Body composition,
bloodwork & cycles.

Real results, Mike's body composition

Below is Mike's complete Fitdays body scan timeline from July 2025 to March 2026. These are real, unedited numbers from a professional body composition scanner.

Real results, Mike's bloodwork timeline

Five complete blood panels spanning 8 years. This is the most honest data in this guide. It shows exactly what helped, what damaged, and how peptides drove the recovery.

TRT for men over 40

Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) is one of the most misunderstood and underutilised tools in men's health. Low testosterone affects roughly 1 in 4 men over 40, but most are never tested or offered treatment.

Symptoms of low testosterone

• Persistent fatigue, feeling tired regardless of sleep.
• Loss of muscle mass despite training.
• Increased body fat, especially around the abdomen.
• Low libido and reduced sexual function.
• Brain fog and poor concentration.
• Low mood, irritability, or depression.
• Poor recovery from exercise.
• Reduced bone density.

Mike's story, primary hypogonadism

In 2018, at age 34, Mike was diagnosed with primary hypogonadism. His FSH was 20.88 and LH was 16.74, both far above range. His pituitary was sending maximum signal but his testes were not responding. This is a medical condition, not a lifestyle choice. TRT was prescribed by his doctor. If you have these symptoms, get tested. Do not just accept it as 'getting older'.

What to test before starting TRT

• Total testosterone, the headline number.
• Free testosterone, the usable fraction. More important than total.
• LH + FSH, tells you whether the problem is in the testes or pituitary.
• SHBG, affects how much testosterone is bioavailable.
• Estradiol (E2), baseline before starting.
• Prolactin, elevated prolactin suppresses testosterone.
• Haematocrit + full blood count, TRT raises red blood cell count over time.
• PSA, prostate baseline.

TRT protocol, Mike's recommendation

• Testosterone Enanthate or Cypionate, 100 to 125 mg per week, split into two injections (e.g. Tuesday and Saturday, 0.25 ml each).
• Inject every 2 days for even more stable levels if sensitivity is high.
• Use brown (26 g) or orange (25 g) needle. Deltoid is the preferred site.
• Monitor haematocrit every 3 to 6 months. Donate blood if it exceeds 52%.
• Monitor HDL. TRT suppresses it over time. Omega-3, Zone 2 cardio, and citrus bergamot help.
• Get estradiol checked every 3 months. Anastrozole on standby if needed.
• Masteron at low dose can naturally control oestrogen and replace Anastrozole.

Steroids, the complete picture

This section is written with complete honesty. Steroids work. Mike's physique data proves it. But they also carry real health risks that are dramatically reduced when run alongside a smart peptide stack. The goal here is not to promote steroid use. It is to ensure that if you choose this path, you do it as safely as possible.

Mike's steroid history

First cycle, 2014. Run without proper guidance. Was put on PCT (Post Cycle Therapy) after the cycle, which caused a severe hormonal crash. Weeks of feeling terrible. This is the conventional advice, and for most men who cycle, it is wrong.

Since 2023. All cycles have been Test + Masteron base. No Trenbolone since discovering the kidney damage it caused. Recovery via TRT, not PCT. Felt dramatically better every time.

The compounds, what Mike ran and recommends

Why peptides make steroids significantly safer

• BPC-157 + TB-500. Liver and kidney protection throughout the cycle.
• GHK-Cu. Cardiovascular protection, reduces cycle-induced arterial inflammation.
• MOTS-C. Protects insulin sensitivity and metabolic health.
• NAD+ and Glutathione IV. Monthly during cycle for liver detoxification and cellular repair.
• HGH. Synergistic with test for body composition. Adds recovery and connective tissue protection.
• Retatrutide. Manages body fat during a bulk cycle, preventing excess fat gain.

Post-cycle recovery protocol

This is the most important section in the guide. What you do after a cycle determines how much you keep, how fast your health markers recover, and how ready you are for the next phase. The protocol below is Mike's personal recovery protocol, refined over years and verified through bloodwork.

The TRT bridge (not PCT)

For men on TRT or who plan to cycle again: do not do PCT. Drop straight back to TRT dose (100 to 125 mg/week). Levels stabilise in 2 to 3 weeks. No crash. Mike has done this since 2023, the difference vs. the 2014 PCT was dramatic.

Post-cycle peptide recovery stack

• BPC-157 + TB-500. Continue 8 to 12 weeks post-cycle for organ recovery.
• GHK-Cu. Cardiovascular recovery and collagen repair.
• MOTS-C. Restores insulin sensitivity disrupted by anabolics.
• Epithalon. 10-day course post-cycle for recovery and sleep restoration.

Post-cycle bloodwork (6 to 8 weeks after stopping)

• Haematocrit + haemoglobin. If above 52%, donate blood.
• eGFR + creatinine. Kidney recovery confirmation.
• HDL + LDL + triglycerides. Lipid recovery.
• ALT + AST + GGT. Liver recovery.
• Testosterone + estradiol + LH + FSH.
• CRP, inflammation markers.

Haematocrit management

TRT alone raised Mike's haematocrit from 46.5% (natural) to 50.4% after 5 years. A heavy cycle pushed it to 54.2%, dangerous territory. Solution: therapeutic blood donation. A 450 ml donation drops haematocrit by ~3 percentage points. Done every 3 to 4 months if needed.