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Originally Posted by mikeyg51

I'm getting my labs done in a few weeks...I will use private md labs too....I just suck at reading those so I will need your guys' help lol

I had found an awesome write up on CMP lab work that explained it to me very well. I'll put it here and maybe you might like it. Its pretty damn detailed too. Just how I like it lol



Comprehensive Metabolic Panel - Steroid Cycling Affects Your Levels - Find out how.

Introduction

One of the vital panels that you need to monitor is the Comprehensive Metabolic Panel. This panel will give you a wide range of results that will give you a good idea of your state of health in many areas. Once you get through this article, you should have a clear understanding of how to breakdown your results. You'll be able to diagnose your own results and make changes to your diet, supplementations and cycle protocols in order to fix problems. This panel is important for any cycle, but mostly important for orally administered anabolic steroids. We'll go through the most common results and I'll give you an explanation of each. Let's get started...

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel

A Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) is comprised of several blood tests but you only have to get your blood drawn once. It will give you an idea of your metabolism and chemical balance.

Today, we will discuss the following results:

- Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)
- Creatinine
- BUN/Creatinine Ratio
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Chloride
- Carbon Dioxide
- Calcium
- Protein, Total
- Albumin
- Globulin
- Bilirubin
- Alkaline Phosphate
- AST
- ALT

The ranges that I will be using are from Quest Diagnostics. This is the diagnostics lab that I use.

Blood Urea Nitrogen

Abbreviation: BUN
Reference Range: 7-25 mg/dL

DESCRIPTION: Urea nitrogen is produced by the breakdown of protein. This test goes hand in hand with Creatinine and can indicate kidney related issues.

High Results:
- Kidney damage, disease or complete failure
- Low blood flow to kidneys
- Urine flow obstructed
- Dehydration
- Excessive protein intake via diet
- Gastrointestinal bleeding (also due to excess protein)

Low Results:
- Poor nutrition & protein intake
- overhydration (too much water intake)
- Liver failure (rare)


Creatinine

Abbreviation: Cr
Reference Range: 0.60-1.35 mg/dL

DESCRIPTION: This is produced from the breakdown of creatine. Like above, this is also used to measure your kidneys' health.

High Results:
- Damaged kidney vessels
- Infection in the kidney, usually bacterial
- Kidney stones
- Urine flow obstructed
- Low blood flow to kidneys
- Dehydration

Low Results:
- Decreased muscle mass
- Problem with muscle nerves


Bun/Creatinine Ratio

Abbreviation: <not available>
Reference Range: 6-22

DESCRIPTION: This is the ratio/relationship between the 2 blood tests above. Since they're related and work hand in hand to diagnose similar symptoms, they need to have a healthy ratio. BUN divided by Creatinine will give you the ratio, but the test result does the math for you.

High Results:
- If above range, refer to both Bun & Creatinine possible diagnosis above.

Low Results:
- If below range, refer to both Bun & Creatinine possible diagnosis above


Sodium

Abbreviation: Na
Reference Range: 135-146 mmol/L

DESCRIPTION: Part of the electrolytes group. This result will indicate the level of Sodium in your blood.

High Results:
- Dehydration
- Adrenal insufficiency (addison's)
- ** If this and Chloride are both high, means too much salt from diet. **

Low Results:
- Overhydration
- Excessive water retention
- Liver issues
- Excessive sodium excretion

Potassium

Abbreviation: K
Reference Range: 3.5-5.3 mmol/L

DESCRIPTION: Part of the electrolytes group. Used to provide blood potassium levels.

High Results:

- Excessive potassium intake from diet
- Damaged tissue
- Infection
- Dehydration
- Diabetes
- ** Beta-Blockers and Diuretics can cause this **

Low Results:
- If tested low and experiencing diarrhea/vomiting, indicates gastrointestinal issue.
- Low potassium intake from diet.
- Diabetics will see low levels if tested after insulin shot.

Chloride

Abbreviation: Cl
Reference Range: 98-110 mmol/L

DESCRIPTION: Another one in the electrolytes group and used to test Chloride blood levels.

High Results:
- Dehydration
- Kidney disease
- Excessively low caloric intake
- Metabolic acidosis (too much acid in body)
- Metabolic alkalosis (too much alkaline in body)
- ** If this and Sodium are both high, means too much salt from diet. **

Low Results:
- Possibly high cortisol. Check your cortisol levels.
- Absorption issues
- Possible tumor
- ** If low, and blood pressure is high, seek immediate attention to possible tumor **

Carbon Dioxide

Abbreviation: CO2
Reference Range: 19-30 mmol/L

DESCRIPTION: The last of the electrolytes to show levels of Carbon Dioxide.

High Results:
- Lung related diseases
- High cortisol levels. Have that checked asap.

Low Results:
- Metabolic acidosis (too much acid in body)
- Metabolic alkalosis (too much alkaline in body)
- Kidney disease
- Too much aspirin
- Adrenal insufficiency (addison's)


Calcium

Abbreviation: Ca
Reference Range: 8.6-10.3 mg/dL

DESCRIPTION: Calcium levels in blood indicate health of bones, teeth, nerves and even your heart.

High Results:
- You might be hypercalcemic if levels consistently high
- ^ If that's the case, you need to be screened for cancer
- Hyperthyroid
- Tuberculosis
- Too much Vitamin D intake (Not really a concern if that's the case)

Low Results:
- Low protein (Check albumin, it would also be low)

- Parathyroid malfunction
- Low calcium intake from diet
- Check Vitamin D levels, could be low. (Not good)
- Check Magnesium levels, could be low.
- Kidney failure
- Caloric intake too low
- Pancreatic issues
- You might be an alcoholic


Protein, Total

Abbreviation: Pr
Reference Range: 6.1-8.1 g/dL

DESCRIPTION: This goes hand in hand with Albumin & globulin; the two proteins, to check levels in blood.

High Results:
- Viral infection. Not good at all. HIV/Hepatitis, etc..
- Bone marrow problems. Get CBC panel to check RBC's also. Could be cancer.

Low Results:
- Kidney problem
- Liver problem
- Poor absorption/protein digestion
- Bowel issues


Albumin

Abbreviation: <not available>
Reference Range: 3.6-5.1 g/dL

DESCRIPTION: This is a protein and the test will show blood levels. It's produced by your liver. IMPORTANT: When drawing blood for this test, be sure to remind the nurse to release the tourniquet mid-way through the draw, otherwise this could cause elevated levels! Nurses seem to forget this as they do this all day.

High Results:
- High protein intake from diet
- Dehydrated body

Low Results:
- Low protein intake from diet
- Bowel disease
- Too much gluten in diet
- Malabsorption

Globulin

Abbreviation: <not available>
Reference Range: 1.9-3.7 g/dL

DESCRIPTION: The other protein in the total proteins category. Also produced by your liver. This will give blood levels.

High Results:
- Bone marrow problems (serious)
- Collagen disease

Low Results:
- Kidney failure
- Liver dysfunction
- Bowel related disease
- Poor breakdown of proteins (digestive)
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Bacterial infection (rarely viral but possible)


Bilirubin, Total

Abbreviation: <not available>
Reference Range: 0.2-1.2 mg/dL

DESCRIPTION: This is a fluid that the liver makes and is found in bile. It's the result of processing old red cells to new ones, but serves no purpose so it must be removed through bowel. The liver breaks it down in preparation for excretion.

High Results:
- Anemia
- Cirrhosis
- Alcohol-induced liver issues
- Gallstones
- Bile duct blockage (lining could be damaged)

Low Results:
- Really don't have to worry about this result. Nothing bad can come from low levels.


Alkaline Phosphate (ALP)

Abbreviation: ALP
Reference Range: 40-115 U/L

DESCRIPTION: This test result can identify any abnormalities in liver and bones.

High Results:
- Bile backed up
- Bone fracture (likely in the healing process)
- Liver disease
- Bones disease
- Check vitamin D levels, could be too low and can fix ALP.

Low Results:
- Low protein intake
- Low total caloric intake
- Digestive issue

Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)

Abbreviation: AST
Reference Range: 10-40 U/L

DESCRIPTION: An enzyme in the liver. But also found in the heart. You want this in the lower range.

High Results:
- Cirrhosis (scarred liver)
- Poor blood flow to liver
- Swollen Pancreas
- Swollen liver (hepatitis)
- Excessive iron (have that checked asap)
- Oral steroids toxicity
- Backed up bile
- Muscle damage (not from resistance training, more like serious injury to muscle)

Low Results:
- Nothing to worry about with low levels.


Alanine Transaminase (ALT)

Abbreviation: ALT
Reference Range: 9-60 U/L

DESCRIPTION: This is an enzyme that is abundant in your liver and released in the presence of problems.

High Results:
- Tissue dying in liver
- Scarred liver
- Poor blood flow to liver
- Mono
- Swollen liver
- Swollen pancreas

Low Results:
- No concerns with low levels of ALT.

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Originally Posted by mikeyg51

Damn, I like that brother! Thank you....Do you know if they have a similar one explaining what exactly the Test Serum number means? I know this sounds stupid but I will honestly admit I don't know what the "994" stands for in his labs! Nor do I know what the 7.5 represents for the LH....

Well the bloodwork shows the "normal" or "healthy" range that you want your bloods to be in. It's right next to the value you scored on that particular test. When it comes to LH, Test Serum, Free Test, and FSH, I try to get these numbers as high as possible. When you're shutdown after a cycle, if you didn't run a pct, it's very likely your Test Serum would be in the low range and your LH/FSH would be near zero. This means your body is having a difficult time producing its own test because of the endogenous hormones you introduced. We can only hope that whatever PCT we chose to do gets our body producing its own hormones again. I've run up to 3 PCT protocols after a cycle because I couldn't fully recover! I just don't respond well to serms I guess

Originally Posted by Maintenance Man

Man I gotta say that's pretty amazing. Those sides must have been pretty bad to start experimenting with the ole clomid/nolva PCT lol. I'm glad it worked tho! How long exactly were the bloods done after your last shot of test and what ester to be exact?

I started before the cycle even ended. I was using Test E with transdermal test to kickstart. I normally run an OTC T booster through the whole cycle that does a really good job at keeping my shutdown minimal and my nuts plump.. Almost like HCG. I also blasted HCG 1000IU's a week for two weeks after my last shot. BTW, awesome info on reading bloods! Thanks for posting that