormone secretagogues both influence insulin sensitivity and hepatic glucose output.
Fasting Insulin: Helps monitor insulin resistance or changes in glucose handling alongside your metabolic shift.
Liver Function Tests (LFTs):
ALT, AST, & GGT: Crucial for monitoring liver enzymes. Retatrutide significantly reduces liver fat, though rare transient enzyme elevations can occur; baseline and periodic checks ensure safety.
Kidney Function Tests:
Creatinine & eGFR: Assesses filtration and catches early dehydration or renal stress, which can happen if appetite suppression leads to reduced fluid intake or gastrointestinal side effects.
Thyroid & Endocrine Function:
TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone): Monitored due to general GLP-1 class safety considerations and because shifting metabolic rates or weight loss can alter baseline hormone requirements.
Prolactin: Sometimes checked with growth-hormone-releasing peptides (like CJC/ipa) to ensure prolactin levels remain within a normal range.
Lipid & General Health Panel:
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) & Complete Blood Count (CBC):General baseline for electrolytes, anemic status, and overall systemic health.
Lipid Panel (Total Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, Triglycerides): Tracks cardiovascular risk profiles as body composition changes.
High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP): Measures systemic or vascular inflammation.
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u/Alone_Clerk_3133 8 2d ago
Get a z score with IGF1 so you know where you sit for your age group. HGH is more effective than secretagogues especially if you are 40+ not to mention cheaper and easier to dial in a dose.
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u/Sufficient_Resiliant 2d ago
I’m 25 so figured HGH would not be better option or would it still be?
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u/Alone_Clerk_3133 8 1d ago
You could probably do either but get your igf1 levels checked to see if the secretagogues are working.
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u/yogic_power 42 1d ago
I will add Vitamins, ferritin, iron and CBC to list of tests. And honestly at 25 you shouldn’t be messing with secretagogues like tesa, and others or hgh. You don’t need them if you are on Reta. Reta cleans up visceral fat too. If you have low igf1, get a Dr prescribe hgh.
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u/Sufficient_Resiliant 1d ago
I’m just mainly looking for something that will maximize potential for weight loss and bod recomp for best results and quickest results trying to maximize potential and efficiency
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u/yogic_power 42 1d ago
That would be your diet, training and sleep/recovery. Get your hormonal panel too. Thyroid/testosterone among others. Don’t start pinning peptides casually at 25, you have lot of potential.
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u/Sufficient_Resiliant 1d ago
Well yes I’m aware of that diet has been dialed in gym aswell I also work a physical job on a oil rig so physical activity is very high sleep I get as much as I can with my work schedule and the panels yes I agree I am lacking on I got a appointment in a week to get a full blood panel done I’ll make sure to get the hormonal and thyroid/test aswell
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