Yashoda Hospitals > Diagnostics > Sex Hormone Test

What is Sex Hormone Test?

A Sex Hormone Test is also known as the SHBG (Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin) test, since it measures the level of SHBG in your blood. SHBG is a protein produced by your liver which gets attached to sex hormones like testosterone in men and oestrogen in women. SHBG levels in your blood need to remain optimal as they control the delivery of sex hormones to the different tissues in your body. A sex hormone test determines the extent to which SHBG attaches itself to Testosterone, Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and Estradiol(a form of oestrogen).

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    A sex hormone test can determine how much sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is binding to testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and estradiol. However, it is usually used to identify how much testosterone is being delivered to the different tissues of the body. Therefore, a sex hormone test results show shows how much testosterone is present in the body.

    Men and women have different needs when it comes to a sex hormone test. If you are a man experiencing symptoms of low testosterone levels like reduced libido and lack of facial hair growth, then you may need this test. On the other hand, if women have symptoms of high testosterone, it can warrant a sex hormone test. 

    There are typically no side effects of this test because it is minimally invasive. A doctor or paramedical professional takes a blood sample from a vein in your arms with the help of a tiny needle. While this process may hurt momentarily for some, the pain does not last for more than a few seconds.

    Hormone levels (particularly testosterone) are measured in nanograms per decilitre (ng/dL). If you are male, then the normal range of test results should indicate testosterone levels 270-1070 ng/dL. But if you are female, then this range should be 15 to 70 ng/dL.

    If you are a male under the age of 40 years and are experiencing unusual symptoms like loss of hair (other than the head), acute weight loss (that is loss of muscle mass), or even acne, then you should get a sex hormone test done. This will help you understand whether you have low testosterone levels in your body (which may be an underlying cause). If you are a female experiencing irregular menstruation, tiredness, anxiety, then you should go for the test.

    If you have an excess or deficit of any particular hormone (whether it is testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, or estradiol), it is said that you have abnormal hormone levels. For men, testosterone levels below 270 and above 1070 ng/dL are considered abnormal. Whereas, for women, testosterone levels below 15 and above 70 ng/dL are considered abnormal.

    Since hormone levels can usually be detected in your blood, your doctor will recommend a sex hormone test to check your hormonal levels. With the help of such a blood test, your doctor can determine the levels of testosterone, oestrogen, and even cortisol levels in your blood. However, this test has no side effects.

    The test for sex hormones like testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, estradiol, and oestrogen is typically known as the SHBG test. SHBG stands for Sex Hormone Binding Globulin, which is a type of protein your liver produces. This protein attaches itself to sex hormones and helps deliver them to all the parts of your body that need it.

    A hormonal test can be done using a blood, saliva, or even urine sample. However, a sex hormone test uses diagnostic testing methods to check for hormone levels in a blood sample. These types of hormonal tests can be done to detect levels of sex hormones like testosterone and oestrogen as well as adrenal gland hormones like cortisol.

    The test results of your sex hormone test will usually read in either ng/dL or pg/mL. For males, normal testosterone levels are 270-1070 ng/dL or 50-200 pg/mL, while the same for females is 15-70 ng/dL or 0.8-9.2 pg/mL.

    To know more about how to read your test results, Get a free second opinion from our experts at Yashoda Hospitals today.