Clinical laboratory reference ranges are derived from sedentary population samples. Athletes — especially those doing heavy resistance training — routinely show values outside these ranges for markers like AST, creatinine, and hematocrit without any underlying pathology. Using athletic-adjusted ranges prevents unnecessary alarm and inappropriate medical interventions.
AST and ALT in strength athletes are regularly 1.5–2× above standard upper limits due to muscle turnover — this is not liver disease
Creatinine is elevated in high-muscle-mass athletes; Cystatin C is a more reliable kidney marker for this population
Hematocrit up to 52% in altitude-adapted or high-training-volume athletes does not carry the same risk as TRT-driven elevation
HDL below population norms is common in anaerobically trained athletes and does not necessarily reflect the same cardiovascular risk
Always flag athletic status when submitting labs — results interpreted without this context routinely lead to unnecessary referrals
Give your clients professional bloodwork analysis with TRT-specific reference ranges, longitudinal trend tracking, and structured harm reduction insights — all under your coaching umbrella.
GearCheck provides blood marker analysis and harm reduction education. Information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional.