Hormones influence energy, mood, libido, weight and sleep. Our clinician-reviewed panels help build a clearer picture of what may be contributing to your symptoms.
Onsite laboratory: samples are processed in the same building within minutes of collection, never in external transit. Faster turnaround, no sample degradation, results you can trust.
Hormone testing panels
All panels include clinical review by a GMC-registered doctor. Same-day appointments at 134 Harley Street; turnaround varies by panel.
MOST POPULAR
The Hormone Specialist
Our most popular hormone panel. A focused assessment of the hormonal axes that drive energy, mood, libido, hair, and body composition.
DHT & androgen panel
Oestrogen (Oestradiol)
Thyroid function
Zinc
CRP
⏱ Results are released as each marker is reviewed, rather than held back until the whole panel is complete. Most markers return within about 3 to 5 working days. DHT, oestradiol and the wider androgen profile are among the slower ones, so the completion date for this panel is set by those rather than by the routine markers. We confirm the expected timeframe at booking.
Women
Female Hormone Panel
Focused female hormonal axis panel covering FSH, LH, oestradiol, progesterone, prolactin, SHBG and total testosterone. The standard private screen for cycle irregularities, perimenopause investigation, PMOS (formerly known as PCOS) work-up, or any gynaecology-led hormone enquiry. Fasting preferred and morning appointment recommended for the cleanest thyroid reading. Tell us at booking if you are using hormonal contraception.
FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone)
LH (Luteinising Hormone)
Oestradiol
SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin)
Total testosterone
Progesterone
Prolactin
⏱ Results are released as each marker is reviewed, rather than held back until the whole panel is complete. Most markers return within about 3 to 5 working days. Oestradiol and total testosterone are among the slower markers, so the completion date is set by those rather than by the routine ones. We confirm the expected timeframe at booking.
All
Adrenal Function Panel
Focused adrenal panel measuring morning cortisol and DHEA-sulfate. Strict timing matters: bloods must be drawn between 8 and 9 AM (10 AM is the absolute latest), after an 8 to 12 hour overnight fast (do not fast longer than 12 hours), to capture the natural cortisol peak. The standard first-line check of how your adrenal glands are working, used to investigate unexplained fatigue, stubborn hair shedding, or androgen-driven hair loss in women.
Cortisol (morning serum)
DHEA-sulfate (DHEAS)
⏱ Results are released as each marker is reviewed, rather than held back until the whole panel is complete. DHEA-S is sent to a reference laboratory and is the slower of the two markers, so it sets the completion date. We confirm the expected timeframe at booking.
Men
Testosterone Panel
A focused testosterone panel covering total testosterone, free testosterone and DHT. Drawn 7 to 11 AM after an overnight fast as per BSSM testosterone deficiency guidance, and clinically reviewed.
DHT (dihydrotestosterone)
Total testosterone
Free testosterone
⏱ Results are released as each marker is reviewed, rather than held back until the whole panel is complete. Most markers return within about 3 to 5 working days. The androgen markers are the slower ones on this panel, so they set the completion date rather than the routine markers. We confirm the expected timeframe at booking.
Same-day appointments usually available
Direct-access hormone testing on Harley Street. No GP referral required.
Hormones do not announce themselves loudly. The signs that something is off are usually a slow drift across energy, mood, sleep, body composition, libido, and sometimes hair. Any cluster of the following is worth investigating.
Persistent fatigue with normal blood pressure
Particularly if the fatigue is worst in the afternoon or you wake up unrefreshed. Thyroid function, iron studies and, where clinically indicated, the cortisol axis are useful first checks.
Low libido in men or women
Often dismissed as stress or ageing but commonly traceable to testosterone, oestradiol, prolactin, or thyroid status. All measurable on a single morning draw.
Scalp hair thinning with no clear cause
DHT in men, the androgen panel and oestradiol balance in women, plus thyroid antibodies. The Advanced Hair & Hormone Check covers all of these together.
Irregular or skipped periods
FSH, LH, oestradiol, and prolactin tell the story. Particularly relevant in perimenopause investigation and PCOS work-up. See the Female Hormone Panel.
Mood swings or low mood not linked to events
Thyroid dysfunction, low testosterone in men and perimenopausal oestrogen drops in women are measurable contributors that are worth ruling in or out. Often manageable once identified.
Central weight gain despite no change in diet
Insulin resistance, cortisol excess, and low testosterone all drive this pattern. Worth catching early before it becomes harder to reverse.
What each hormone we test tells us
A hormone level is only useful in context. Our reports interpret each marker against your symptoms, age, sex, and the rest of your panel. These are the markers most commonly worth measuring.
TOT
Total and free testosterone
Total testosterone is what most clinicians look at first. Free testosterone, calculated from SHBG, is the biologically active fraction and often the more useful number, especially in patients with insulin resistance or hyperthyroidism where SHBG shifts.
DHT
DHT (dihydrotestosterone)
The active downstream androgen and the mechanistic driver of pattern hair loss at the follicle. Serum DHT is provided for context, though it correlates poorly with severity on its own. Useful when reviewing response to finasteride alongside clinical assessment.
OES
Oestradiol
The principal oestrogen. Useful as supporting context during the perimenopausal transition (NICE NG23 diagnoses perimenopause on symptoms alone in women over 45) and in men where raised oestradiol can contribute to symptoms often attributed to low testosterone.
FSH
FSH and LH
Pituitary hormones that drive the ovaries and testes. FSH rises in perimenopause and menopause. In women under 45 it is the most useful single hormone marker; NICE NG23 advises against routine FSH testing in women over 45, where perimenopause is diagnosed clinically. The LH-to-FSH ratio is a supporting indicator in PCOS work-up.
SHB
SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin)
The carrier protein for testosterone and oestradiol. Low SHBG is one of the earliest signs of insulin resistance, often years before HbA1c moves.
COR
Cortisol and DHEAS
The adrenal axis. Useful in persistent fatigue that does not fit a thyroid or iron picture, in central weight gain with mood changes, and in women investigating androgen excess where the source may be adrenal rather than ovarian.
THY
Thyroid function (TSH, free T4, free T3)
Affects metabolism, mood, energy, weight, and hair growth. A TSH on its own often misses the picture in patients with thyroid antibody positivity or central hypothyroidism.
When you take a hormone test changes the result
Hormones are not stable numbers. They move through the day and, in women, through the cycle. The same blood drawn on a different morning, or on a different day of the month, can produce a result that reads as abnormal when nothing is wrong, or as normal when something is. Getting the timing right is not a detail; it is most of what separates a useful hormone panel from a misleading one.
Testosterone: before 11 AM, and usually twice
Testosterone follows a daily rhythm, peaking in the early morning and falling substantially by the afternoon. UK and European guidance is to sample between 7 and 11 AM, fasted, and to confirm a low result on a second separate morning before diagnosing hypogonadism. An afternoon testosterone that looks low is frequently just an afternoon testosterone. We book these into morning slots for that reason.
Female sex hormones: it depends on the cycle day
FSH, LH and oestradiol are read against the early follicular phase, which means days 2 to 5 of the cycle, counting the first day of full bleeding as day 1. Progesterone is the opposite: it is measured in the mid-luteal phase, roughly 7 days before the next period is due, which is around day 21 in a 28-day cycle but genuinely later in a longer one. Testing progesterone on day 21 of a 35-day cycle is a common way to be told, incorrectly, that ovulation did not happen.
Cortisol: 8 to 9 AM, or the number is hard to read
Cortisol peaks in the first hour after waking and falls all day. A morning draw is what the reference ranges are built on. The same value at 4 PM carries a completely different meaning, which is why we schedule adrenal work early rather than fitting it around the rest of the day.
Biotin can distort results, and it is in most hair supplements
High-dose biotin interferes with many laboratory immunoassays, including thyroid function and several hormone assays, and can push results falsely high or falsely low depending on the test. Both the MHRA and the FDA have issued warnings about it. This matters here more than at most clinics, because biotin is the main ingredient in the hair, skin and nail supplements a lot of our patients are already taking. If you take one, stop it at least 48 to 72 hours before your appointment and tell us, and we will factor it in.
Prolactin rewards being unhurried
Prolactin rises with stress, recent exercise, sleep disruption and even the needle itself. A mildly raised prolactin on a rushed appointment is common and often means nothing. We allow for it rather than reporting a number that will only need repeating.
This is the practical argument for being tested in a clinic rather than posting a fingerprick sample. A postal kit cannot choose your appointment time, cannot know which day of your cycle it is, cannot tell you to stop your biotin first, and cannot control how long the sample spends in transit before it reaches a laboratory. None of that makes home testing worthless, but for hormones specifically it removes the controls that make the number interpretable. When you book here, timing is part of the panel design, and if the timing is wrong we will tell you to come back rather than draw blood that cannot answer your question.
Common questions about hormone test timing
What time of day should you test testosterone?
Between 7 and 11 AM. Testosterone follows a daily rhythm and peaks in the early morning, falling substantially by the afternoon, so UK and European guidance is to sample in the morning while fasted. A low result should also be confirmed on a second separate morning before hypogonadism is diagnosed, because a single low reading is common and often not repeated. An afternoon testosterone that looks low is frequently just an afternoon testosterone.
What day of your cycle should female hormones be tested?
It depends on which hormone. FSH, LH and oestradiol are read against the early follicular phase, meaning days 2 to 5 of the cycle, counting the first day of full bleeding as day 1. Progesterone is the opposite and is measured in the mid-luteal phase, roughly 7 days before your next period is due. That is around day 21 in a 28-day cycle, but genuinely later in a longer one: testing progesterone on day 21 of a 35-day cycle is a common way to be told incorrectly that you did not ovulate.
Does biotin affect blood test results?
Yes. High-dose biotin interferes with many laboratory immunoassays, including thyroid function and several hormone assays, and can push results falsely high or falsely low depending on which test is used. Both the MHRA and the FDA have issued warnings about this. It matters particularly for hair loss patients, because biotin is the main ingredient in most hair, skin and nail supplements. Stop high-dose biotin at least 48 to 72 hours before your appointment and tell the clinician you have been taking it.
Why does cortisol have to be tested in the morning?
Cortisol peaks within the first hour of waking and falls steadily through the day, so the reference ranges used to interpret it are built on a morning sample. A draw between 8 and 9 AM captures the peak. The same value measured at 4 PM means something entirely different, and a "low" afternoon cortisol may be completely normal physiology rather than any sign of adrenal disease.
Is a home fingerprick hormone test as accurate as a clinic blood test?
For hormones specifically, the limitation is usually control rather than the assay itself. A postal kit cannot choose your appointment time, cannot know which day of your cycle you are on, cannot tell you to stop your biotin supplement first, and cannot control how long the sample spends in transit before reaching a laboratory. Those are the variables that determine whether a hormone result is interpretable. Home testing is not worthless, but for hormones it removes most of the controls that make the number mean something.
Why private hormone testing?
NHS hormone testing follows NICE-guided referral thresholds and tends to test fewer markers per visit. Private testing offers wider panels reviewed by GMC-registered doctors, on your timeline.
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Detailed panels
We test multiple markers within each hormonal axis, not just the headline figure. Context matters.
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Clinician-reviewed
Every result reviewed in the context of your symptoms, not just against population averages.
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Clear action plan
You'll leave with a clear understanding of your results and what, if anything, needs attention.
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Repeat on your terms
Re-test whenever your clinician recommends it. We keep a full record to compare results over time.
Ready to check your hormones?
Book a same-day appointment. No referral required. Results reviewed by a qualified doctor.