On your lab requisition: Labcorp “Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum” (test no. 082016)
The short answer
Measures the protein that carries testosterone and estrogen — essential for interpreting hormone levels, measured from a standard blood draw. At TestWell it costs $34.99 plus a $6 lab processing fee, needs no fasting, and results post in 1–3 business days. Physician-authorized with no doctor's visit or insurance needed; draw at Quest or Labcorp.
Hospital Lab
$120
cash pay
Other Labs
$59
+ lab fees
TestWell
$34.99
+ $6 lab processing fee
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) is a protein produced by the liver that binds to testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and estradiol, controlling how much of these hormones is available for your body to use. Measuring SHBG is critical for accurately interpreting total testosterone and estrogen levels, since only the unbound ('free') hormone is biologically active. Low SHBG is associated with insulin resistance and PCOS, while high SHBG can mask adequate total hormone levels.
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin — protein that binds and inactivates ~98% of circulating testosterone and estradiol. Critical for interpreting hormone levels (high SHBG = low bioavailable hormone even at normal total levels).
Men with normal Total T but symptoms of low T, women with hirsutism or PCOS workups, anyone evaluating thyroid impact on hormone bioavailability, or athletes/anti-aging users tracking hormone optimization.
Sample Type
Blood draw
Fasting
Not required
Results In
1–3 business days
Performed At
Quest or Labcorp
Your SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) results will include values for each of the 1 biomarker tested, along with reference ranges. Results are reviewed by a licensed physician before being released to your secure portal.
If any values fall outside the normal range, your report will include guidance on what that may mean and recommended next steps. You'll receive an email notification when your results are ready, typically within 1–3 business days.
Typical reference range layout
Lab reports show where your value sits relative to established reference intervals—your physician interprets this in context for you. Already have results? Analyze them with your AI assistant against our physician-reviewed ranges.
No fasting required. Best drawn in the morning when hormone levels are most stable.
What can throw off this result
Physician-reviewed “Before your test” pages — what each factor does, for how long, and what to do about it.
An SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) test costs $34.99 at TestWell — $40.99 all-in when ordered alone, because the $6 lab processing fee is charged once per order, with no draw fee or physician fee added. Hospital outpatient labs typically bill around $120.00 self-pay for the same test, and often more. With insurance, what you pay depends on your deductible and your plan's negotiated rate; TestWell's price is fixed before the draw and is HSA/FSA-eligible.
| Where you order | Price | One test, all-in | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TestWell (drawn at Quest or Labcorp) | $34.99 | $40.99 | Includes the one $6 lab processing fee, charged once per order |
| TestWell (drawn at BioReference — New York & New Jersey) | $29.99 | $35.99 | New York and New Jersey orders route to BioReference; Quest Health and Labcorp OnDemand don't take self-ordered draws in those states |
| Hospital outpatient lab, self-pay (typical) | $120.00 | $120.00 | Reference figure; hospital charges vary widely by facility and are often higher |
Lab test codes: Quest test code 30740 · Labcorp test no. 082016 · BioReference code 0658-5. Competitor prices are read from the linked public pages and re-checked regularly; the labs' sites may add taxes or change prices without notice.
Compare more: Quest Diagnostics price list · Labcorp price list · Quest vs Labcorp · Lab test price checker
SHBG binds testosterone tightly and inactivates it. High SHBG → low bioavailable testosterone even with normal Total T (symptomatic low T despite 'normal' labs). Low SHBG → more bioavailable hormone (sometimes used to explain PCOS androgen symptoms or insulin resistance). SHBG also reflects thyroid status and liver health.
TestWell charges $34.99 — vs $49 at Quest Direct and $80-$200 at endocrinology clinics.
Men: 16-55 nmol/L. Women (pre-menopausal): 27-128 nmol/L. Post-menopausal: 17-125 nmol/L. High SHBG (>60 in men): often from hyperthyroidism, liver disease, anorexia, or aging. Low SHBG (<16 in men): obesity, insulin resistance, hypothyroidism.
Yes if Free T is low but Total T is normal — high SHBG is the most common explanation. Our Testosterone Free & Total already calculates free T from Total + SHBG when both are ordered.
SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) test results are typically ready in 1–3 business days after your draw at Quest or Labcorp. TestWell emails you the moment they post, and your results dashboard shows each marker against its reference range with a plain-English explanation.
No, fasting is not required for an SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) test — you can eat normally and book any time of day. Best drawn in the morning when hormone levels are most stable.
Common medications and oral contraceptives and estrogen can change an SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) test result without anything being wrong. Common medications can raise SHBG — free testosterone and SHBG interpreted in that context. Oral contraceptives and estrogen can raise SHBG — expected; interpret testosterone with it. Each factor is covered on our physician-reviewed "Before your test" pages; when one applies, the fix is usually to remove it and retest.
Order the SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) test online from TestWell for $34.99 (plus a $6 per-order lab processing fee) — no doctor's visit, referral or insurance needed. A licensed physician authorizes the order, then you walk into any Quest or Labcorp patient service center near you for the draw (the lab locator on our site lists the closest ones by ZIP code), and results arrive in 1–3 business days.
The CPT code for an SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) test is 84270. You can order it from TestWell for $34.99 — no doctor's visit or insurance required, with results in 1–3 business days.
The SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) test is Quest Diagnostics test code 30740, Labcorp test number 082016 ("Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum"), BioReference code 0658-5 (CPT 84270). TestWell orders it under those codes for $34.99 at Quest, Labcorp or BioReference — no doctor's visit or insurance required, results in 1–3 business days. Codes verified against the labs' catalogs in 2026.
Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD · Last reviewed September 2026
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