Order a male hormone test and check your levels

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.

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

• 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.

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.

Blood is drawn at a certified sample point. There are 700+ 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.

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.

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.

A morning appointment is preferable, as testosterone tends to be at its highest then, which makes your values easier to compare with reference ranges. For this hormone panel, fasting is usually not strictly needed, although the lab may advise it.

If you take medication or supplements that can affect your hormone balance, check with your doctor whether that could influence your result.

Your results are available in your personal account within a few working days. 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.