Order a testosterone test and measure your levels

Measuring your testosterone can help you understand where certain symptoms come from, such as lower energy, a reduced libido, trouble building muscle or a shifting mood.

A standalone testosterone value can lack context. Because most of the testosterone in your blood is bound to SHBG and albumin, the amount actually available to your tissues may differ notably from the total. This panel measures those factors together, so your testosterone test can tell you more than a single number.

This test may suit men who:

• notice a change in their energy, libido or concentration
• struggle with muscle building or recovery after training
• previously had a testosterone value that did not seem to match how they felt
• want to record a baseline of their male hormones

Testosterone can decline gradually with age, so some men choose to have their value measured even without clear symptoms.

This testosterone test measures four biomarkers in your blood:

• Total testosterone: the total amount of testosterone in your blood, both the bound and the free part.
• Free testosterone: the free, bioavailable part that is not bound to proteins.
• SHBG: sex hormone-binding globulin, a protein that binds testosterone tightly and so influences its availability to your tissues. Your SHBG value helps put your testosterone value in context.
• Albumin: a protein that loosely binds part of the testosterone.

You can read more about this hormone on the page about total testosterone. If you want a broader view of your male hormones, the hormones man panel is a related option.

Your testosterone value can say something about how your body produces this hormone and makes it available. A man with a normal total testosterone but a high SHBG value could, for example, have a lower free testosterone, which might help explain certain symptoms.

Because testosterone fluctuates during the day and is usually highest in the morning, a single measurement remains a snapshot. A doctor therefore looks at the whole picture: your values, your symptoms and sometimes additional data.

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: this is a blood test without a referral, where you pick a location and a moment that suit you. The draw is done by trained staff and usually takes only a few minutes. Afterwards, your blood goes to the lab.

Because testosterone is usually highest in the morning, a blood draw is generally done in the morning, often between 7 and 10 am. This makes your result easier to compare with reference values.

The test can be useful if you have symptoms that might relate to your male hormones, or if you simply want to record a baseline to compare against later.

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

A value outside the range does not automatically point to a condition. Because SHBG can shift with age and body weight among other factors, these markers are best considered together. Only a doctor can properly interpret your result together with your symptoms.

Ideally, book your appointment in the morning, as your testosterone value is usually highest then. Fasting is usually not strictly needed for this test, although the lab may sometimes advise it for more consistent results.

If you use medication or supplements that can affect your hormones, ask your doctor whether that could influence your result.

Your results are available online within a few working days. You log in to your account and view your testosterone value, SHBG, free testosterone and albumin with their 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.