The 3 Best Hormone Panels in Australia (and How to Choose)

How to choose a hormone panel

There is no single "best" hormone blood test, only the best one for your situation. Before you pick a panel, answer three quick questions: are you testing as a man or a woman, what symptoms or goals are driving it, and how complete a picture do you want. The three panels below cover the vast majority of people. If you would rather browse everything first, the full range sits on the hormone blood tests page.

One principle matters more than the panel you choose: hormones are read together, not in isolation. A single testosterone or oestrogen number tells you very little on its own. What matters is the relationship between hormones, the binding proteins that decide how much is active, and how the whole picture lines up with your symptoms. That is why a proper panel beats a one-marker test almost every time.

Prices shown are a guide. See each product page for current pricing and the full marker list.

What the hormone markers actually mean

Before the panels themselves, here is what each marker measures and what a high or low result can point to. This is the part most test providers skip, and it is what turns a page of numbers into something useful.

Testosterone (total and free)

Total testosterone measures all the testosterone in your blood, both the fraction bound to proteins and the small free fraction. Free testosterone is the active portion your body can actually use. This distinction matters: total testosterone can look normal while free testosterone is low, because more of it is locked up by binding proteins. In men, low levels can drive fatigue, low libido, reduced strength and low mood. In women, testosterone is present in smaller amounts but still supports libido, energy and muscle, and a raised level is a hallmark of PCOS.

SHBG and Free Androgen Index

SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) is the protein that binds testosterone and oestrogen and controls how much is free and active. High SHBG lowers your active testosterone even when total testosterone reads normal, low SHBG raises it. The Free Androgen Index (FAI) is a calculation from total testosterone and SHBG that estimates active androgen levels, and is particularly useful in assessing PCOS in women.

Oestradiol and progesterone

Oestradiol is the main form of oestrogen. In women it drives the cycle, bone health, mood and skin, and it fluctuates dramatically across the month. In men, a small amount is essential, and a raised level can accompany low testosterone. Progesterone rises after ovulation and balances oestrogen. Low progesterone relative to oestrogen is linked to heavy periods, PMS, anxiety and poor sleep, and progesterone naturally declines from the late 30s.

LH, FSH and prolactin

LH (luteinising hormone) and FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) are pituitary signals that drive the ovaries and testes. Their pattern helps locate where a problem sits: high LH and FSH with low sex hormones points to the gonads, low LH and FSH points to the pituitary. A raised FSH in women is a key marker of the menopause transition. Prolactin is best known for milk production, but a raised level in either sex can suppress other hormones and cause low libido or cycle changes.

DHEAS and cortisol

DHEAS is an adrenal androgen and a precursor to other sex hormones, useful when investigating androgen excess. Cortisol is your primary stress hormone, following a daily rhythm that is highest in the morning. Chronically high or blunted cortisol affects energy, sleep, weight and mood, which is why it appears in a good hormone panel.

1. Male Hormone Profile

The Male Hormone Profile is the natural starting point for men. It looks beyond a single testosterone reading to the markers that actually explain how you feel: total and free testosterone, SHBG, oestradiol, the pituitary hormones LH and FSH, prolactin, DHEAS and cortisol.

Who it is for: men noticing low energy, reduced strength or recovery, low libido, poor motivation or mood changes, or anyone who simply wants a proper baseline. Because it measures free testosterone and SHBG rather than total testosterone alone, it catches the common situation where total testosterone looks fine but the active fraction is low.

An important detail on timing: testosterone follows a daily rhythm and is highest in the morning, so pathology guidance is to collect the sample between roughly 7am and 10am. Because a single low reading can be misleading, a genuinely low result is usually confirmed on a second morning sample before any conclusions are drawn. For context, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme only subsidises testosterone treatment when total testosterone is below 8 nmol/L alongside symptoms and an established medical cause, which shows how strict the clinical threshold is.

If you only care about your testosterone markers, the focused Testosterone Test is a tighter, cheaper option covering total testosterone, free testosterone, SHBG and free androgen index. For panels that add metabolic and general health markers, explore the wider men's health range.

2. Female Hormone Profile

The Female Hormone Profile is the female counterpart and the most common first test for women. It covers oestradiol, progesterone, FSH, LH, prolactin, testosterone, SHBG and cortisol, the standard read for understanding your cycle, mood, energy and fertility picture.

Who it is for: women dealing with irregular or heavy periods, significant PMS, low mood or anxiety that tracks with the cycle, low libido, or fertility planning. Because reproductive hormones move through the month, timing changes the result, which we cover in detail below. For a deeper look at what the symptoms can mean, see our guide to hormone imbalance symptoms in women.

Two of the most common patterns this panel helps investigate are PCOS, which affects around 1 in 10 Australian women and typically shows raised androgens and a high LH to FSH ratio, and the perimenopause transition, where FSH rises and progesterone falls. If your symptoms point toward the thyroid (fatigue, weight changes, hair thinning, feeling cold), pair it with a Full Thyroid Check, since thyroid problems are far more common in women and are often the real driver. Planning a family or curious about your egg reserve? The AMH (Ovarian Reserve) test is a useful add-on. The full range sits under women's health.

3. Full Hormone Screen

The Full Hormone Screen is the panel to choose when you are not sure where to start, or you simply want the widest single read. It covers 15 markers spanning your sex hormones, stress hormones and growth and metabolic hormones in one blood draw, giving you and your doctor a comprehensive baseline rather than a narrow slice.

Who it is for: anyone with a cluster of vague symptoms that could have several hormonal drivers, people who want one thorough test rather than several small ones, and anyone tracking their overall hormonal health over time. Because it spans multiple systems, it is also the best value when you would otherwise buy two or three smaller panels. If you want to go even broader, adding organ function, nutrients, inflammation and metabolic markers, look at the comprehensive health checks in the wider catalogue.

Two more options worth knowing

Already on TRT or HRT

If you are on testosterone or hormone therapy, the TRT Baseline Bloodwork is built for monitoring. It tracks your testosterone markers alongside the health indicators that matter on therapy, including oestradiol, SHBG, PSA, a lipid profile and a full blood count, because therapy can affect red blood cell count, cholesterol and prostate markers. Always follow your treating doctor's protocol on timing and frequency.

Prefer to build your own

If none of the fixed panels fits exactly, the Custom Hormone Panel lets you pick your own markers from a menu that includes testosterone, thyroid, cortisol, insulin, IGF-1 and AMH, from $20 per marker. It is the most flexible option and a good pick if you are tracking one or two specific hormones over time.

Typical reference ranges, and why they vary

Reference ranges are a guide, not a verdict, and they differ between laboratories and assays. Female sex hormones in particular swing widely across the cycle, so a single range means little without knowing the cycle day. The figures below are indicative adult ranges only, and any result should be interpreted by a doctor alongside your symptoms.

What Medicare covers, and why private testing exists

This is worth understanding before you choose. Under the Medicare Benefits Schedule, hormone and binding-protein tests such as testosterone and SHBG fall under Item 66695, with a schedule fee around $30.50 and Medicare covering roughly 75 to 85 per cent when the test is ordered by a GP or specialist for a valid clinical reason. The catch is that the rebate depends on meeting the clinical criteria, and direct-to-consumer tests ordered without a referral are generally not Medicare-rebated at all.

In practice that means two things. If your symptoms clearly meet the criteria, your GP can order testing with a rebate. If they do not, you may be declined or pay out of pocket after a consult anyway. Private testing exists for exactly this gap: it lets you check your hormones on your own terms, without the referral hurdle, and take the results to your doctor afterwards.

When should you test?

For men, most hormone markers can be measured on any day, but testosterone is highest in the morning, so a sample between 7am and 10am is ideal. For women, reproductive hormones move through the cycle: FSH, LH and baseline oestradiol are best on days 2 to 5, while progesterone is best around day 21, or roughly 7 days before your expected period. Testosterone, SHBG, prolactin, cortisol, DHEAS, AMH and thyroid hormones can be tested any day. If you are on hormonal contraception, your natural cycle is suppressed, so results reflect the medication rather than your own pattern.

How often should you retest?

It depends on your goal. For general wellbeing or symptom investigation, every 6 to 12 months is reasonable. If you are actively changing your training, diet, sleep or supplements, retesting at around 3 months shows whether it is working, since that is long enough for meaningful change. On TRT or HRT, follow your prescriber's protocol, typically every 3 to 6 months. Testing at a consistent time of day and cycle point makes results comparable over time.