Order an SHBG test alongside your testosterone

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.

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.

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).

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.

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, and the draw by trained staff usually takes only a few minutes.

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.

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.

For SHBG you usually do not need to fast. If you want the value assessed together with testosterone, a blood draw in the morning is often advised, when testosterone is usually highest.

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

Your results are available online within a few working days. 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.