The Checklist

• Hydrate normally, with water 30–60 minutes before collecting.

• Collect in the morning when possible, under similar fasting conditions each time.

• Avoid unusually strenuous exercise beforehand, hard training temporarily moves hsCRP, creatinine, hormones, and hydration.

• Warm the arm exactly as directed, and let the alcohol wipe dry completely.

• Place the device firmly on the recommended upper-arm area; let the arm hang naturally rather than flexing.

• Gently invert the completed tube as instructed, never shake.

• Return the sample promptly.

• Standardize the timing of medications, TRT, or HRT relative to collection.

Consistency between collections matters just as much as any single collection's technique, it's what turns twelve tests into one clear trend.

Sick, Sore, or Supplemented?

You can collect while sick, but the result will reflect illness physiology, hsCRP and ferritin may rise while other markers shift temporarily. If your goal is your usual baseline, wait until you've recovered. Don't stop a prescribed medication unless your clinician says so; just take it at a consistent time relative to collection and document dose changes. The same goes for medically necessary supplements, though flag high-dose biotin, and hormone precursors, since they can change or interfere with selected results.

For Cycles and Hormone Therapy

Tracking estradiol or progesterone? Compare the same approximate stage of the menstrual cycle each time, both hormones change substantially across it. On TRT or HRT, collect at the same point in your dosing interval every time; that timing can matter more than the clock.