Why hormone therapy should start with blood work, what a baseline panel checks, and how often labs are repeated, explained by a physician.
Almost every week, a patient in Hudson, Stow, Twinsburg or Aurora tells me some version of the same story: “I’m tired all the time, I’m gaining weight, my sleep is off, and I think it’s my hormones.”
Sometimes it is. Sometimes it’s the thyroid, low iron, low vitamin D or something else entirely. The only way to know is to test. That’s why every hormone plan at Serene starts with blood work, and why I don’t prescribe hormone therapy based on symptoms alone.
Symptoms of low hormones are real, but they aren’t specific. The American Urological Association guideline, for example, says low testosterone should be diagnosed only after two early-morning total testosterone tests on separate days, using 300 ng/dL as a reasonable cutoff, and only when symptoms are present too.
An underactive thyroid, anemia, low iron, low vitamin B12 and low vitamin D can all cause fatigue, brain fog, weight changes and low mood. A good baseline panel checks for them, so we treat the right problem.
Before any treatment, I want to know how your kidneys and liver are working, what your blood count looks like and, for men, where your PSA stands. Those numbers become the reference point for everything that follows.
As a Biote Certified Provider, we use Biote’s lab panels, processed by Labcorp. A baseline panel typically includes:
You can see every panel and what each test tells us on our hormone optimization page.
Starting therapy is not the finish line. Follow-up labs show how your body responded and keep treatment safe.
Follow-up numbers also help us fine-tune your next dose, so treatment matches how you feel and what your labs show.
Not at Serene. Labs confirm whether hormones are the cause of your symptoms, rule out other conditions and give us a safe starting point.
A follow-up panel is drawn after treatment, and then at intervals your physician sets. For testosterone therapy, guidelines recommend checking blood counts at 3–6 months and then yearly.
For men, guidelines recommend two early-morning tests on separate days before diagnosing low testosterone, because levels vary during the day.
That’s useful information too. It points us toward other causes of your symptoms, and I’ll tell you honestly if hormone therapy isn’t the right fit.
Serene Med Spa is at 50 W Streetsboro St, Suite 2, Hudson, OH, serving Hudson, Stow, Twinsburg, Aurora, Solon, Cuyahoga Falls and Akron. Book a hormone consultation and start with your numbers.
References: Mulhall JP, et al. Evaluation and Management of Testosterone Deficiency: AUA Guideline. J Urol. 2018. · Bhasin S, et al. Testosterone Therapy in Men With Hypogonadism: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018. · Pastuszak AW, et al. Comparison of the Effects of Testosterone Gels, Injections, and Pellets on Serum Hormones, Erythrocytosis, Lipids, and PSA. Sex Med. 2015. · Davis SR, et al. Global Consensus Position Statement on the Use of Testosterone Therapy for Women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Lab testing and hormone therapy are provided only after consultation and evaluation by a licensed provider. Individual results vary.
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