Test ID: SB-649 | Sample Type: Saliva + Dried Blood Spot | Technology: LC-MS/MS | Results Time: 3–5 Working Days After Laboratory Receives Sample | Laboratory: ZRT Laboratory – CLIA Certified | Hormone Specialist Doctor Interpretation: Included | Suitable For: Adults and Children | Collect Sample At Home: No Clinic Visit Required
What Does This Test Measure?
Saliva — Sex Hormones & Cortisol (LC-MS/MS): Estradiol (E2), Estriol (E3), Estrone (E1), Progesterone, Testosterone, DHEAS, Cortisol.
Blood Spot — Full Thyroid Panel: TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Total T4, TPO Antibodies, Thyroglobulin Antibodies.
Blood Spot — CardioMetabolic Panel: Fasting Insulin, HbA1c, HDL Cholesterol, Triglycerides, Total Cholesterol, hsCRP.
19 markers total — a complete picture of androgenic balance, thyroid function including autoimmune markers, and cardiometabolic risk in a single at-home kit.
Related Symptoms
Persistent fatigue, unexplained weight gain, low libido, erectile dysfunction, poor exercise recovery, brain fog, low mood, feeling cold, dry skin, hair thinning, sugar cravings, energy crashes, elevated cholesterol or triglycerides on previous testing, insomnia, chronic stress, burnout, or symptoms of low testosterone with normal standard blood results.
Who Should Consider This Test?
- Persistent fatigue that does not improve with rest or sleep
- Unexplained weight gain, particularly around the abdomen
- Low libido, erectile dysfunction, or reduced sexual performance
- Poor recovery from exercise or sustained high workload
- Brain fog, poor concentration, or low mood
- Feeling cold, dry skin, or hair thinning
- Sugar cravings, energy crashes, or afternoon slumps
- Elevated cholesterol, triglycerides, or blood sugar on previous testing
- Insomnia, night waking, or unrefreshing sleep
- Chronic stress or burnout
- Symptoms of low testosterone with normal or inconclusive standard blood results
- Currently on TRT and wanting to monitor thyroid, oestradiol, and metabolic markers alongside testosterone
- Diagnosed or suspected Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or autoimmune thyroid disease
- Family history of thyroid disease, heart disease, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome
- Men over 35 wanting a comprehensive androgenic, thyroid, and cardiometabolic health baseline
Why This Test Is Particularly Important for Men
- Cortisol is the central disruptor of all three systems simultaneously — depleting testosterone via pregnenolone steal, impairing thyroid T4-to-T3 conversion, and driving insulin resistance, visceral fat, triglyceride elevation, and hsCRP all at once
- Thyroid dysfunction is a major and overlooked cause of low testosterone — hypothyroidism directly suppresses Leydig cell function; cortisol-driven T3 suppression produces identical symptoms with a normal TSH
- TSH alone misses three critical patterns — cortisol-driven T3 suppression, early thyroid insufficiency, and Hashimoto’s autoimmunity; both TPO and Tg antibodies are required as some men have elevated Tg with normal TPO
- Insulin resistance and testosterone decline are mutually reinforcing and thyroid-compounded — fasting insulin is the earliest detectable marker, elevated years before HbA1c becomes abnormal
- hsCRP is the convergence biomarker of all three systems — elevated simultaneously by low testosterone, cortisol dysregulation, insulin resistance, oestradiol excess, and Hashimoto’s autoimmunity
Not Sure Which Test Is Right for You?
Email us at info@hormonelab.co.uk with your gender, age, symptoms, medications, and any current treatments. We will forward your enquiry to our doctors and respond within 24 hours.
How It Works
- Order your kit — delivered directly to your door
- Collect your saliva sample (morning before 9am for optimal cortisol accuracy) and blood spot via finger-prick
- Post your samples to ZRT Laboratory using the return instructions provided
- Receive your full report by email within 3–5 working days
What You Receive
- All 19 marker results with male-specific reference ranges
- Visual charts for all sex hormones, cortisol, the full thyroid panel, and all six cardiometabolic markers
- Integrated clinical interpretation of how testosterone, oestradiol, cortisol, thyroid markers, and cardiometabolic results interact by a Hormone Specialist PhD Doctor
- Cortisol-thyroid T3 interaction and Hashimoto’s assessment in insulin and cortisol context
- Personalised next-step recommendations
- Laboratory fee included — no hidden charges
Why We Use ZRT Laboratory
All testing is performed by ZRT Laboratory — a globally recognised, CLIA-certified diagnostic laboratory founded in 1998 by Dr. David Zava, PhD. ZRT has performed over 11 million tests and is trusted by healthcare professionals in 96+ countries.
- Pioneers of at-home dried blood spot (DBS) and saliva hormone testing
- Advanced LC-MS/MS technology for clinical-grade accuracy
- Qualified for the CDC Hormone Standardization (HoSt) Program
- Personalised reference ranges based on age and sex
Through our partnership with ZRT Laboratory, Hormone Lab UK delivers internationally recognised, research-backed hormone testing to people across the UK and Europe — from the comfort of home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is TSH alone not enough to assess thyroid health in men?
TSH measures the pituitary signal to the thyroid, not the active hormone reaching cells. Cortisol-driven T3 suppression produces functional hypothyroidism with a normal TSH. Hashimoto’s causes progressive thyroid damage for years before TSH becomes abnormal. Both patterns are invisible to TSH alone.
Can I use this test if I am on TRT or levothyroxine?
Yes. This test is particularly valuable for men on TRT wanting to monitor thyroid markers, oestradiol balance, insulin sensitivity, and inflammation alongside testosterone.
Is this test suitable for men with Hashimoto’s or suspected thyroid disease?
Yes — the full 6-marker thyroid panel includes both TPO and Tg antibodies for complete Hashimoto’s screening alongside the cortisol and insulin markers that drive autoimmune thyroid activity.
Does the price include the laboratory fee?
Yes. The full laboratory analysis fee is included. There are no additional charges. You are only responsible for posting your samples to the laboratory.
How long is the kit valid for?
The kit must be used within 12 months of the purchase date.
