Peptide Blood Work: Baseline Tests by Goal
Peptide blood work is a baseline set of lab tests, such as HbA1c, a cholesterol panel and IGF-1, drawn from your own blood before a peptide or hormone plan starts. Which tests the FDA labels and medical guidelines name depends on the goal: GLP-1 weight loss adds liver and kidney tests, growth hormone adds IGF-1 and thyroid tests, and testosterone therapy adds two morning testosterone readings, LH, FSH and hematocrit.
Healing and longevity research peptides such as BPC-157 have no label and no guideline, so only general adult screening applies to them. Tick your goals below and the tool builds one list with no repeats. Each test shows the FDA label, guideline or screening advice it comes from, so you can check it yourself.
This is a list to take to a doctor or clinic, not medical advice. You and your doctor decide which tests fit you. The page gives no doses and no prices.
Sources: Obesity Standards of Care 2026; Genotropin label; Egrifta WR label; Endocrine Society GH guideline; AndroGel 1.62% label; Endocrine Society testosterone guideline; DailyMed and Drugs@FDA search
Key facts
- 5 goals, 17 peptides to pick from, and 16 lines of tests (some lines group a few tests, such as AST, ALT and platelets), drawn from 20 public documents: 12 FDA labels, 4 clinical guidelines and care standards, and 4 US screening recommendations.
- BPC-157, TB-500, epitalon and MOTS-c: no FDA label and no guideline, so only general adult screening applies.
- Lipase and calcitonin are left off the GLP-1 list. The labels say to watch for pancreatitis signs and call routine calcitonin checks of uncertain value.
- Every test names the label section or guideline number it comes from.
- No test here is presented as required. You and your doctor decide.
Sources: Obesity Standards of Care 2026; Ozempic label; Wegovy label; Mounjaro label; Zepbound label; Victoza label; Saxenda label; Endocrine Society GH guideline; Endocrine Society testosterone guideline; DailyMed and Drugs@FDA search
On this page
Build your peptide blood work list
Pick every goal that applies, or the peptides you are researching, or both. A test that comes up more than once appears once, with a line for each reason that put it there. Tests marked "Only if" apply to some people, and the condition is shown next to them. The copy button gives you a plain text list, sources included, to paste into a message or print.
2. Your combined list: 4 tests
1. HbA1c or fasting blood sugar
- General adult baselineOnly if: adults 35 to 70 with overweight or obesity, or earlier in higher risk groups: Screens for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Source: USPSTF diabetes screening, Recommendation Summary
2. Cholesterol levels, for the heart risk estimate
- General adult baselineOnly if: adults 40 to 75: The USPSTF says the 10-year heart risk estimate it uses for statin decisions includes cholesterol levels, along with age, blood pressure, diabetes and smoking. It does not name a full lipid panel for this. Source: USPSTF statins, Assessment of Risk
3. Hepatitis C antibody (one time)
- General adult baselineOnly if: adults 18 to 79: A one time screening test offered to adults. It is standard screening, not a peptide test. Source: USPSTF hepatitis C, Recommendation Summary
4. HIV test
- General adult baselineOnly if: ages 15 to 65, or older or younger people at higher risk: Standard adult screening that your doctor may already offer. Source: USPSTF HIV, Recommendation Summary
A list to talk over with your doctor or clinic, not an order form. Your doctor and you decide which tests fit you.
The full lists by goal and by peptide are also written out below, for printing or for a browser that blocks scripts.
Sources: USPSTF, diabetes screening; USPSTF, statins; USPSTF, hepatitis C; USPSTF, HIV; Obesity Standards of Care 2026; ADA Standards 2026, Section 8; Ozempic label; Wegovy label; Mounjaro label; Zepbound label; Victoza label; Saxenda label; Genotropin label; Norditropin label; Egrifta WR label; Endocrine Society GH guideline; AndroGel 1.62% label; Xyosted label; Depo-Testosterone label; Endocrine Society testosterone guideline
What does peptide blood work mean?
The phrase covers the lab tests a person gets around a peptide or hormone plan. The blood is yours. The tests show how your sugar, fats, liver, kidneys, thyroid and hormones look before you start, and how they move after.
It is easy to mix this up with the C-peptide test, which shows up a lot in search. That test measures a small piece the pancreas releases while it makes insulin. Doctors use it to see how much insulin a body makes, mostly in diabetes care. It is not a check for people starting peptides.
It also does not test the product. A blood panel cannot tell you what is in a vial. That takes a lab test of the product itself.
Sources: MedlinePlus, C-peptide test
Why get a baseline before the first dose?
A baseline can help you compare later results. If your hematocrit or blood sugar reads high three months in, a starting number can show whether it moved or was already there.
Many of these markers change with no symptoms at all. Feeling fine does not show where your cholesterol or IGF-1 sits. Adult screening advice, for example, is written for people without symptoms.
Is any of it required? This page does not say so. The labels do name some checks, and the guidelines suggest others. Whether you get them, and which ones, is up to you and your doctor. The sources here set no wait time between the draw and a first dose, so ask how recent your results should be. Later checks are spaced out by your doctor. The growth hormone guideline, for example, checks more often at the start and less often once things are stable.
Sources: Endocrine Society GH guideline; AndroGel 1.62% label; Endocrine Society testosterone guideline
Which tests do the sources list for each goal?
These are the same tests the tool uses, one table per goal. The last column names the exact label section, guideline number or screening advice. Labels are FDA prescribing information read on DailyMed.
General adult baseline
These come from US screening advice for adults. They are not about peptides. Hepatitis C and HIV tests are standard screening your doctor may already offer, and every row here applies only in the age group shown.
| Test | Why the source lists it | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| HbA1c or fasting blood sugarOnly if: adults 35 to 70 with overweight or obesity, or earlier in higher risk groups | Screens for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. | USPSTF diabetes screening, Recommendation Summary |
| Cholesterol levels, for the heart risk estimateOnly if: adults 40 to 75 | The USPSTF says the 10-year heart risk estimate it uses for statin decisions includes cholesterol levels, along with age, blood pressure, diabetes and smoking. It does not name a full lipid panel for this. | USPSTF statins, Assessment of Risk |
| Hepatitis C antibody (one time)Only if: adults 18 to 79 | A one time screening test offered to adults. It is standard screening, not a peptide test. | USPSTF hepatitis C, Recommendation Summary |
| HIV testOnly if: ages 15 to 65, or older or younger people at higher risk | Standard adult screening that your doctor may already offer. | USPSTF HIV, Recommendation Summary |
Sources: USPSTF, diabetes screening; USPSTF, statins; USPSTF, hepatitis C; USPSTF, HIV
GLP-1 weight loss (semaglutide, tirzepatide, liraglutide)
Most of this list comes from the first check-up that obesity care standards describe. The labels add two things: blood sugar checks for people with diabetes, and kidney checks after heavy vomiting or diarrhea.
| Test | Why the source lists it | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| HbA1c or fasting blood sugar | Part of the first check-up for adults with obesity, to look for diabetes or prediabetes. | Obesity Standards of Care 2026, Table 3 and Recommendation 3.4a |
| Blood sugar checks before and during treatmentOnly if: you have diabetes | Low blood sugar is more likely when these drugs are used with insulin or sulfonylurea pills, so the labels say to check blood sugar. | Wegovy 2.1 and 5.4, Zepbound 5.7, Saxenda 2.2 |
| Cholesterol panel (total, LDL, HDL, triglycerides) | Part of the first obesity check-up, then followed during treatment. | Obesity Standards of Care 2026, Table 3 and Recommendation 3.5 |
| AST, ALT and platelet count (FIB-4 score) | In the obesity check-up these three results feed the FIB-4 score, which estimates the risk of liver scarring (fibrosis). | Obesity Standards of Care 2026, Table 3 |
| Creatinine and eGFR (kidney function) | Part of the obesity check-up. The labels also report kidney injury from fluid loss after vomiting or diarrhea, and say to check kidney function when that happens. | Obesity Standards of Care 2026, Table 3; Ozempic 5.6, Wegovy 5.5, Mounjaro 5.5, Zepbound 5.3, Victoza 5.5, Saxenda 5.6 |
| Vitamin D, B12, iron and ferritinOnly if: your doctor sees a reason | The obesity standards list vitamin and mineral status as a check when there is a reason. The diabetes standards say to monitor nutrition during intentional weight loss, watching for micronutrient shortfalls. | Obesity Standards of Care 2026, Table 3; ADA Standards 2026, Recommendation 8.14 |
| Thyroid tests (TSH, free T4)Only if: you have signs of a slow thyroid | A TSH test rules out an underactive thyroid as a cause of weight gain. | Obesity Standards of Care 2026, Table 3 |
Sources: Obesity Standards of Care 2026; ADA Standards 2026, Section 8; Ozempic label; Wegovy label; Mounjaro label; Zepbound label; Victoza label; Saxenda label
Growth hormone and GH peptides
Ipamorelin, CJC-1295, sermorelin and MK-677 have no current US label or guideline. The growth hormone list is borrowed from the somatropin and tesamorelin labels and the adult growth hormone guideline. It was not written for those compounds. We checked each marker against the full guideline text.
| Test | Why the source lists it | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| HbA1c or fasting blood sugar | Growth hormone can make the body respond less to insulin and can bring out diabetes. The tesamorelin label says to check blood sugar status before starting. | Genotropin 5.4, Norditropin 5.4, Egrifta WR 5.4, GH guideline 5.3 |
| Cholesterol panel (total, LDL, HDL, triglycerides) | The adult growth hormone guideline reviews the cholesterol panel once a year during treatment. | GH guideline 5.3 |
| Thyroid tests (TSH, free T4) | Growth hormone can lower free T4 or uncover a slow thyroid, so the labels and the guideline call for thyroid checks during treatment. | Genotropin 5.9, Norditropin 5.9, GH guideline 4.3 |
| IGF-1 | Growth hormone works through IGF-1. The somatropin label and the guideline use it to steer treatment, and the tesamorelin label says to watch it. | Genotropin section 2, Egrifta WR 5.2, GH guideline 5.1 and 5.3 |
| Adrenal function (serum cortisol)Only if: you have, or are at risk of, pituitary hormone gaps or low adrenal function | The somatropin labels say to watch for low serum cortisol in people with known low adrenal function, and the guideline says adrenal function should be checked during treatment, which your doctor may do. | Genotropin 5.8, Norditropin 5.8, GH guideline 4.3 |
Sources: Genotropin label; Norditropin label; Egrifta WR label; Endocrine Society GH guideline
Testosterone therapy (men)
The testosterone labels say these products are not for women. For women, the sources here support the general adult baseline only.
| Test | Why the source lists it | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Cholesterol panel (total, LDL, HDL, triglycerides) | Testosterone can change cholesterol, so the labels say to watch it, especially after starting. | AndroGel 5.13, Xyosted 5.12, Depo-Testosterone Precautions |
| Morning total testosterone, on two different days | The labels and the guideline confirm low testosterone with two morning readings before treatment starts. Free testosterone is added when the doctor sees a reason. | AndroGel section 2, Xyosted 2.1, Depo-Testosterone Dosage and Administration, testosterone guideline 1.1 |
| LH and FSH | Shows whether the cause of low testosterone sits in the testes or in the pituitary gland. | testosterone guideline 1.3 |
| Hematocrit | Testosterone can raise red blood cell levels, so this is checked before starting and then on a schedule. | AndroGel 5.2, Xyosted 5.1, Depo-Testosterone Laboratory tests, testosterone guideline monitoring |
| PSA, with a prostate examOnly if: men 55 to 69, or 40 to 69 at higher risk, who choose prostate checks | The labels say to check for prostate cancer before and during treatment. The guideline makes PSA a shared choice based on age and risk. | AndroGel 5.4, Xyosted 5.3, testosterone guideline 2.3 |
Sources: AndroGel 1.62% label; Xyosted label; Depo-Testosterone label; Endocrine Society testosterone guideline
By peptide
A peptide with its own FDA label brings in the tests that label names, plus the matching guideline or care standard. A peptide with no approved label brings in the general adult baseline. For a few unapproved peptides that act like an approved drug, the table also shows the tests that drug's label lists, marked as borrowed.
| Peptide | Tests on its list | Where they come from |
|---|---|---|
| SemaglutideGLP-1 and related | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; Blood sugar checks before and during treatment; Cholesterol panel (total, LDL, HDL, triglycerides); AST, ALT and platelet count (FIB-4 score); Creatinine and eGFR (kidney function); Vitamin D, B12, iron and ferritin; Thyroid tests (TSH, free T4) | Semaglutide labels (Ozempic, Wegovy); Obesity and diabetes care standards |
| TirzepatideGLP-1 and related | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; Blood sugar checks before and during treatment; Cholesterol panel (total, LDL, HDL, triglycerides); AST, ALT and platelet count (FIB-4 score); Creatinine and eGFR (kidney function); Vitamin D, B12, iron and ferritin; Thyroid tests (TSH, free T4) | Tirzepatide labels (Mounjaro, Zepbound); Obesity and diabetes care standards |
| LiraglutideGLP-1 and related | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; Blood sugar checks before and during treatment; Cholesterol panel (total, LDL, HDL, triglycerides); AST, ALT and platelet count (FIB-4 score); Creatinine and eGFR (kidney function); Vitamin D, B12, iron and ferritin; Thyroid tests (TSH, free T4) | Liraglutide labels (Victoza, Saxenda); Obesity and diabetes care standards |
| RetatrutideGLP-1 and related | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; Blood sugar checks before and during treatment; Cholesterol levels, for the heart risk estimate; Hepatitis C antibody (one time); HIV test; Creatinine and eGFR (kidney function) | General adult baseline; Semaglutide labels (Ozempic, Wegovy); Tirzepatide labels (Mounjaro, Zepbound); Liraglutide labels (Victoza, Saxenda)No FDA-approved label or guideline sets tests for retatrutide. Retatrutide acts on the GLP-1 receptor and also on the GIP and glucagon receptors, so it is not the same drug as any of these. The tests shown are the ones listed for approved drugs that share its GLP-1 action (GLP-1 receptor drugs: Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Victoza, Saxenda); no approved label exists for retatrutide. |
| CagrilintideGLP-1 and related | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; Cholesterol levels, for the heart risk estimate; Hepatitis C antibody (one time); HIV test | General adult baselineNo FDA-approved label or guideline sets tests for cagrilintide. It is an amylin analog, not a GLP-1 drug, so no GLP-1 label list is borrowed for it. |
| Somatropin (HGH)Growth hormone | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; Cholesterol panel (total, LDL, HDL, triglycerides); Thyroid tests (TSH, free T4); IGF-1; Adrenal function (serum cortisol) | Somatropin labels (Genotropin, Norditropin); Adult growth hormone guideline |
| TesamorelinGrowth hormone | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; IGF-1 | Tesamorelin label (Egrifta WR)The tesamorelin label names IGF-1 and blood sugar checks. The adult growth hormone guideline is about somatropin for growth hormone deficiency, so its list is not added for tesamorelin. |
| IpamorelinGrowth hormone | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; Cholesterol levels, for the heart risk estimate; Hepatitis C antibody (one time); HIV test | General adult baselineNo FDA-approved label or guideline sets tests for ipamorelin. It acts on a different receptor from the approved growth hormone drugs here, so no class list is borrowed for it. |
| CJC-1295Growth hormone | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; Cholesterol levels, for the heart risk estimate; Hepatitis C antibody (one time); HIV test; IGF-1 | General adult baseline; Tesamorelin label (Egrifta WR)No FDA-approved label or guideline sets tests for CJC-1295. Tests listed for approved drugs in the same class (GHRH analogs: Egrifta WR (tesamorelin)); no approved label exists for CJC-1295. |
| SermorelinGrowth hormone | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; Cholesterol levels, for the heart risk estimate; Hepatitis C antibody (one time); HIV test; IGF-1 | General adult baseline; Tesamorelin label (Egrifta WR)No FDA-approved label or guideline sets tests for sermorelin. The only approved sermorelin product, Geref, is listed as discontinued. Tests listed for approved drugs in the same class (GHRH analogs: Egrifta WR (tesamorelin)); no approved label exists for sermorelin. |
| Testosterone (TRT)Testosterone | Cholesterol panel (total, LDL, HDL, triglycerides); Morning total testosterone, on two different days; LH and FSH; Hematocrit; PSA, with a prostate exam | Testosterone labels (AndroGel 1.62%, Xyosted, Depo-Testosterone); Endocrine Society testosterone guidelineThe testosterone labels say these products are not for women. For women, the sources here support the general adult baseline only. |
| BPC-157Healing and longevity research | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; Cholesterol levels, for the heart risk estimate; Hepatitis C antibody (one time); HIV test | General adult baselineNo FDA-approved label or guideline sets tests for BPC-157. No blood marker is known to show whether it does anything. |
| TB-500Healing and longevity research | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; Cholesterol levels, for the heart risk estimate; Hepatitis C antibody (one time); HIV test | General adult baselineNo FDA-approved label or guideline sets tests for TB-500. No blood marker is known to show whether it does anything. |
| GHK-CuHealing and longevity research | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; Cholesterol levels, for the heart risk estimate; Hepatitis C antibody (one time); HIV test | General adult baselineNo FDA-approved label or guideline sets tests for GHK-Cu. |
| MOTS-cHealing and longevity research | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; Cholesterol levels, for the heart risk estimate; Hepatitis C antibody (one time); HIV test | General adult baselineNo FDA-approved label or guideline sets tests for MOTS-c. |
| EpitalonHealing and longevity research | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; Cholesterol levels, for the heart risk estimate; Hepatitis C antibody (one time); HIV test | General adult baselineNo FDA-approved label or guideline sets tests for epitalon. |
| AOD-9604Healing and longevity research | HbA1c or fasting blood sugar; Cholesterol levels, for the heart risk estimate; Hepatitis C antibody (one time); HIV test | General adult baselineNo FDA-approved label or guideline sets tests for AOD-9604. |
Sources: USPSTF, diabetes screening; USPSTF, statins; USPSTF, hepatitis C; USPSTF, HIV; Obesity Standards of Care 2026; ADA Standards 2026, Section 8; Ozempic label; Wegovy label; Mounjaro label; Zepbound label; Victoza label; Saxenda label; Genotropin label; Norditropin label; Egrifta WR label; Endocrine Society GH guideline; AndroGel 1.62% label; Xyosted label; Depo-Testosterone label; Endocrine Society testosterone guideline; DailyMed and Drugs@FDA search
Which tests do some sites add that these sources do not list?
Many pages that rank for this topic give one long panel. The tests below show up on several of them but not in the labels, guidelines or screening advice used here. That does not make them useless. It means a doctor would order them for a reason of their own, not because a label asks for them.
| Often added | What the sources here say |
|---|---|
| Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR | None of the labels or guidelines here lists them as a baseline test. |
| hs-CRP and ESR (inflammation) | Not in any of the sources on this page. |
| Lipase and amylase before a GLP-1 | The labels say to watch for signs of pancreatitis, such as severe stomach pain. They do not ask for a starting lipase test. |
| Routine calcitonin on a GLP-1 | All six GLP-1 labels here say routine calcitonin checks are of uncertain value for finding thyroid C-cell cancer early. |
| A full CBC and full metabolic panel for healthy adults | No screening body here supports them as routine tests for healthy adults. Hematocrit (testosterone) and the liver and kidney tests (weight loss) are covered inside their goals. |
| Estradiol, SHBG, prolactin, DHEA-S or progesterone for men on testosterone | Not in the testosterone label sections or the guideline recommendations read for this page. |
| Free T3 and thyroid antibodies | Not in the sources on this page. |
| Zinc, homocysteine, ApoB, Lp(a), IL-6, TNF-alpha, uric acid | Not in the sources on this page. |
| IGF-1 for goals other than growth hormone | The sources tie IGF-1 to growth hormone treatment only. |
| Vitamin D, B12 or ferritin for goals other than weight loss | The sources list them for weight loss, and only when there is a reason. |
Sources: USPSTF, diabetes screening; USPSTF, statins; Obesity Standards of Care 2026; ADA Standards 2026, Section 8; Ozempic label; Wegovy label; Mounjaro label; Zepbound label; Victoza label; Saxenda label; Endocrine Society GH guideline; AndroGel 1.62% label; Xyosted label; Depo-Testosterone label; Endocrine Society testosterone guideline
Do research peptides have their own blood tests?
BPC-157, TB-500, ipamorelin, CJC-1295, epitalon and MOTS-c are not approved drugs. We searched DailyMed and the FDA approvals database for each one and found no approved product. A control search for tesamorelin did return its approved label, so the search itself works.
With no label, nobody has set which tests go with these compounds. So the tool shows general adult screening for them and nothing more. No blood marker is known to show whether a healing peptide is working. Their US compounding status has also changed several times, so we do not state one here.
For what the animal and human studies on the two best known healing peptides do show, see BPC-157 vs TB-500. For how the GH releasing peptides compare with prescription growth hormone, see HGH vs peptides.
How do you prepare for the blood draw?
- Ask about fasting. Some tests need nothing but water for several hours or overnight. A fasting blood sugar test is fasted by name. The length varies, so ask.
- Book the time of day. The testosterone labels and guideline use morning readings, taken on two separate days.
- Tell the lab what you take. Medicines, vitamins and supplements can shift some results, and timing matters. Do not stop a medicine unless your provider says so.
- Ask about hard exercise. Some tests ask you to skip strenuous exercise beforehand.
- Use the same lab each time if you want to follow trends, since results from different labs do not line up.
Sources: MedlinePlus, preparing for a lab test; MedlinePlus, understanding lab results; AndroGel 1.62% label; Endocrine Society testosterone guideline
How do you read your results?
Every lab report prints a reference range next to each number. The range comes from large groups of healthy people, and each lab sets its own. So compare your result with the range on your own report, not one you found online.
A result just outside the range is not always a problem. MedlinePlus says healthy people sometimes land outside it. Some ranges also depend on age. The growth hormone guideline, for example, reads IGF-1 against a range for your age.
One result is a snapshot. The trend across several tests at the same lab says more. Your doctor reads them with your history in mind.
Sources: MedlinePlus, understanding lab results; Endocrine Society GH guideline
What can blood work not show?
- Whether a vial holds what its label says. That takes a test of the product. Our peptide testing labs section covers labs that do this.
- Proof that a compound is safe for you. A normal panel today says nothing about long term effects nobody has studied.
- Whether a healing peptide like BPC-157 or TB-500 is working. No blood marker for that is known.
Sources: DailyMed and Drugs@FDA search
Who can order the tests: doctor, clinic or home kit?
A doctor can order these tests and read them with your history. Some labs also sell tests straight to buyers, including home kits. The FDA calls these direct-to-consumer tests. It says some are reviewed before sale and some are not, and it suggests going over the results with a qualified health care provider.
In Vietnam, our guide to peptide blood tests in Vietnam covers where to get a panel drawn. For testosterone, the TRT guide explains how a clinic confirms low levels and follows treatment.
Sources: FDA, direct-to-consumer tests
Frequently asked questions
What is peptide blood work?
Peptide blood work is a set of lab tests on your own blood, taken before and during a peptide or hormone plan. It shows where you start and how your body responds. It tests you, not the product in the vial. Which tests make sense depends on the goal, and the tool on this page lists them with the label or guideline behind each one.
Is peptide blood work the same as a C-peptide test?
No. A C-peptide test measures a chain of amino acids the pancreas makes while it makes insulin, so it shows how much insulin your body produces. Peptide blood work, as used here, means the wider set of baseline tests people get before a peptide or hormone plan.
What is a C-peptide test used for?
MedlinePlus lists four uses: finding the cause of low blood sugar, guiding diabetes treatment by showing how much insulin the pancreas still makes, following treatment of a rare pancreas tumor, and telling type 1 from type 2 diabetes when the diagnosis is unclear. It works even in people who inject insulin, because the level depends only on the insulin the body makes itself.
Would peptides show up on blood work?
None of the tests on this list looks for a peptide itself. They measure your own markers, such as blood sugar, cholesterol or hematocrit. A treatment can still move those markers. Growth hormone works through IGF-1, for example, which is why the labels and the guideline use IGF-1 to follow it.
Do I need blood work before starting peptides?
That is a choice for you and your doctor. This page does not say any test is required. Some drug labels do name checks, such as two morning testosterone readings before testosterone therapy, or blood sugar checks for people with diabetes who start a GLP-1. For unapproved research peptides, no label or guideline sets any test.
I feel fine. Is a baseline still worth it?
Many of the markers on this list do not cause symptoms when they drift, such as blood sugar, cholesterol or hematocrit. A reading taken before you start can help you and your doctor compare later results. It is one option to discuss, not a rule for every plan.
What blood work is listed before GLP-1 weight loss drugs?
The obesity care standards list HbA1c, a cholesterol panel, AST, ALT and platelets, and creatinine with eGFR as part of the first check-up. They add vitamins and minerals when there is a reason, and TSH only when there are signs of a slow thyroid. The labels add blood sugar checks for people with diabetes.
What blood tests go with growth hormone or GH peptides?
The somatropin and tesamorelin labels and the adult growth hormone guideline list IGF-1, blood sugar or HbA1c, thyroid tests, a cholesterol panel, and adrenal function checks for people with pituitary or adrenal problems. Peptides like ipamorelin or CJC-1295 have no label of their own, so this list is borrowed, not written for them.
What labs come before testosterone therapy?
The labels and the Endocrine Society guideline list morning total testosterone on two days, LH and FSH, hematocrit, and a cholesterol panel. PSA with a prostate exam is a shared choice for men of certain ages and risk levels.
Are there blood tests for BPC-157 or TB-500?
No blood test is known to show whether BPC-157 or TB-500 does anything, and no label or guideline sets tests for them. Searches of the FDA drug databases return no approved product for either one. The only sourced list that applies is general adult screening.
How long before starting should I get the baseline?
None of the sources here gives a number of days. The point is to have results from before the first injection. Your doctor can tell you how recent they should be, and some tests, like the two morning testosterone readings, are planned on separate days.
Do I need to fast before peptide blood work?
Some tests need it and some do not. MedlinePlus says fasting means nothing but water for up to several hours or overnight, and that the length can vary, so ask your provider. A fasting blood sugar test is done fasted by definition.
Can blood work show if my peptide vial is pure?
No. Blood tests measure your body, not the product. Checking what is in a vial takes a lab test of the product itself, such as the purity reports covered in our testing labs section.
Can I order my own blood tests?
In some places, yes. The FDA calls tests sold straight to buyers direct-to-consumer tests, says some are reviewed and some are not, and suggests talking results over with a qualified health care provider. A doctor who orders the tests also reads them with your history in mind.
Why are lipase and calcitonin not on the GLP-1 list?
The GLP-1 labels tell prescribers to watch for signs of pancreatitis, not to run a starting lipase test. The same labels say routine calcitonin checks are of uncertain value for finding thyroid C-cell cancer early. Your doctor can still order either test for a reason.
Sources: USPSTF, diabetes screening; Obesity Standards of Care 2026; Wegovy label; Genotropin label; Egrifta WR label; Endocrine Society GH guideline; AndroGel 1.62% label; Endocrine Society testosterone guideline; DailyMed and Drugs@FDA search; MedlinePlus, C-peptide test; MedlinePlus, preparing for a lab test; FDA, direct-to-consumer tests
General information, not medical advice
This tool lists tests named in public labels, guidelines and screening advice. It does not diagnose anything, does not say any test is required, and does not promise any result. You and your doctor decide which tests fit you and what the results mean.
Last updated 9 November 2026.
Sources
- 1.US Preventive Services Task Force. Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes: Screening (2021). Supports: HbA1c or fasting glucose screening at ages 35 to 70 with overweight or obesity
- 2.US Preventive Services Task Force. Statin Use for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults (2022). Supports: its Assessment of Risk names cholesterol levels as an input to the 10-year heart risk estimate, ages 40 to 75
- 3.US Preventive Services Task Force. Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Adolescents and Adults: Screening. Supports: one time hepatitis C test at ages 18 to 79
- 4.US Preventive Services Task Force. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection: Screening. Supports: HIV test at ages 15 to 65
- 5.Screening, Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Staging of Obesity in Adults. Standards of Care in Overweight and Obesity 2026, BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care (Table 3, Recommendations 3.4a and 3.5). Supports: HbA1c, lipids, AST, ALT, platelets, creatinine, eGFR, nutrients and TSH in the obesity work-up
- 6.American Diabetes Association. 8. Obesity and Weight Management for the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes: Standards of Care in Diabetes 2026 (Recommendation 8.14). Supports: monitoring nutrition and micronutrient shortfalls during intentional weight loss
- 7.DailyMed. Ozempic (semaglutide) prescribing information. Supports: kidney checks after fluid loss (5.6), pancreatitis signs (5.2), calcitonin of uncertain value (Boxed Warning)
- 8.DailyMed. Wegovy (semaglutide) prescribing information. Supports: blood sugar checks in diabetes (2.1, 5.4), kidney checks (5.5)
- 9.DailyMed. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) prescribing information. Supports: kidney checks after fluid loss (5.5), pancreatitis signs (5.2)
- 10.DailyMed. Zepbound (tirzepatide) prescribing information. Supports: blood sugar checks in diabetes (5.7), kidney checks (5.3)
- 11.DailyMed. Victoza (liraglutide) prescribing information. Supports: kidney checks after fluid loss (5.5)
- 12.DailyMed. Saxenda (liraglutide) prescribing information. Supports: blood sugar checks in diabetes (2.2), kidney checks (5.6)
- 13.DailyMed. Genotropin (somatropin) prescribing information. Supports: IGF-1 (section 2), glucose (5.4), low serum cortisol in hypoadrenalism (5.8), thyroid (5.9)
- 14.DailyMed. Norditropin (somatropin) prescribing information. Supports: glucose (5.4), low serum cortisol in hypoadrenalism (5.8), thyroid (5.9)
- 15.DailyMed. Egrifta WR (tesamorelin) prescribing information. Supports: IGF-1 (5.2), glucose status before starting (5.4)
- 16.Molitch and others. Evaluation and Treatment of Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency: an Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2011;96(6):1587 (Recommendations 4.3, 5.1 and 5.3). PMID 21602453. Supports: IGF-1, free T4, adrenal function, yearly lipids and fasting glucose
- 17.DailyMed. AndroGel 1.62% (testosterone gel) prescribing information. Supports: morning testosterone (section 2), hematocrit (5.2), prostate (5.4), lipids (5.13)
- 18.DailyMed. Xyosted (testosterone enanthate) prescribing information. Supports: morning testosterone (2.1), hematocrit (5.1), prostate (5.3), lipids (5.12)
- 19.DailyMed. Depo-Testosterone (testosterone cypionate) prescribing information. Supports: confirmed low testosterone, hematocrit and cholesterol under Laboratory tests
- 20.Bhasin and others. Testosterone Therapy in Men With Hypogonadism: an Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2018 (Recommendations 1.1, 1.3, 2.3 and the monitoring table). Supports: two morning readings, LH and FSH, hematocrit, PSA as a shared choice
- 21.DailyMed drug label search and openFDA Drugs@FDA, searched for BPC-157, thymosin beta-4 (TB-500), ipamorelin, CJC-1295, epitalon, MOTS-c, retatrutide, cagrilintide, GHK-Cu, AOD-9604 and sermorelin: no approved product found; the only sermorelin approvals (Geref, NDA 019863 and 020443) are listed as discontinued
- 22.MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine). C-Peptide Test. Supports: what a C-peptide test measures and is used for
- 23.MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine). How to Prepare for a Lab Test. Supports: fasting, exercise and medicine advice before a draw
- 24.MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine). How to Understand Your Lab Results. Supports: reference ranges, healthy results outside range, same lab for trends
- 25.US Food and Drug Administration. Direct-to-Consumer Tests. Supports: tests sold straight to buyers, review status, talking results over with a provider