Can you get bloodwork done while on steroids?

October 13, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the Cleveland Clinic, corticosteroids like prednisone can elevate white blood cell counts, a finding that might look abnormal but is often a benign effect of the medication. This highlights why it is vital to know if you can get bloodwork done while on steroids and how to interpret the results accurately.

Quick Summary

It is possible to get bloodwork while on steroids, but the medication can significantly alter results for various tests, including white blood cell counts, lipids, glucose, and hormones. Proper interpretation requires that healthcare providers are fully aware of your steroid use. Depending on the test, specific timing might be necessary.

Key Points

Steroids Affect Test Results: Both corticosteroids and anabolic steroids can significantly alter various blood test results, including white blood cell counts, glucose, and cholesterol levels.
Involve Your Doctor: It is essential to inform your healthcare provider about any steroid use to ensure accurate interpretation of your lab results and to determine if special preparation is needed.
Timing Matters for Some Tests: For specific tests like cortisol, which fluctuate naturally, the timing of the blood draw is critical and should be coordinated with your doctor.
Different Steroids, Different Effects: Corticosteroids like prednisone cause leukocytosis (high WBC), while anabolic steroids can cause unfavorable cholesterol changes and suppress natural hormone production.
Monitoring is Crucial: Regular bloodwork is a key part of monitoring health for those on long-term steroid therapy, especially for risks like high blood pressure, diabetes, and bone mineral density changes.
Specific Preparations May Be Needed: Depending on the test, you may need to fast or temporarily stop other medications under a doctor's supervision to ensure accurate baseline results.

Getting Bloodwork Done While on Steroids

Getting bloodwork done while undergoing steroid treatment is not only possible but often necessary for monitoring your health. However, the presence of steroids in your system can profoundly influence the results of various lab tests, leading to potentially misleading interpretations if not handled correctly. A comprehensive understanding of how different types of steroids impact specific biomarkers is crucial for both patients and healthcare providers.

Corticosteroids vs. Anabolic Steroids

Steroids are a broad class of compounds, but their effects on bloodwork vary significantly depending on the type. The two most common types requiring different monitoring approaches are corticosteroids and anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS).

Corticosteroids: These are anti-inflammatory drugs like prednisone and hydrocortisone, prescribed for conditions ranging from asthma to autoimmune diseases. They can alter numerous lab values related to inflammation, metabolism, and immune function.
Anabolic Steroids: These are synthetic derivatives of testosterone, often used for performance enhancement or hormone therapy. They primarily affect hormone levels, liver function, and cholesterol.

Impact of Corticosteroids on Common Blood Tests

Corticosteroids, even in short-term use, can produce several notable changes in a standard blood panel. For example, they are well-known to cause leukocytosis, an increase in the white blood cell count. This is a physiological effect of the drug redistributing white blood cells from tissues into the bloodstream, and not necessarily an indicator of infection. Other significant effects include:

Blood Glucose: Long-term corticosteroid use can lead to elevated blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of diabetes. This would be reflected in a glucose test or a hemoglobin A1C.
Electrolyte Levels: These drugs can cause imbalances in electrolytes, such as changes in potassium, sodium, and calcium levels.
Cortisol Levels: Synthetic corticosteroids interfere with the body's natural production of cortisol, affecting tests designed to measure adrenal function. The timing of the test is critical, as cortisol levels fluctuate throughout the day.
Lipid Profile: Corticosteroids can also raise cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR): As an anti-inflammatory, prednisone can lower a patient's ESR, which might otherwise be elevated due to a disease like lupus.

Anabolic Steroids and Lab Monitoring

For those on or considering anabolic steroid therapy, regular bloodwork is essential for monitoring health and managing potential side effects. A typical monitoring panel includes:

Hormone Profile: This checks for total and free testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol. AAS use will suppress natural testosterone and LH/FSH production.
Lipid Panel: Anabolic steroids are known to decrease HDL (good) cholesterol and increase LDL (bad) cholesterol, raising cardiovascular risk.
Liver Function Tests (LFTs): Oral anabolic steroids, in particular, can be hepatotoxic, and elevated liver enzymes (ALT, AST) are a common finding that requires monitoring.
Hematocrit and Hemoglobin: Increased red blood cell production can thicken the blood, raising the risk of stroke or heart attack.

Comparison of Steroid Effects on Bloodwork


Lab Test	Corticosteroid Effect	Anabolic Steroid Effect	Significance for Interpretation
White Blood Cells	Increases (leukocytosis)	No significant effect or potential for mild change	Avoid misinterpreting as infection; a known drug effect.
Blood Glucose	Increases, potentially causing high blood sugar	Increases, especially with certain compounds	Monitor for drug-induced diabetes; adjust therapy if needed.
Lipid Profile	Increases cholesterol and triglycerides	Decreases HDL; Increases LDL	Assess cardiovascular risk and potential for monitoring.
Liver Enzymes (ALT/AST)	May increase with long-term use	Increases, especially with oral steroids	Monitor for hepatotoxicity, especially with oral administration.
Hormone Levels	Suppresses natural cortisol, affects adrenal function	Suppresses natural testosterone, LH, and FSH	Interpret in context of replacement therapy or misuse.
Hematocrit/Hemoglobin	Increases red cell content	Increases, leading to blood thickening	Monitor for polycythemia and cardiovascular risk.

Preparing for Bloodwork While on Steroids

Proper preparation is key to ensuring that blood test results are as informative as possible. Always inform your healthcare provider about all medications and supplements you are taking, including specific steroid types and dosages.

Timing: For some tests, especially adrenal function tests like cortisol, the timing of the blood draw is critical. Your doctor will likely schedule it for the morning. For anabolic steroid users, specific timing might be recommended for mid-cycle or post-cycle testing.
Fasting: For lipid panels or glucose tests, fasting is often required. Steroids can affect these values, so following your provider's fasting instructions is important.
Medication Adjustments: In some cases, your doctor may temporarily ask you to stop a medication before a specific test. This should only ever be done under their explicit guidance.

The Takeaway

In summary, it is entirely feasible and advisable to get bloodwork done while on steroids, but the process requires careful attention. Both corticosteroids and anabolic steroids can significantly influence blood test results, affecting parameters like white blood cell counts, glucose, and hormone levels. The interpretation of these results must be done with full knowledge of your steroid use to avoid diagnostic errors. By collaborating with your healthcare provider and following proper preparation protocols, you can ensure that your blood tests provide accurate insights into your health status.

For more detailed information on specific blood tests and how to prepare for them, the MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia is an excellent resource, providing comprehensive and authoritative guidance on various lab procedures.

Conclusion

Getting bloodwork done while on steroids is a standard part of medical monitoring, but it is a process that necessitates careful consideration. Steroid use alters many biochemical markers, making a proper interpretation challenging without full transparency. By understanding the specific effects of your medication and communicating with your healthcare team, you can get the most accurate and useful information from your lab results, ultimately safeguarding your health while on steroid therapy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, corticosteroids like prednisone are known to increase the white blood cell count, a condition called leukocytosis. Your doctor needs to be aware of your steroid use to interpret this finding correctly, as it doesn't necessarily indicate an infection.

Yes, long-term use of corticosteroids like prednisone can lead to increased blood sugar levels and potentially lead to diabetes. This effect would be visible on a blood glucose test.

Anabolic steroids can negatively impact your lipid panel by decreasing levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and increasing levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, which can increase your cardiovascular risk.

You should follow your healthcare provider's specific instructions for fasting. Fasting is often required for lipid panels and glucose tests, as steroids can affect these results.

The length of time varies depending on the type of steroid and duration of use. Effects from an oral steroid pack might normalize within one to two weeks, while longer-term effects may take longer.

Yes, especially oral anabolic steroids, which can be toxic to the liver. Increased liver enzyme levels (ALT, AST) are a common finding and are monitored via blood tests.

You should not delay getting necessary tests unless advised by your doctor. A healthcare provider can interpret the results in the context of your steroid use and determine if retesting is needed later.