What we measure, and why.
Mon Élan physicians order baseline labs before a protocol begins and a targeted set at follow-up. Below is a plain-language reference. Your physician interprets every result in the context of your full clinical picture — these definitions don't substitute for that.
Before any protocol begins.
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
CMPLiver enzymes, kidney function, electrolytes, glucose — the foundation panel for any optimization protocol.
Reference ranges vary by lab; interpreted in the context of your full clinical picture.
Interpreted by your physician at your visit.
Hemoglobin A1c
HbA1cAverage blood glucose over the prior 8–12 weeks. Relevant to GLP-1 candidacy and metabolic health.
Below 5.7% is the non-diabetic reference range.
Interpreted by your physician at your visit.
Lipid Panel
Total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides. Cardiovascular risk and metabolic protocol baseline.
Targets are individualized to your cardiovascular risk profile.
Interpreted by your physician at your visit.
hs-CRP
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Inflammation signal that informs protocol design and lifestyle counseling.
Below 1.0 mg/L is low cardiovascular risk; 1.0–3.0 mg/L is average; above 3.0 is elevated.
Interpreted by your physician at your visit.
Total & Free Testosterone
Endogenous androgen status. Foundational for peptide protocols touching the HPG axis.
Total T reference ranges vary by lab and assay; free T is more reliable when SHBG is abnormal.
Interpreted by your physician at your visit.
SHBG
Sex hormone-binding globulin. Influences how much testosterone is bioavailable.
Interpreted alongside total and free testosterone, not in isolation.
Interpreted by your physician at your visit.
Estradiol
E2Estrogen status, relevant in both male and female optimization protocols.
Sensitive assay (LC-MS or similar) preferred when E2 values are clinically decisive.
Interpreted by your physician at your visit.
TSH
Thyroid-stimulating hormone — first-line thyroid screen. Catches latent thyroid disease before protocol decisions.
Reference range is typically 0.4–4.0 mIU/L; clinical interpretation varies.
Interpreted by your physician at your visit.
Free T4
Confirms thyroid status when TSH is borderline or when symptoms suggest dysfunction.
Reference range varies by assay; interpreted with TSH and free T3.
Interpreted by your physician at your visit.
Vitamin D (25-OH)
Insufficiency is common and shapes recovery, mood, and bone health. Often addressed before protocol initiation.
30–60 ng/mL is broadly accepted as sufficient; clinical targets are individualized.
Interpreted by your physician at your visit.
Ferritin
Iron stores. Low ferritin can mimic fatigue patterns attributed to other axes.
Reference range varies by sex; interpretation depends on inflammation status.
Interpreted by your physician at your visit.
Fasting Insulin
Insulin resistance signal — relevant to GLP-1 candidacy, body composition, and evidence-based protocols.
Below 10 µIU/mL is broadly typical; ratios with glucose (HOMA-IR) refine interpretation.
Interpreted by your physician at your visit.
Once your protocol is running.
Targeted protocol labs
Whatever the protocol you're on actually changes — IGF-1 for GHRH-axis protocols, LH/FSH/Total T for HPG-axis protocols, HbA1c for metabolic protocols.
Cadence is typically 8–12 weeks after initiation, then every 6 months at steady state.
Interpreted by your physician at your visit.
Safety surveillance labs
Where the protocol warrants it — liver and kidney function on certain peptide protocols, hematocrit on testosterone replacement.
Frequency is set by your physician at your visit based on the specific protocol.
Interpreted by your physician at your visit.
Your labs become your trajectory.
Every Mon Élan patient is enrolled by default in the Insights Program, an opt-out cohort comparison that lets you see your lab trajectory next to anonymized peers on similar protocols. Care is identical regardless of opt status.
Read the Insights Program briefBring labs you already have. Order what we need.
You can upload a recent panel from your PCP, or your physician can route an order through a preferred laboratory at your visit.
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