Order an SHBG test alongside your testosterone
Measure your SHBG, the protein that binds your testosterone. Read together with testosterone it shows your hormone balance. No referral needed.
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Biomarkers Included
1 biomarkersSHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin)
SHBG stands for sex hormone-binding globulin, a protein made by your liver. It binds sex hormones in your blood, especially testosterone, and so helps determine how much testosterone is freely available to your body.
This test measures your SHBG in a blood sample taken at a certified sample point. You order online, need no referral and receive your results, usually within 2 working days of the blood draw, including a doctor's assessment.
Why this test?
SHBG on its own often says little. The test only becomes truly meaningful alongside a testosterone test, because your SHBG value shows how much of your testosterone is bound and how much stays free.
The measurement gives you a snapshot of a single protein, not a diagnosis. It is a data point you can discuss with a doctor alongside your testosterone and your symptoms.
For many men, this is a concrete first step towards understanding questions about energy, libido or recovery.
Who is this test for?
This test may suit men who:
- want to understand their testosterone better and see how much of it is usable
- experience symptoms such as low energy, reduced libido or slower recovery
- want to record a baseline of their hormones
- have already done a testosterone test and want to complete the picture
When it comes to men's hormones, SHBG is almost always looked at together with testosterone so a doctor can place the values in context.
What is tested?
This test measures one biomarker in your blood:
- SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin): a protein that binds sex hormones, in particular testosterone.
Because SHBG helps estimate how much free testosterone you have, it is best reviewed together with a testosterone test. You can read more on the page about SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin).
What can this test tell you?
Your SHBG says something about how much of your testosterone is bound and therefore not directly available. A high SHBG may lower your amount of free testosterone, even when your total testosterone looks normal.
That is why SHBG is hard to interpret on its own. Only together with your testosterone does a picture emerge that a doctor can use to place your symptoms.
How is the sample collected?
For this test, blood is drawn at a certified sample point. There are 650+ 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, and the draw by trained staff usually takes only a few minutes.
When is this test useful?
SHBG is especially useful when your testosterone tells you something, but your symptoms do not quite seem to match. The value can then explain why your amount of free testosterone is higher or lower than your total testosterone suggests.
Because testosterone is usually highest in the morning, blood for this combination is generally drawn in the morning.
What do the results mean?
Your result shows your SHBG alongside a reference range and a short explanation. What counts as a healthy value varies by lab, age and person, so a single number says little on its own.
A high or low SHBG value can affect how much usable testosterone you have. Only a doctor can properly interpret your value together with your testosterone and your symptoms.
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 SHBG value, 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
SHBG helps determine how much testosterone is freely available. Together with a testosterone test, your value gives a clearer picture than SHBG alone.
For SHBG you usually do not need to fast. If it is measured together with testosterone, a morning draw is often advised.
A high SHBG may lower your amount of free testosterone, even with a normal total testosterone. Your doctor interprets this together with your other values.
The test costs €79,-, including the blood draw. You pay it yourself and no draw fee comes on top.
No. After you order we arrange the referral through ZorgDomein, within one business day; orders after 17:00 or at the weekend start the next business day. You receive a ZorgDomein email with a barcode, and you show it at the draw site. At a few draw sites you fix the time on your order page, or we do it.
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 |
| Your results are usually in your Caliberhealth account within 2 working days of the blood draw. The laboratory states a longer turnaround for SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin). | ||
Preparation
-
Preferably in the morning
RecommendedA morning draw makes this value easiest to compare with its reference range. Plan the draw before 10:00 if you can.
- 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.
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