What bloodwork actually matters when you run peptides
The panels worth pulling at baseline and on cycle. Skip the rest.
You do not need an exhaustive panel. You need the markers that actually move on peptides and tell you something useful.
Baseline (before your first cycle): CBC with differential, comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), lipid panel, A1C, fasting insulin, IGF-1 if running GH-class peptides, total testosterone if relevant.
For GLP / GIP class (semaglutide, tirzepatide, retatrutide): Lipid panel and ALT/AST every 3 months. A1C every 6 months. Fasting glucose periodically.
For GH secretagogues (Ipamorelin, CJC-1295): IGF-1 at baseline and at week 8 of cycle. Fasting glucose at the same intervals.
For BPC-157, TB-500, GHK-Cu: No specific panel needed. CMP annually for general health.
Where to pull from: in the US, ownyourlabs.com or marekhealth.com without a prescription. Quest and LabCorp direct in some states. Your insurance + PCP if you have a sympathetic doc.
Read the trend, not the snapshot. One out-of-range value rarely means anything. Three pulls over six months telling the same story does.
Get told when a peptide changes legal status
12+ peptides are moving categories with the FDA right now. Drop your email and we'll send you the first-cycle starter checklist, plus a short note any time one of these gets reclassified, so you're not finding out from a vendor.
No spam. No selling your email. Just the checklist and the occasional reclassification alert.
Related guides
The single guide to read if you've never touched peptides. From 'what is a peptide' to 'first injection done, what's next.'
Why peptides need cycle breaks, how long to take off, and the patterns that actually work.
Why some peptide pairs work and most don't. The rules for adding a second peptide to your protocol.