Mid-cycle bloodwork at 6 weeks in, what are you actually testing for and when do you pull it?

[SydneyFit]

Third blast coming up and I've only ever done pre and post cycle bloods, never pulled mid-cycle. Is 6 weeks the right window or is there a better time? What panel do you actually run mid-cycle - just CBC and liver, or full picture? Want to start doing this properly rather than flying blind through the whole run.

[FLbodybuilder]

6 weeks is the correct pull point for long esters - blood levels are fully stable by then and any concerning trends have had time to develop. Minimum panel: CBC for hematocrit and hemoglobin, AST and ALT if running any oral, sensitive estradiol, and total testosterone to confirm product is real and dosed correctly. Hematocrit above 54% triggers a blood donation for me regardless of how I feel. The lipid panel is often skipped mid-cycle but it's worth running because the shift from baseline is most visible at peak androgen exposure.

[Jock]

6 weeks. CBC, liver if running an oral, E2 sensitive, total test. That's the minimum. If your total test comes back lower than expected your product is underdosed or fake - better to know at week 6 than week 12. AST above three times the upper limit of normal and you pull the oral that day. Not next week. That day.

[Mick AU]

Mate, add the lipid panel to your mid-cycle pull. HDL tanks on androgens and most guys don't see it until the post-cycle check when they're already in recovery. Knowing your lipid status at peak androgen exposure is more useful information than checking after 6 weeks of recovery has already started cleaning things up. Full panel at 6 weeks costs a bit more but it's worth it.

[OhioStrong]

This is really useful, I've only ever done pre and post bloods so far. Going to add the 6-week mid-cycle check on my next run. Question - for the total test check mid-cycle, what range should I expect to see on 400-500mg test E weekly to know the product is real? What's a reasonable number to see on labs?