Why test at all
Blood tests do two jobs. A baseline tells you where you started, so you can tell a real change from your normal. Repeat tests catch drift that you will not feel: a creeping fasting glucose, a rising liver enzyme, a kidney number moving the wrong way.
What labs cannot do is make a product safe. A normal panel says nothing about whether a research vial was sterile or held what its label says. Labs are a monitoring tool, not a quality check.
This page covers which tests the labels and trials point to, and where people in Metro Manila get them done. Interpreting results and deciding what to do about them is a job for a physician.
Panels commonly used with GLP-1 medicines
Semaglutide and tirzepatide were developed as diabetes drugs, and their labels and trials tell you what is worth watching.
| Test | Why it is used |
|---|---|
| Fasting glucose and HbA1c | The main efficacy markers in diabetes, and a baseline for glucose change. Low blood sugar is a label warning when a GLP-1 is combined with insulin or a sulfonylurea. |
| Creatinine and eGFR (kidney function) | The labels warn of acute kidney injury from dehydration caused by vomiting and diarrhoea. The Wegovy label says to monitor kidney function in people with side effects that could cause fluid loss, especially while the dose is being stepped up. |
| ALT, AST and bilirubin (liver panel) | A baseline for the liver, and context if gallbladder symptoms appear. Gallbladder disease is a label warning. |
| Lipid panel | Trials tracked cholesterol and triglycerides among cardiometabolic outcomes, including after the drug was stopped in the STEP 1 extension. |
| Amylase and lipase | The Wegovy label reports average rises of 15 to 16% in amylase and 39% in lipase on treatment. A baseline gives a later reading context. |
| Complete blood count | A general baseline used before most treatments. |
Two notes on this list.
Pancreatic enzymes need care. Because amylase and lipase rise on average during treatment, a high value in someone without symptoms is hard to read on its own. Pancreatitis is diagnosed from symptoms first: severe, persistent abdominal pain. Enzymes support the diagnosis; they do not replace it.
Thyroid. The C-cell tumour warning on GLP-1 labels comes from rodent studies. The Wegovy label describes routine calcitonin monitoring and thyroid ultrasound as of uncertain value for early detection. A personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2 is a contraindication, which is a question for the physician, not a lab.
Panels commonly used with GH-axis compounds
Compounds that raise growth hormone include tesamorelin, sermorelin, CJC-1295, ipamorelin and the oral secretagogue MK-677. Tesamorelin is the only one with an approved label, and it spells out the monitoring.
| Test | Why it is used |
|---|---|
| IGF-1 | The downstream marker of GH activity. The tesamorelin label says to monitor IGF-1 during treatment and to consider stopping if it stays elevated. |
| Fasting glucose and HbA1c | GH opposes insulin. The tesamorelin label says to evaluate glucose before and during therapy; in trials an HbA1c of 6.5% or higher occurred in 5% of treated patients against 1% on placebo. In the MK-677 trial in older adults, fasting glucose rose by an average of 5 mg/dL and insulin sensitivity fell. |
| Lipid panel | Part of the metabolic picture GH affects. |
| Thyroid function | The Endocrine Society guideline on adult GH deficiency recommends monitoring thyroid and adrenal function during GH therapy. |
| Kidney and liver panel | Baseline organ function before any long-term compound. |
IGF-1 reference ranges depend on age and sex and differ between labs. A result read against the wrong range can look alarming or reassuring for the wrong reason, so use the range printed on your own report and, where possible, the same lab each time.
Healing and other research peptides
For BPC-157, TB-500 and most research compounds, there is no label and no established monitoring panel, because there are no large human trials. A general baseline (CBC, kidney, liver, glucose) is the conservative starting point.
Timing
The labels say to test before starting and periodically during treatment. How often "periodically" means for you depends on your health, the compound and what the first results show. That is a conversation with your doctor, not a fixed schedule.
Practical points that do not depend on the compound:
- Fasting. Fasting glucose and some lipid panels need an overnight fast. Ask the lab how many hours when you book.
- Same lab, same time of day. Trends are easier to read when method and conditions stay constant.
- Hydration. Being dehydrated can nudge kidney numbers. In Philippine heat, especially if you are dealing with GI side effects, drink water before a morning draw unless the lab tells you otherwise.
- Keep every result. A photo or PDF of each report in one folder turns single numbers into a trend.
Where to get blood tests in Metro Manila
Hospital laboratories. Large hospitals such as the Philippine General Hospital, St. Luke's Medical Center and Makati Medical Center run full clinical laboratories. They handle specialised tests such as IGF-1 more routinely than small clinics and are the natural choice if your physician practises there.
Diagnostic chains. Standalone chains are the most convenient option for routine panels.
- Hi-Precision Diagnostics has branches across Metro Manila and nearby provinces, online result portals and a home-service booking option.
- Healthway runs clinics with laboratory services in malls and business districts, including Alabang Town Center, SM North EDSA's The Block and Cloverleaf in Quezon City.
Company annual physical exams. If your employer provides an APE, the results are a free baseline. Check exactly which tests were included; HbA1c and IGF-1 are often missing.
Before you go:
- Call or check the lab's site to confirm the test is available at that branch. Specialised tests may be sent out to a central lab, which adds days.
- Ask whether a doctor's request is needed. Policies differ between labs and between tests, and HMO coverage generally requires one.
- Ask for the price and whether a package covers what you need. Prices differ between chains, hospitals and branches, so get a quote rather than relying on figures online.
- Ask about fasting and preparation.
Reading your results
Your report prints a reference range next to each value and flags anything outside it. Resist two temptations: reading internet "optimal" ranges that do not match your lab's method, and ignoring a trend because each value is still inside the range. Bring the whole set of results, including your baseline, to a physician. The side-effect guide lists the symptoms that should not wait for the next scheduled test.
