The Health Score is GearCheck's single-number summary of your blood work quality. It ranges from 0 to 100, where 100 represents perfect marker health in an athletic context. But what does each level actually mean for you?
Think of it like a car dashboard: the Health Score is your check-engine light system, but smarter. It does not just tell you something is wrong — it tells you how serious it is, what might be causing it, and what to do next.
This guide breaks down each tier: what the number represents, what your report will look like, what action you should take, and real examples of what puts you in each tier.
All markers are within athletic reference ranges. No significant deviations or contextual flags are active. This is the best possible result and indicates that your current protocol, diet, training, and recovery are in a strong balance. Markers that are slightly out of range by standard lab standards — but contextually expected, such as moderately elevated testosterone or suppressed SHBG on cycle — contribute minimally to the score at this level. An OPTIMAL score means your physiological systems are well-regulated and your risk profile is low.
A 30-year-old on TRT (120 mg/week) with normal lipids, normal hematocrit, normal liver enzymes, and testosterone in the high-normal range. Blood pressure is good, no significant deviations. All markers are within athletic-adjusted ranges.
What to do: Continue your current approach. Maintain your monitoring schedule. No changes needed. Retest according to your standard interval — 8 to 12 weeks on cycle, 12 weeks off cycle.
Most markers are well within range. One or two markers may show minor deviations that do not require intervention — for example, a slightly elevated AST from training, or marginally low HDL on cycle. These are monitored, not acted upon. This is the most common score among experienced AAS users who manage their health proactively. Being STABLE means you are in control: you have minor deviations, but none of them are concerning when viewed in context.
A 35-year-old on a moderate blast (500 mg test) with slightly suppressed HDL (32 mg/dL), elevated AST (58 U/L from training), normal GGT, normal hematocrit (48%), and normal blood pressure. All deviations are expected and contextualized.
What to do: Review the individual deviations identified in your report. If they match expected patterns (training, cycle), continue monitoring. Adjust only if a marker is trending worse over consecutive reports. Retest in 8 to 12 weeks.
Several markers are outside athletic range, or one marker is significantly outside range. This tier indicates that some aspect of your health or protocol needs review. Common causes: HDL dropping below 25 mg/dL, hematocrit approaching 54%, or liver enzymes showing a genuine (non-muscle) elevation. Your report will include specific recommendations for which markers to prioritize. ATTENTION is not a crisis — it is a yellow light saying 'look at this before it becomes a red light.'
A 28-year-old on a high-dose cycle (750 mg test, 400 mg tren) with HDL at 22 mg/dL, hematocrit at 52%, ALT at 85 U/L with slightly elevated GGT (45 U/L), and blood pressure creeping up to 135/85. Multiple markers are deviating but none are critical yet.
What to do: Review the markers flagged at ATTENTION or ACTION level. Consider adjusting your protocol: dose reduction, adding a supportive supplement, increasing cardio, or improving sleep. Retest in 4 to 6 weeks to verify the trend. Do not start a new cycle at this level.
Multiple markers are significantly out of range, or one marker has crossed a critical threshold. Examples: hematocrit above 56%, ALT above 3 times the upper limit, or eGFR dropping below 60. This tier suggests that your current protocol is causing measurable physiological strain. Ignoring these signals increases the risk of adverse events. CONCERNING means your body is telling you something important — listen to it.
A 32-year-old on an aggressive cycle (1 g test, 600 mg tren, 50 mg Dianabol oral) with hematocrit at 57%, HDL at 18 mg/dL, LDL at 190 mg/dL, ALT at 120 U/L with elevated GGT (65 U/L), and blood pressure at 145/90. Multiple organ systems are showing strain.
What to do: Pause or significantly adjust your protocol. Reduce doses or switch to less hepatotoxic or lipotoxic compounds. Implement specific interventions — therapeutic phlebotomy for hematocrit, lipid support for HDL, liver support for enzymes. Retest within 2 to 4 weeks. Do not start a new cycle until score returns to at least STABLE. Consult a physician for any truly critical markers.
One or more markers have crossed critical thresholds that require immediate attention. This level is rare and indicates a health safety event: dangerously high hematocrit above 58%, severe hepatotoxicity with ALT above 5 times the upper limit, or rapidly declining kidney function. This is not a drill. These values are associated with real, documented health risks including thrombosis, liver damage, and kidney injury.
A 40-year-old on a prolonged high-dose cycle without breaks presents with hematocrit at 61%, ALT at 250 U/L, GGT at 120 U/L, eGFR at 48 mL/min, and blood pressure at 160/100. Multiple systems are in distress and require immediate medical attention.
What to do: Stop all AAS immediately. Seek medical evaluation. Do not wait for a retest — go to your doctor or urgent care with your blood work. The specific critical markers are highlighted in your report. Take the report with you to the appointment. Do not resume any protocol until a physician clears you and your score has recovered to at least 50.
Some markers have hard thresholds where the danger becomes acute. Here are the ones that most commonly trigger the CONCERNING or ACTION tiers:
Hematocrit
ALT (Liver)
eGFR (Kidney)
📈A stable 65 is better than a dropping 80. The single most important number is not the score itself — it is the direction the score is moving over time.
— GearCheck Health Score System
A single Health Score is a snapshot. It tells you where you are right now. The real power comes from tracking the score over consecutive reports, which tells you where you are going. Here is how to interpret trends:
Your protocol and health management are working. No changes needed. Keep doing what you are doing and maintain your monitoring schedule.
Early warning signal. Something is shifting — review your protocol before it becomes a problem. Check if you changed compounds, increased doses, or changed diet.
Acute issue. Investigate immediately. Did you switch compounds? Change diet? Get sick? This warrants an early retest to confirm the trend.
Likely reflects cycle phases — on versus off. This is expected. Compare on-cycle scores to previous on-cycle scores, not to off-cycle baselines. The trend within each phase is what matters.
Score Mechanics
Score Is Not a Diagnosis
Test Consistently
Test at the same point in your cycle phase and under similar conditions. Comparing a mid-blast score to a cruise score tells you less than comparing two mid-blast scores.
Watch Trends, Not Snapshots
A single score drop might be noise. Three consecutive drops is a signal. Do not panic over one bad report — look for the pattern across 2—3 tests.
Use the Action Plan
Every report includes specific recommendations. Follow them. The score helps you prioritize — fix the ACTION markers first, then the ATTENTION markers.