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Lab test
What is an SHBG test, and what are normal SHBG levels?
An SHBG test measures sex hormone binding globulin, a liver protein that binds testosterone and estradiol and keeps them inactive. It helps explain how much testosterone the body can use when total testosterone does not fit symptoms. ARUP Laboratories lists 17 to 56 nmol/L for men and 25 to 122 nmol/L for women aged 18 to 49.
What does the SHBG test measure?
SHBG is a protein made by the liver that binds tightly to testosterone and estradiol and carries them in the blood in an inactive form. When SHBG is high, less testosterone reaches tissues; when it is low, more does. Testing.com
Why is the SHBG test ordered?
- When symptoms such as low libido, erectile dysfunction, irregular periods or excess facial hair do not match a total testosterone result. Testing.com
- To track hormone availability in people on testosterone therapy, oral contraceptives or other hormone treatments. Testing.com
What are typical SHBG ranges?
ARUP Laboratories publishes SHBG intervals by sex and age. ARUP Laboratories
Reference ranges differ between laboratories and testing methods, and many also differ by age, sex, pregnancy or the phase of the menstrual cycle. The range printed on your own report is the one that applies to your result, and a clinician interprets it alongside your history.
| Age | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 18 to 49 years | 17 to 56 nmol/L | 25 to 122 nmol/L |
| 50 years and older | 19 to 76 nmol/L | 17 to 125 nmol/L |
What can affect SHBG results?
- Higher SHBG is seen with hyperthyroidism, liver disease such as cirrhosis, anorexia nervosa, oral estrogen (including some contraceptives and hormone therapy) and pregnancy. Testing.com
- Lower SHBG is linked to hypothyroidism, type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance, obesity, steroid use, Cushing syndrome and PCOS. Testing.com
When should you talk to a clinician about a SHBG result?
- SHBG does not diagnose anything on its own; it is one piece alongside symptoms, history and other hormone tests. Testing.com
DiscoverMedica explains what a test measures and what named sources publish. It does not interpret individual results; the clinician who ordered your test, or one you choose, does.
Where can you get a SHBG test?
A clinician can order it as part of routine or follow-up care. Some services also let you order lab tests yourself; check that a service’s panel includes this marker, which laboratory runs it, and who reviews the result with you.
- Function HealthAnnual membership for broad lab panels, drawn at Quest sites or at home.
- Quest HealthOrder individual lab tests from Quest Diagnostics online, without a doctor’s visit.
SHBG Test: questions, answered
What is a normal SHBG level?
ARUP Laboratories lists 17 to 56 nmol/L for men and 25 to 122 nmol/L for women aged 18 to 49, and 19 to 76 nmol/L for men and 17 to 125 nmol/L for women aged 50 and older. Other laboratories print their own ranges on the report. Children and teenagers have different intervals.
What does high SHBG do?
Testing.com explains that high SHBG binds more testosterone in an inactive form, so less free testosterone reaches tissues even when total testosterone looks normal. It lists hyperthyroidism, liver disease, oral estrogen and pregnancy among causes of higher SHBG. Low SHBG has the opposite effect, and Testing.com links it to obesity, insulin resistance and hypothyroidism.
Why is SHBG ordered with testosterone?
Because most testosterone travels bound to SHBG, the SHBG level changes how much of the total is available. Labs such as ARUP use total testosterone and SHBG together to calculate free testosterone. A clinician reads all three values together with symptoms.
Sources
- Testing.com: Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) Test
- ARUP Laboratories: Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (test 0099375)
- ARUP Laboratories: Testosterone, Free (Adult Males) (test 0070111)
Last reviewed October 7, 2026. Every source above was checked on or before that date. Educational information only, not medical advice; it does not replace a conversation with a licensed clinician. DiscoverMedica does not employ clinicians.
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