PRO Lab Panels: Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions About At-Home Testing, Preparation, Results, and Provider Review
PRO Sports Medicine Learning Center
Introduction
Throughout this series, we have explained each PRO Lab Panel biomarker by biomarker. This final chapter gathers the questions patients ask most often about choosing, preparing for, completing, and understanding their at-home testing.
Choosing a Panel
Which panel should I start with?
If you want a general baseline, the PRO Core Health Panel is the usual starting point. If you are on, or considering, a specific therapy, choose the panel built for it: GLP & Cardio for weight-management and GLP-1 care, HRT Monitoring for testosterone or hormone therapy, Peptide for growth hormone pathway peptides, and Women's Health for female hormone questions. The Performance Panel is the most comprehensive single option. Your PRO provider can help you choose.
What is the difference between an individual panel and a combination panel?
Each combination joins two individual panels into one package. They are designed for patients whose goals overlap, such as someone on both GLP-1 care and testosterone therapy. Some markers appear in both halves; each is reported as a single result.
Is the "Peptide Performance Panel" the same as the PRO Peptide Panel?
Yes. In PRO's combination packages, the PRO Peptide Panel is referred to as the Peptide Performance Panel.
Why do men and women get different markers?
Several panels include sex-specific markers. For example, the Core Health Panel includes testosterone-related markers for men and estradiol and FSH for women, and several panels include PSA for men and progesterone for women. This is why the Core Health Panel reports 18 biomarkers for men and 16 for women.
Collecting Your Sample
How does at-home collection work?
Your kit includes one or more EasyDraw capillary collection devices, collection tubes, specimen packaging, instructions, and prepaid return shipping. You collect a small blood sample at home and ship it back to the laboratory. No traditional venous blood draw appointment is needed for the standard process. The collection itself takes about five minutes on the upper arm. Ship your sample the same day you collect it, following the packing and drop-off instructions in your kit.
How many collection devices will I use?
It depends on the panel. For example, the Core Health and GLP & Cardio Panels use one device, the Peptide Panel uses two, and the Performance Panel uses three. Combination packages include the devices for both components.
What if I can't collect enough blood?
An adequate sample is required for the lab to report every marker. Drinking about 16 ounces of water 20 to 60 minutes before you start, warming up with a hot shower or a minute of jumping jacks, and following the kit instructions closely all help. If a sample is insufficient, contact us so we can help you with next steps.
Should I fast?
Yes, in most cases. Unless your provider tells you otherwise, fast for 8 to 12 hours before collecting. Water is allowed and encouraged. Recent meals can noticeably raise triglycerides and glucose-related markers, so a morning sample taken after an overnight fast gives the most consistent results for lipids, ApoB, C-peptide, and serum iron.
Is there anything else to avoid beforehand?
Avoid strenuous exercise for 24 hours before collection, since intense activity can raise AST, ALT, and hsCRP. Avoid alcohol for 24 to 48 hours, since it affects liver enzymes and lipids.
What time of day should I collect?
Morning is best for most panels. Testosterone peaks in the morning and cortisol is highest shortly after waking, so morning collection makes results comparable to reference ranges and to your previous tests. Always note the time you collected.
I'm on hormone therapy or peptides. When should I collect?
Ask your provider. Timing relative to your dose strongly affects hormone results and can affect IGF-1. Keep the timing consistent from test to test, and write down when you took your last dose.
Women: does cycle timing matter?
Yes. Estradiol, progesterone, LH, and FSH change throughout the menstrual cycle. Your provider may ask you to collect on a specific cycle day. Note the first day of your last period and any contraception or hormone therapy.
Can supplements affect my results?
Yes. High-dose biotin, common in hair, skin, and nail products, can interfere with some hormone and thyroid tests. Creatine can raise creatinine. High-dose vitamin D changes vitamin D and possibly calcium results. Tell your provider everything you take, and ask whether to pause anything before testing.
Does exercise affect results?
Hard training, especially resistance or eccentric work, can raise AST, creatinine, and hsCRP for a day or more. Avoid unusually intense sessions for a day or two before collection.
Can illness affect results?
Yes. A cold, infection, or injury can raise hsCRP, white blood cell count, and ferritin. If you are sick, consider waiting until you have recovered.
Understanding Your Results
How will I receive my results?
Results are delivered digitally. Each biomarker is shown with the laboratory's reference range and information to help you understand the findings.
What does it mean if a result is outside the reference range?
A reference range describes where most people in a reference population fall. A result slightly outside it is not automatically a problem, and a result inside it is not automatically optimal. Context, including your history, symptoms, medications, and previous results, determines what a value means. That is why every result should be reviewed with a provider.
Can these panels diagnose a medical condition?
No. PRO Lab Panels support clinical assessment and monitoring. They do not diagnose conditions on their own. Abnormal results may lead to repeat testing, additional evaluation, or referral.
Will I be contacted if something is seriously abnormal?
Please make sure your contact information is current and that you review your results promptly. If you are a PRO patient and have concerns about a result, contact our office. If you have urgent symptoms, seek emergency care immediately rather than waiting for a lab review.
Provider Review and Membership
Who reviews my results?
A licensed PRO Sports Medicine provider can review your results in the context of your health history, symptoms, medications, and goals, and recommend next steps.
Is the provider review included?
Clinical laboratory review is included for active PRO Foundations members. Nonmembers can add a clinical review for a separate fee.
What are the benefits of PRO Foundations for lab testing?
PRO Foundations members receive preferred pricing on eligible lab panels, included clinical review, integration of results with their treatment plans, recommendations for follow-up testing, and ongoing health and performance monitoring, including body composition tracking.
How often should I retest?
It depends on your goals, any therapy you are using, and your results. Many patients test at baseline and then at intervals their provider recommends during treatment. Not every therapy requires the same monitoring strategy.
Testing and Therapy
Do I need testing before starting peptides, hormones, or GLP-1 medications?
Baseline testing is strongly recommended when clinically indicated. It identifies findings that may change the plan and creates a reference point for follow-up.
Does a normal IGF-1 mean my peptide is working?
IGF-1 reflects growth hormone pathway activity and is useful for monitoring peptides that act on that pathway. It does not measure tissue healing or recovery, and it is not a useful marker for peptides that do not act on the growth hormone axis.
Can I adjust my medications based on my results?
No. Never change a medication, hormone, or peptide dose on your own based on a lab result. Your provider will make any changes.
Bringing It All Together
At-home laboratory testing makes objective health data more accessible than ever, but data is only useful when it is collected carefully and interpreted thoughtfully. Choose the panel that matches your goals, prepare consistently, and review your results with a provider who knows your history. That is how PRO turns numbers into a plan. In the next section of the Learning Center, we turn to PRO Therapeutics, our line of nutritional supplements, and explain each formula ingredient by ingredient.
Important Information
This article is educational and is not medical advice. PRO Lab Panel results support clinical assessment and monitoring and do not diagnose medical conditions on their own. All results are reviewed by a licensed PRO Sports Medicine provider. Some peptides discussed are investigational and are not FDA-approved for human therapeutic use.
Key References
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Safety Communication: Biotin (Vitamin B7) May Interfere With Lab Tests. 2017, updated 2019.
Bhasin S, Brito JP, Cunningham GR, et al. Testosterone Therapy in Men With Hypogonadism: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018.
American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes: Standards of Care in Diabetes. Diabetes Care (updated annually).
Clinical Perspective
Most laboratory surprises come from preparation rather than physiology: a dehydrated sample, a hormone drawn at the wrong point in a dosing cycle, a hard workout the day before, or an overlooked biotin supplement. Consistent preparation and clear communication with your provider make every PRO panel more useful, and make trends over time far more meaningful than any single result.