A broad panel built around the blood tests clinicians commonly use when someone is taking, or being assessed for, testosterone therapy under medical supervision. It combines the full blood count (including haematocrit), PSA, testosterone and SHBG, the pituitary hormones, and general markers of liver, kidney, thyroid, iron and cholesterol health. Results are reported against the laboratory's reference ranges.
Before you book
- Price: £250. This covers laboratory analysis and your laboratory report.
- Where: Your blood sample is taken from a vein by our team at 82 King Street, Maidstone, or at a partner clinic near you, anywhere in the UK.
- Preparation: If you take testosterone, follow your prescriber's advice on timing. Otherwise, book before 11am.
- Results: the laboratory's report shows each result beside its reference range. We confirm the expected turnaround and any collection fee before you book.
- Optional: a written interpretation (£50) or a results consultation with Marina (£100).
After you order, we contact you to arrange your blood draw. A postal finger-prick kit may be possible for this test: please ask before ordering.
Juvenology does not prescribe testosterone, adjust doses or assess eligibility for treatment. Decisions about treatment rest with the clinician who prescribes it.
What is measured
- Blood count: full blood count, including haemoglobin and haematocrit
- Hormones: testosterone, SHBG, LH, FSH, oestradiol and prolactin
- Prostate: total PSA
- Organ and general health: kidney function, liver function, cholesterol profile, thyroid function (TSH, free T4, free T3), ferritin, CRP and creatine kinase
Useful for
- A set of results to share with your prescriber between scheduled reviews
- Understanding how testosterone treatment can affect blood count, PSA and pituitary hormones
- Baseline results before a GP or specialist discussion about possible testosterone deficiency
Sample: venous blood (more than one tube). Biomarkers: the laboratory counts this panel as 42. Interpretation: not included in the test price; available separately.
Helpful links: Compare health checks · How to prepare for a blood test · Understanding your report · All blood tests
Ultimate TRT Blood Test
Hormones
- Testosterone (measured): total testosterone.
- SHBG (measured): binding protein for testosterone.
- LH and FSH (measured): drive natural testosterone and sperm production.
- Oestradiol (measured): oestrogen formed from testosterone.
- Prolactin (measured): raised levels suppress testosterone production.
Blood count and iron
- Full blood count: red cells, haemoglobin, haematocrit, red cell indices, white cells and platelets; parameters are set by the laboratory and some are calculated.
- Ferritin (measured): iron stores.
Prostate
- Total PSA (measured): prostate protein used in monitoring during treatment.
Kidney function
- Sodium, urea and creatinine (measured).
- eGFR (calculated from creatinine, age and sex): an estimate of kidney filtration.
Liver function
- ALT, AST, ALP, GGT and bilirubin (measured): markers of liver cell injury and bile flow.
- Albumin and total protein (measured); globulin (calculated).
Cholesterol profile
- Total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides (measured).
- LDL cholesterol (often calculated), non-HDL cholesterol and total cholesterol/HDL ratio (calculated).
Thyroid, inflammation and muscle
- TSH, free T4 and free T3 (measured): thyroid function.
- CRP (measured): general marker of inflammation or infection.
- Creatine kinase (measured): muscle enzyme, raised by exercise or muscle injury.
The laboratory counts this panel as 42 biomarkers. The total depends on how many full blood count parameters the laboratory reports, and includes calculated values.
Testosterone treatment is prescribed for men with confirmed testosterone deficiency, and it changes several body systems that can be tracked in blood. International and UK guidelines therefore set out a programme of monitoring, carried out by the prescribing clinician, at baseline and at intervals after treatment starts.
Red blood cells and haematocrit
Testosterone stimulates red blood cell production, so haematocrit (the proportion of blood made up of red cells) tends to rise; if it rises too far, the blood becomes thicker. The Endocrine Society guideline recommends checking haematocrit before treatment, at 3 to 6 months and then yearly. It defines erythrocytosis as a haematocrit above 54% and advises that treatment is withheld until it returns to normal and then restarted at a lower dose.
The prostate
The prostate depends on androgens, and PSA can rise on testosterone treatment. The Endocrine Society recommends PSA monitoring in the first year, with urology referral if PSA rises by more than 1.4 ng/mL above baseline on confirmed testing, or is confirmed above 4.0 ng/mL. BSSM guidance recommends PSA before treatment, at 3 to 6 months, at 12 months and yearly after that.
The pituitary and fertility
Testosterone from outside the body causes the pituitary to reduce LH and FSH, so the testes make less of their own testosterone and sperm production falls. This is why low LH and FSH are expected on treatment, and why the Endocrine Society recommends against testosterone therapy in men planning fertility in the near term.
Oestradiol, prolactin and iron
Some testosterone is converted to oestradiol by the enzyme aromatase, so oestradiol often rises with treatment. Before treatment, prolactin and iron status help a clinician look for causes of secondary (pituitary) hypogonadism; the Endocrine Society recommends prolactin and iron saturation for this purpose. Ferritin, a marker of iron stores, is included here and also falls if blood is removed to manage a high haematocrit.
General health markers
Kidney, liver, lipid and thyroid tests give a wider picture of health. Creatine kinase (CK), a muscle enzyme, is not a standard part of guideline monitoring, but it helps interpret results in men who train hard, since heavy exercise raises CK and can raise AST and creatinine.
Each result is shown with the laboratory's reference range. On testosterone treatment, some results are expected to sit outside the usual range (LH and FSH, for example, are often suppressed), so results need to be read by someone who knows your treatment, dose and timing.
Points to be aware of
- Testosterone timing: the result depends on when the sample is taken relative to your last injection or gel application. Your prescriber will advise the right timing for your preparation.
- Haematocrit can also be raised by dehydration, smoking, sleep apnoea and living at altitude.
- PSA can be raised by ejaculation, vigorous exercise, cycling, urinary infection and prostate enlargement, and lowered by medicines such as finasteride and dutasteride.
- Oestradiol is measured at low concentrations in men, where some immunoassays are less precise. Please never start or change medicines such as aromatase inhibitors on the basis of a single result.
- CK, AST and ALT can rise for several days after heavy or unaccustomed exercise.
- Creatinine is higher in people with more muscle and in those taking creatine supplements, which can make eGFR look lower than true kidney function.
What to do with an abnormal result
Share your results with your prescriber, particularly a high haematocrit or a rising PSA, as guidelines link these to specific actions. If you do not have a prescriber, discuss any result outside the range with your GP; with your consent, Juvenology can write to your GP. If you have chest pain, sudden breathlessness, weakness of the face or limbs, or a painful swollen leg, call 999 or seek urgent care rather than waiting for a blood test.
Guidelines recommend regular blood monitoring for anyone on testosterone therapy, because its main laboratory effects (on haematocrit, PSA and the pituitary hormones) are silent and only visible in blood. This panel brings those markers together with general health tests in one sample.
It does not replace the monitoring arranged by your prescriber and cannot establish whether you are eligible for treatment.
May be helpful for
- Men on prescribed testosterone who want an additional set of results to share with their prescriber
- Men preparing for a GP or specialist discussion about possible testosterone deficiency
May not be the right test if
- You are hoping a result will make you eligible for treatment: eligibility is a clinical decision made by a prescriber
- You only want testosterone and its control hormones: our Male Hormone Profile may suit better
- You are trying to conceive: a semen analysis through your GP or a fertility service is needed
- You have urinary symptoms, a testicular lump or other new symptoms: please see your GP
If you are using testosterone or other anabolic steroids that were not prescribed, this test can show some of their effects on your blood, but it cannot tell you whether they are safe. We encourage you to speak openly with your GP, who can arrange appropriate checks and support.
Testosterone levels decline gradually with age on average, and guidelines do not regard ageing alone as a reason for treatment. The Endocrine Society recommends against routine screening of the general population for low testosterone, and treatment is intended for men with consistent symptoms and repeatedly low morning results.
The BSSM 2023 guideline summarises population evidence linking low testosterone with type 2 diabetes and with poorer outcomes in some chronic diseases. These associations do not show that testosterone treatment slows ageing, and there are no evidence-based ‘optimal longevity’ testosterone levels. Evidence on long-term outcomes of treatment continues to develop, which is one reason guidelines emphasise careful selection and regular monitoring. This test does not measure biological age or predict lifespan.
- If you take testosterone: follow your prescriber's advice on when to have blood taken in relation to your injection or gel.
- If you do not: book before 11am, as testosterone is highest in the morning.
- Fasting: an overnight fast is preferred (water is fine and helps avoid dehydration, which can raise haematocrit).
- PSA: avoid ejaculation, anal sex, vigorous exercise and cycling for 48 hours. If you have had a urinary infection, wait until 4 to 6 weeks after it has cleared.
- Exercise: avoid heavy or unaccustomed training for a few days beforehand where possible, because it raises CK, AST and ALT.
- Biotin: tell us if you take biotin; the laboratory will advise how long to pause it before the test.
- Medicines and supplements: tell us about all medicines and supplements, including finasteride, dutasteride, creatine and any hormones. Do not change any prescribed medicine to take the test.
Choose how your sample is taken when you book. We confirm the collection option, any collection fee and the expected turnaround time before you book.
- Juvenology Clinic, Maidstone (82 King Street, Maidstone ME14 1BH): Available.
- Partner clinic near you, anywhere in the UK: Available on request. We confirm availability for your postcode before you book.
- Postal home finger-prick kit: Ask before ordering. We offer a home kit only where the laboratory confirms this test is suitable for a finger-prick sample.
Sample: Venous blood sample (serum plus a separate EDTA sample for the full blood count); tube types confirmed by the laboratory
Collection notes: If you take testosterone, time the sample as your prescriber advises; otherwise book before 11am. Avoid ejaculation, vigorous exercise and cycling for 48 hours (PSA) and heavy training for a few days (CK). Because the panel needs a full blood count and a large sample volume, a home finger-prick kit is offered only if the laboratory confirms every marker can be reported reliably from it.
The price of this test covers laboratory analysis and the laboratory's results report. The report lists each result beside the laboratory's reference range.
Beyond the blood test: optional support, priced separately
- Personalised written interpretation report: £50
- General consultation: £50
- Results consultation (results discussion and follow-up advice): £100
- Personalised programme: from £150, after we assess whether a programme suits you
Consultations are with Marina, an NMC-registered nurse. She explains what your results show and how they relate to lifestyle. No prescription service is offered with these tests.
If a result suggests you need medical follow-up, we will recommend that you see your GP and, with your consent, can provide a letter to take with you. A blood test cannot rule out every condition. If you have symptoms, speak to your GP or NHS 111, and call 999 in an emergency.
Will Juvenology prescribe or adjust my testosterone?
No. Juvenology does not prescribe testosterone or any hormone treatment, and does not advise on doses. Please share your results with the clinician who prescribes your treatment.
When should I have my blood taken if I use injections or gel?
Timing differs between preparations. Ask your prescriber when they want the sample taken and tell us when you book.
Why are my LH and FSH low?
On treatment this is expected, and it also lowers sperm production. If fertility matters to you, discuss this with your prescriber.
What happens if my haematocrit is high?
Guidelines treat a haematocrit above 54% on treatment as erythrocytosis, which usually means the prescriber pauses or adjusts treatment. Dehydration and smoking can also raise it. Please contact your prescriber or GP with the result; do not change treatment yourself.
Why is PSA included, and what if it is raised?
PSA can rise on treatment, so guidelines include it in monitoring. A raised PSA has many causes besides cancer and may need repeating. Your prescriber or GP will decide whether further assessment is needed.
Why is creatine kinase included?
CK is a muscle enzyme. It is not required for testosterone monitoring, but in men who train it helps explain raised AST or creatinine results, which can otherwise be mistaken for liver or kidney problems.
Is interpretation included in the price?
The price covers laboratory analysis and the laboratory's report, which shows each result with its reference range. You can add a personalised written interpretation report (£50) or book a results consultation (£100) with Marina, our NMC-registered nurse. Interpretation does not include prescribing or treatment advice.
- Bhasin S, Brito JP, Cunningham GR, et al. Testosterone Therapy in Men With Hypogonadism: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2018;103(5):1715–1744. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2018-00229
- Hackett G, Kirby M, Edwards D, et al. British Society for Sexual Medicine Guidelines on Adult Testosterone Deficiency, With Statements for UK Practice. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2017;14(12):1504–1523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2017.10.067
- Hackett G, Kirby M, Rees RW, et al. The British Society for Sexual Medicine Guidelines on Male Adult Testosterone Deficiency, with Statements for Practice. World Journal of Men's Health, 2023. https://doaj.org/article/ab57d77e43964fcfba17e4eea83123cd
- PSA test. NHS website, reviewed 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/psa-test/
