Testosterone test
Testosterone follows a daily rhythm. It peaks in the early morning and declines after that. The reference ranges your result is compared against are based on draws before 10:00. The timing of the draw therefore decides whether your result means anything.
Three values together make the picture. Total testosterone is everything in your blood. A large part of it is bound to SHBG and therefore unavailable to your cells. Free testosterone is the part that is available, and that is usually the value that matches how you feel.
Two men with the same total can have very different free testosterone, purely because their SHBG differs. Measuring only the total hides that difference.
Why the timing decides everything
Draw at 15:00 and you measure a trough against a reference built on morning blood. Your result looks lower than it is. Compare that against a second draw at yet another time and you are mostly measuring the clock.
Mario visits in the morning, so you do not have to travel to a collection point to make the window. For a follow-up the same slot is booked.
Book a morning slot for testosterone
Message which window suits you and Mario will schedule before 10:00. For a second measurement the same time is kept, so the two can be compared.
Reachable Monday to Saturday, 08:00 to 18:00. An appointment can usually be scheduled within a few days.
When to measure this
- With persistent fatigue, low drive or lowered libido.
- If recovery from training lags while your load has not changed.
- To build a baseline before changing training or nutrition.
- For monitoring during TRT. See sport and performance.
- For hormone recovery after stopping anabolic use, measured as a series rather than a single draw.
What is actually drawn
Free testosterone is calculated from total, SHBG and albumin. LH shows whether the signal from the pituitary is intact. Oestradiol belongs with it because testosterone is partly converted.
Preparation
Draw before 10:00. No hard training in the 48 hours before. Sleep your normal night where possible, because a poor night lowers your morning value. For a follow-up, keep the same time and the same conditions.
Which package includes this
Measuring this marker on its own is possible too. Total, SHBG and albumin are determined together, otherwise free testosterone cannot be calculated. For reference, providers with a collection point typically charge 59 to 69 euro for a single marker, and you travel there yourself.
These are the actual amounts. The lab cost is what the lab charges, passed on without a markup. There is no discounted-from price and no subscription. Enter your address in the price calculator for the exact total including travel.
What your result means
You get the lab reference and the target range used in practice, with the caveat that reference ranges for testosterone are wide and span age groups. A value at the low end for a man of thirty reads differently from the same value at seventy.
A low result does not demonstrate a condition. If your values and your symptoms point the same way, that is reason to see a doctor. Mario Test does not prescribe and does not supervise treatment.
On the difference between a lab reference and a target range, see this article. If you feel unwell while your value sits inside the reference, read this one.
Frequently asked questions
Why must testosterone be drawn before 10:00?
Because the reference ranges are based on morning draws.
Testosterone peaks in the early morning and declines through the day. Drawing later gives a lower value that cannot be compared against the reference.
What is the difference between total and free testosterone?
Total is everything, free is the part your cells can use.
Most of it is bound to SHBG. At the same total, the free portion can differ considerably depending on your SHBG, which is why they are measured together.
Do I need to fast?
Not for testosterone itself.
You do if glucose, insulin or triglycerides are in the same panel. Then at least 8 hours without food.
Can I draw after a hard training session?
Better not.
Keep at least 48 hours. Hard training affects creatine kinase and can temporarily shift the hormone picture.
I use TRT. How often should I measure?
Usually every three to six months, at the same point in your cycle.
Alongside testosterone you watch haematocrit, oestradiol, lipids and liver values. The TRT panels are built for that. This is monitoring, not supervision.
Do you measure this in women too?
Yes.
Testosterone plays a role in women as well. See womens hormones for the broader set and the right point in your cycle.
Note: a blood test gives you insight and direction. It does not prove or rule out a condition on its own. Results are meant for prevention and for tracking change over time, not as a diagnosis. For symptoms or values outside the reference range, see your GP.