If you do not order the Lab Result Only package, then In ADDITION to your lab report we provide the following options which are INCLUDED in the package prices:

A) Follow up personalised written report produced by our clinical team highlighting dietary and lifestyle advice plus links to supplement protocols, specific doses and any further testing requirements included. We use the patient information you provide us at checkout along with your results to compile personalised action points for you.

OR

B) Follow up 30-minute video call to discuss your results and answer any questions you have. Once the lab has completed your results you will be sent these via email with a link to book a time and day online. You will also then be given the option to upgrade your 30-minute call to a 45-minute call for an additional £30 if you wish. During the call your practitioner will explain the results in more detail and what they mean for you. After your call you are sent a personalised list of supplements & the dose your practitioner advises with links to purchase from our supplements store. This is for your convenience. You are of course welcome to purchase supplements elsewhere. You will also be provided with a list of follow up tests should this be required plus a copy of your recorded zoom call which you can download and keep.

OR

C) Both Zoom call and written report with personalised next steps (Zoom call is first and written report follows).

Prepare for your Male Hormone Blood Test by following these instructions:

• Take your sample between 6am and 10am
• Avoid nipple stimulation or sexual activity for 24 hours prior
• Avoid heavy meals and strenuous exercise beforehand
• Do not use fingers that handled hormone gels in the past 4 weeks
• Do not take biotin supplements for 2 days before the test (unless prescribed – consult your doctor)

Once you purchase this test you will be posted via Royal Mail 48 a finger prick blood test kit to complete at home. Full instructions are provided but please only post back to the labs Mon-Weds. We will send you your results via email with GP comments and functional medicine advice on suitable steps to address levels out of range (unless you have selected Lab Results Only). Results will take around 6 working days to arrive from the labs.

The test measures 10 analytes that together give a comprehensive picture of male hormonal health:

• Testosterone — the primary male sex hormone; levels below 12 nmol/L may indicate deficiency per BSSM guidance
• Free Testosterone (calculated) — only 2–3% of testosterone is unbound and available to cells; this calculation shows how much is actually biologically active
• SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) — the carrier protein that binds testosterone; elevated SHBG reduces the amount of free testosterone available, even if total testosterone appears normal
• Albumin — another protein that binds testosterone; used in the free testosterone calculation
• Free Androgen Index (FAI) — a ratio of testosterone to SHBG that provides a further measure of available androgenic activity
• FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) — stimulates sperm production in the testicles; elevated FSH can indicate testicular dysfunction
• LH (luteinising hormone) — signals the testicles to produce testosterone; elevated LH alongside low testosterone suggests the testicles are not responding adequately to pituitary signalling
• Oestradiol — men produce small amounts of oestrogen; elevated levels relative to testosterone can cause gynaecomastia, fat gain, and mood changes
• Prolactin — elevated prolactin can suppress testosterone production and libido; may indicate pituitary involvement
• DHEA Sulphate — an adrenal hormone that serves as a precursor to both testosterone and oestrogen; levels naturally decline from age 30

Testing all of these together allows your practitioner to identify not only whether testosterone is low, but why — whether the issue lies in production, binding, conversion, or pituitary signalling.

This test is suitable for men aged 18 and over and is particularly relevant if you:

• Experience persistent fatigue or lack of energy that does not improve with rest
• Have noticed a reduced sex drive or difficulty achieving or maintaining erections
• Are losing muscle mass or finding it harder to build muscle despite regular training
• Have gained weight around the abdomen without changes to diet or exercise
• Experience mood changes, irritability, depression, or difficulty sleeping
• Are over 30 and want to check whether age-related testosterone decline is affecting your health or performance
• Are recovering poorly from exercise and suspect hormonal factors may be involved
• Take testosterone-boosting supplements or TRT (testosterone replacement therapy) and want to monitor your levels
• Have had a previous total testosterone result in the borderline range and want a more detailed picture including free testosterone, SHBG, and oestradiol

A standard NHS testosterone test typically measures total testosterone only. If the result is low, your GP may then request LH and FSH as follow-up investigations — but free testosterone, SHBG, oestradiol, prolactin, DHEA sulphate, and the free androgen index are rarely included in routine NHS testing unless requested by an endocrinologist. This matters because total testosterone can appear normal while free testosterone is low due to elevated SHBG — a pattern that is particularly common in older men, in men with liver disease, and in men taking certain medications. By measuring all 10 markers in a single finger-prick sample, this private male hormone test identifies the full hormonal picture from the outset, avoiding the delays of sequential GP referrals and follow-up blood draws.

Testosterone follows a circadian rhythm, with levels peaking in the early morning and declining throughout the day. Sampling between 6am and 10am captures your peak testosterone level and provides the most clinically meaningful reading — if you test later in the day, your result may appear lower than your true baseline simply because of the natural daily decline. This morning timing window is consistent with clinical guidelines, including BSSM recommendations, and ensures that your result is comparable across repeat tests and with published reference ranges, which are based on morning samples.

This is one of the most common scenarios in male hormone health, and it is exactly why this test measures more than total testosterone alone. Several patterns can produce symptoms despite a normal total testosterone reading:

• Elevated SHBG — if SHBG is high, it binds more testosterone, reducing the free fraction available to cells; your free testosterone and free androgen index may be low even though total testosterone is within range
• High oestradiol relative to testosterone — excess aromatase conversion of testosterone to oestrogen can cause fatigue, fat gain, mood changes, and reduced libido while total testosterone remains technically normal
• Elevated prolactin — can suppress both testosterone production and libido independently
• Low DHEAS — declining adrenal output can compound the effects of borderline testosterone

Your practitioner will interpret all 10 markers together to identify the specific pattern driving your symptoms and design an intervention accordingly.

Yes — this test is well-suited for monitoring TRT. The panel covers all the key markers that need to be tracked during testosterone replacement: total testosterone and free testosterone to confirm adequate dosing, oestradiol to check whether excess aromatisation is occurring (a common side effect of TRT that may require management), SHBG to assess binding capacity, and FSH and LH to monitor the impact on pituitary signalling and spermatogenesis. The page notes that there is a maximum detection level for testosterone on this assay, but if your level exceeds this limit, the laboratory can dilute the sample to measure higher concentrations — so TRT users with supraphysiological levels should still receive an accurate result. If you handle testosterone gel, ensure you do not use fingers that have been in contact with the gel in the past four weeks to avoid contamination of the sample.

While testosterone levels typically begin to decline gradually after the age of 30, the product page notes that lower-than-normal levels can occur at any age. Younger men may experience symptoms of low testosterone due to genetic factors, chronic stress, poor sleep, overtraining, obesity, alcohol or drug use, medications, pituitary conditions, or testicular injury. If you are under 30 and experiencing persistent fatigue, low libido, difficulty building muscle, mood changes, or erectile dysfunction, this test can help determine whether hormonal factors are contributing. The test is suitable from age 18.

Depending on your results and clinical picture, your practitioner may recommend additional testing:

• If you want a broader health overview alongside hormones — the Full Blood Test covers 48 markers including thyroid function, liver and kidney health, vitamins, minerals, and inflammation (UK only, nurse home visit)
• If a more detailed hormone and cortisol assessment is needed — the DUTCH Complete measures testosterone, oestrogen, cortisol, and DHEA metabolites in dried urine, showing how hormones are being produced, metabolised, and cleared
• If cortisol and adrenal stress may be suppressing testosterone — the DUTCH Adrenal Stress Test evaluates your cortisol rhythm, which directly affects testosterone production
• If prostate health is a concern — a PSA finger-prick test screens for elevated prostate-specific antigen
• If you want to understand the genetic factors behind your hormone balance — the Hormones DNA Report from Lifecode GX analyses 29 genes involved in steroid hormone synthesis, oestrogen metabolism, and the HPA axis
• If you want a quick standalone testosterone check via saliva — the Testosterone Saliva Test provides a single bioavailable testosterone reading at a lower price point