STEROID USERS  BLOOD TESTING  ARTICLES BLOOD TESTING   BEFORE CYCLE BASELINE TESTS These only need to be done once and should be mandatory for all people using steroids for the first time or those who have been off for several months and are going to start cycling again. Baseline tests are routinely used in Medicine for monitoring the side effects of medications. Common drugs where baseline blood tests are carried out include medications for acne (Roaccutane), depression (Lithium) and arthritis (azathioprine) to name a few. Baseline blood tests serve two functions. Firstly they act as a screening tool to exclude any undiagnosed pre-existing conditions, which a cycle could potentially make worse such as high cholesterol levels or impaired liver function. Even when low dose testosterone is prescribed medically for hormone replacement therapy it is mandatory to carry out blood tests for Full Blood Count, Lipids, Liver Function and PSA (prostate disease). Secondly they act as an invaluable 'personal' reference range to compare future blood test results with. An example is someone who has a testosterone level checked after finishing a cycle. The level comes back as say 12mmol/l. The general normal reference range for testosterone is between 10 to 40 mmol/l. Even though the patient is within the normal reference range, it may not be the normal value for him. A level of 12mmol/l may be appropriate for an elderly male but not acceptable for a healthy young guy. If a baseline level had been done which showed for example a value of 30mmol/l then it could be ascertained that full recovery had not yet occurred. Without having a baseline value it is difficult to determine how much more intervention is needed. DURING CYCLE The majority of people running standard cycles will not need blood tests during the cycle. Blood tests during a cycle are only needed if the person is running a particularly long cycle or they are at high risk due to pre-existing conditions as identified by baseline testing or due to positive family history of certain medical conditions. POST CYCLE HPTA This will be of most interest to users as it is used to assess recovery. Currently PCT (Post Cycle Therapy), in an attempt to restore endogenous (natural) testosterone levels, is run blindly with no real scientific evidence to back the efficacy of one method over another. When one considers that different AS have varying effects on shutting down natural testosterone levels and people will run different AS drugs, at different cycle lengths and at different doses it becomes evident that a one PCT regime to fit all, is not suitable for everyone. There are various 'protocols' around ranging from a single anti-oestrogen such as clomiphene to combination therapies including tamoxifen, HCG, bridging and aromatase inhibitors. Furthermore there are differing opinions on the doses to be used and even when these drugs should be commenced and for what duration. This makes it difficult for the individual to know which method to use and often ends up resorting to polypharmacy using a number of drugs, which apart from the cost, increases the risk of side effects. At TheDoctor Ltd we are taking PCT to the next level by evaluating your HPTA axis and assessing recovery. We will make YOU the 'steroid expert' with respect to yourself, by means of evidence based medicine as a result of hormone levels, giving you the knowledge about which AS cycles shut YOU down the hardest and which PCT works best for YOU. GENERAL HEALTH A complete health screen to make sure physiological parameters (liver function, lipid levels, kidney function) have reversed to normal upon finishing the cycle.   Terms & Conditions   Privacy Policy © 2004  TheDoctor Ltd 29 Harley Street, London, W1G 9QR