Some Maximus protocols require laboratory testing before or during treatment. Labs help your clinician understand your baseline health, monitor your progress, and ensure your treatment remains safe and appropriate.
Why Labs Are Used
Labs allow your clinician to:
Evaluate hormone or metabolic markers
Identify potential contraindications
Confirm eligibility for specific medications
Monitor treatment response
Make informed adjustments over time
Your clinician will only request labs that are medically necessary for your care.
If you have recent lab results from another provider, you may upload them through your patient portal. Different labs may:
Use different testing methods
Use different reference ranges
Process samples on different equipment
Your clinician typically relies on consistent lab sources to monitor your treatment. If you upload outside results, your clinician will determine how to interpret them and whether they meet the specific requirements for your protocol. Some protocols require tests completed through particular lab methods or panels, so outside labs may not always be sufficient.
When Labs Are Required
A lab may be ordered:
Before starting treatment.
You’ll need baseline labs. These help confirm that it’s safe to begin treatment and determine your starting dose.
After starting treatment.
We’ll need follow-up labs 4 weeks after you begin. This allows us to see how your body is responding once the medication has reached a steady level.
At the 3-month mark.
Once you’ve been on a stable dose for approximately 3 months, we’ll repeat labs to confirm everything remains within a safe and therapeutic range.
For dose changes.
Each time your dosage is adjusted, we’ll repeat labs 4 weeks after starting the new dose to ensure the new level remains safe and effective.
When reporting side effects.
If you experience new or concerning symptoms while on treatment, your doctor may order labs to assess how your body is responding and help guide next steps.
Annually.
Once your treatment plan is stable, we’ll continue monitoring with yearly labs to ensure long-term safety and effectiveness.
You’ll receive a notification whenever labs are requested.
Follow-up labs may be required:
Before refilling a prescription
After dose adjustments
At protocol milestones
If symptoms change
Your clinician will specify timing.
Types of Tests You May Receive
We typically order a targeted set of labs to monitor your hormone therapy safely and effectively. Depending on your protocol and medical history, labs may include:
Hormone panels
Safety monitoring labs (HCT and PSA)
Metabolic health marker
Different protocols require different sets of markers. Your clinician may adjust or add tests based on your medical history and treatment plan.
Tracking Your Kit
Most kits include tracking through the carrier used for prepaid return shipping. Support can help track shipments if:
Tracking does not update
A package is mis-scanned
Delivery appears stalled
Completing an At-Home Lab Kit
If you receive a Tasso kit:
Follow the included instructions carefully
Collect your sample as soon as you open the kit
Place the sample in the prepaid return packaging
Drop it off Monday–Thursday to avoid weekend delays (Many lab markers have strict processing windows. Shipping outside these days can lead to old or unusable samples.) You can also choose to schedule a pick-up of the lab at your home.
Please note that most partner labs cannot accept samples mailed from outside the United States. If you’re traveling internationally, contact Support for timing guidance.
If your at-home kit is damaged, missing components, or fails during collection, Support can guide you through next steps. Things to review your kit for:
Missing components
Damaged
Unable to collect a sufficient sample
Reach out to our Support team to let them know what went wrong. Please be prepared to share photographs of your defective lab kit so they can best assist you.
How Lab Results Are Reviewed
Once your results are available:
They are sent directly to your clinician
Your clinician reviews them in context of your intake and symptoms
You may receive guidance, follow-up questions, or next steps
Your clinician determines whether labs indicate that treatment can begin, continue, or require adjustment.
What to Expect Over Time
Lab timing and frequency vary by protocol. Timelines vary based on:
The specific tests ordered
Whether the lab is experiencing volume delays
Whether the sample required reprocessing
Your clinician will message you once they’ve reviewed your results.
Most results return within the typical lab processing timeframe, but occasional delays happen. Your clinician will contact you once results are available. If your lab results are delayed:
Support can check lab processing status
The lab may be experiencing volume delays
Your clinician will also let you know when additional testing is needed, especially before renewals or major adjustments.