Sex Hormone Binding Globulin Testing

What is a Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) Test?

A Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) test is used to measure the amount of androgen, a male hormone, in a patient’s blood. For male patients, the SHBG test is commonly used to assess testosterone deficiency, which may be the cause of infertility, lowered sex drive, and erectile dysfunction. For female patients, the SHBG test is utilized to examine the cause of excessive testosterone production, which may be contributing to the disruption or absence of menstruation, infertility, acne, or abnormal bodily or facial hair growth. The SHBG test is usually utilized after other hormone tests have already been given to a patient and the results have come back abnormal or inconclusive.

Who May Need a Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) Test?

An SHBG test is not performed frequently or routinely, as many tests are able to provide enough information on a patient’s hormone levels, particularly through testosterone testing, to determine the cause of a patient’s health issues. However, patients who have noted symptoms of hirsuitism (excessive bodily and facial hair growth) in women, or decreased sex drives in and/or erectile dysfunction in men, may order the test when other tests fail to be consistent with these and other recognizable signs and symptoms related to abnormal androgen levels.

What Should I Expect from My Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) Test?

A SHBG test begins with drawing a blood sample from a patient in order for it to be examined by a medical laboratory. Laboratory results which show an increased level of the hormone may indicate less free testosterone being available to a patient’s tissues, while if the concentration is decreased, there may be more total testosterone available which is not bound to SHBG. While there is a normal reference range common to SHBG tests among laboratories, some labs and physicians may have different ranges for you specifically. Speak with your doctor regarding your results to get more information on how they concern you and your health.