ARTICLES

(And How to Make It Better) By Dan Covert (Feel free to skip to the bottom for a “TL;DR” summary) “Are You Talking About My Program?” Hang around any commercial gym long enough and you’ll see the same familiar faces slaving away day-in and day-out with little-to-no results for their effort. It has always been astounding to me how many people just accept this lack of progress while continuing to dedicate so much of their time and energy to the gym, seemingly never stopping to

By Dan Covert (Feel free to skip to the bottom for a “TL;DR” summary) Starting TRT After training naturally my entire life, I began TRT 12 weeks ago. At age 35, I had hoped to delay this another 5-10 years, but it became medically necessary after surgery fell short in restoring optimal testosterone levels due to a varicocele I’ve been dealing with for a few years now. Though I’ve always prided myself on accomplishing what I did in the gym completely naturally, I’d be lying if

By Dan Covert (If you missed Part 1 and Part 2, you’re missing out) Hormones Here’s where things get fun, and typically go the most awry when being called for by providers… Sex Hormones Testosterone (Total, LC-MS/MS & Free, Dialysis) I’m assuming the first hormone on the list needs no introduction, as most men these days are (hopefully) aware that having their testosterone levels checked routinely is of the utmost importance. That being said, not all testosterone panels are c

By Dan Covert (If you missed Part 1, be sure to check it out) Essential Vitamins and Minerals While levels of essential and very commonly-deficient vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D, certain B vitamins, and iron seem like a no-brainer to check, I see several (if not all) of these tests left out from routine lab panels all the time. Here are the ones you definitely don’t want to skip: Vitamin D At this point, I’m not sure why vitamin D isn’t a routine draw the way a CBC

By Dan Covert Introduction and Basic Tests The Failure of the Medical Establishment After originally starting out as a strength coach specializing in rehab and performance training over a decade ago, I eventually came to realize that I have a knack for thinking about and solving complex health problems beyond those only pertaining to joint pain and stagnant gym progress. In more recent years, part of my job has become effectively acting as a “detective” for clients with persi