Order a male hormone test and check your levels
Total Testosterone, Free Testosterone, SHBG, and Albumin: key male hormone markers.
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Biomarkers Included
4 biomarkersSHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin), Free Testosterone, Total Testosterone, Albumin
Your hormones partly determine how you feel: your energy, your drive, your recovery and your mood. Testosterone gets most of the attention, but it does not work on its own.
With this panel you can test the hormones that matter for men: total testosterone, free testosterone, SHBG and albumin. This male hormone test shows not only your testosterone value, but also how your body makes it available. You order online, need no referral and have your blood drawn at a sample point near you.
Why this test?
Testosterone works together with binding proteins. SHBG and albumin partly determine how much testosterone actually reaches your tissues. By testing your hormones as a connected whole, shifts may become visible that a single testosterone reading could miss.
This gives you a broader view of your male hormones than a single value can offer.
Who is this test for?
This male hormone test may suit men who:
- want a broader insight into their male hormones than testosterone alone
- are curious how binding proteins and testosterone interact
- notice changes in energy, recovery or body composition
- want to test their hormones as a starting point to compare against later
What is tested?
- Total testosterone: all the testosterone in your blood combined, bound and unbound.
- Free testosterone: the free, bioavailable part that is not bound to proteins.
- SHBG: sex hormone-binding globulin, a protein that binds testosterone tightly and reduces its availability.
- Albumin: a protein that loosely binds part of the testosterone.
If you want your testosterone value as a standalone test, take a look at the testosterone panel. You can read more about the hormone itself on the page about total testosterone.
What can this test tell you?
These markers work as a system. Two men with the same testosterone value could have very different free testosterone, depending on their SHBG. Testing your hormones as a whole may make those differences visible.
The result is not a diagnosis, but a more nuanced view of your male hormones that you can discuss with a doctor.
How is the sample collected?
Blood is drawn at a certified sample point. There are 650+ locations across the Netherlands.
You do not need to see your GP first: this is a blood test without a referral, where you pick a location and time yourself. The draw usually takes only a few minutes, after which your blood goes to the lab.
When is this test useful?
This test can be useful when you want to understand how your hormones relate to each other, and not just whether a single value falls within range. It can also offer insight with fatigue, reduced drive or changes in body composition that may have a hormonal component.
Because testosterone is highest in the morning, a draw is usually done in the morning, often between 7 and 10 am.
What do the results mean?
Your results are shown with a reference range for each marker. Because these hormones influence each other, the values are best considered together rather than in isolation.
A value outside the range does not automatically point to a problem. A doctor can help interpret the overall pattern and determine whether anything warrants further discussion.
What happens after the results?
Your results are usually in your Caliberhealth account within 2 working days of the blood draw, often the next day. Some markers take longer. You see your total testosterone, free testosterone, SHBG and albumin with reference ranges 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
A standalone testosterone test mainly measures your total testosterone. This hormone test also measures free testosterone, SHBG and albumin, so you can see how much testosterone is available.
SHBG and albumin bind testosterone in your blood. They partly determine how much testosterone reaches your tissues, and help put your testosterone value in context.
Testosterone is usually highest in the morning, so a blood draw is generally done between 7 and 10 am.
No, you can have your hormones tested without a referral and choose a sample point near you yourself.
Only if the test asks for it; it says so. Fasting means nothing to eat or drink after 22:00 the evening before, except water, for at least 8 hours. No coffee or tea that morning. Have your blood taken before 10:00.
The test costs €129,-, including the blood draw. You pay it yourself and no draw fee comes on top.
No. What you request yourself falls outside the basic Dutch insurance. You pay yourself, and your deductible (eigen risico) is not touched.
Count on one business day, or a day more if you order after 17:00 or at the weekend. That is how long the referral email takes, and without a referral you are not drawn. Then you can simply walk in at some draw sites; at the rest you book an appointment. Every location states it.
Two things: the barcode from the ZorgDomein email and a valid ID. You show the barcode on your phone. If you have no BSN, the email has no barcode; print the referral form from the link then.
Take medication as usual unless your own doctor said otherwise. Some markers ask for no heavy training for 48 hours or no alcohol for 24 hours. The test and the instructions after your order tell you what applies to you.
You show your barcode and a valid ID, and the draw site takes blood. About a quarter of an hour in total.
Yes. Every result is assessed by a BIG-registered doctor, who explains your values in your account. Treatment you talk over with your GP.
At an independent, certified laboratory from the Caliberhealth network, spread across the Netherlands. That network also runs the draw sites; they are not owned by Caliberhealth. Reference values can differ a little per laboratory.
No. Your test does not pass your GP and does not go into your medical record. A healthcare provider gets your data only with your written consent, and it is never sold. Testing anonymously is not possible: a valid result needs your name, date of birth and a valid ID.
What We Test
| No. | Biomarker | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) | nmol/l |
| 02 | Free Testosterone | pmol/L |
| 03 | Total Testosterone | nmol/l |
| 04 | Albumin | g/l |
| Your results are usually in your Caliberhealth account within 2 working days of the blood draw. The laboratory states a longer turnaround for Free Testosterone and SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin). | ||
Preparation
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Pause biotin
RequiredDo you take a supplement with biotin (vitamin B8, common in hair, skin and nail supplements)? Stop it 72 hours before the draw. Biotin interferes with the measurement of these values.
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Have the draw in the morning
RequiredThese values vary over the day and peak in the morning. Have your blood drawn before 10:00, ideally between 07:00 and 09:00.
- Water is always fine. Drink as usual beforehand, it makes the draw easier.
- Take your usual medication, unless your own doctor told you otherwise.
Extend this panel
Same draw, no second appointment.
Related Tests
Testosterone Test
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DHEA-S Test
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SHBG Test
Measure your SHBG, the protein that binds your testosterone. Read together with testosterone it shows your hormone balance. No referral needed.