Order a free testosterone test and check your free level

The free part often says more about how much testosterone your body can actually use than your total amount. Because a large share of your testosterone is bound to SHBG, the free part can be low while your total testosterone looks normal.

This test focuses on that free, bioavailable part. It gives you a focused data point that you can discuss with a doctor alongside your symptoms and other values.

It is not a diagnosis, but a concrete starting point if you want a grip on questions about your energy or libido.

This test may suit men who:

• experience fatigue, low energy or a reduced libido
• wonder whether their total testosterone tells the whole story
• had a normal total value before but still have symptoms
• want to record a baseline of their free testosterone

If you would rather measure the total amount, the separate total testosterone test is probably a better fit. This test looks only at the free, unbound part.

This test measures one biomarker in your blood:

• Free testosterone: the part of your testosterone that is not bound to SHBG or albumin and that your body can use directly.

The lab measures this free part directly. You can read more on the page about free testosterone.

Your free testosterone value can say something about how much testosterone is available to your tissues. That free part may play a role in your energy, libido and muscle mass.

Because your SHBG level partly determines how much testosterone stays bound, the free part can be low while your total testosterone looks normal. A single measurement is always a snapshot that a doctor interprets in context.

For this test, blood is drawn at a certified sample point. There are 700+ locations across the Netherlands, which you choose yourself after ordering.

You do not need to see your GP first; you pick a location and a time that suit you. The draw is done by trained staff and usually takes only a few minutes.

Testosterone fluctuates during the day and is usually highest in the morning. That is why blood for testosterone is often drawn in the morning, often between 7 and 10 am.

The free part can be useful alongside your total testosterone and your SHBG, so a doctor can place your free testosterone in context.

Your result shows your free testosterone alongside a reference range and a short explanation. What counts as a healthy value varies by lab, age and time of the draw, so numbers alone say little.

Many men want to know how their testosterone is doing. A lower free part can fit certain symptoms, but only a doctor can properly interpret your result.

Testosterone is best measured in the morning, often between 7 and 10 am, because your value is usually highest then. You generally do not need to fast for this test.

If you use medication, supplements or hormones, ask your doctor whether that could affect your result. A significant illness or heavy training shortly before the draw can temporarily affect your value.

Your results are available online within a few working days. You see your free testosterone, its reference range and a clear explanation.

Every blood test result includes a professional assessment from a BIG-registered doctor. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.