Quarterly monitoring labs for patients on testosterone therapy
The short answer
TRT Quarterly Panel bundles 11 tests — Testosterone, Total, Testosterone, Free (Direct) and SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) plus 8 more — for $179.00 plus one $6 lab processing fee (about $16.27 per test). Fast 8–12 hours before the draw; results post in 2–4 business days. Physician-authorized with no doctor's visit or insurance needed; one draw at Quest or Labcorp.
Other Labs
Starting at $480
+ lab fees
TestWell
$179.00
+ $6 lab processing fee
The TRT Quarterly Panel is designed for patients currently on testosterone replacement therapy who need regular monitoring. It tracks testosterone levels (total and free) to confirm dosing, SHBG and estradiol to monitor aromatization, and LH and FSH to assess pituitary suppression. PSA monitors prostate health. CBC is critical for detecting polycythemia (elevated hematocrit/hemoglobin), the most common side effect of TRT. CMP, lipid panel, and HbA1c track metabolic and cardiovascular health over time. Vitamin D and a thyroid panel are available as optional add-ons below — useful for patients who want a more complete picture but not strictly required quarterly. Recommended every 3 months for the first year, then every 6 months if stable.
TRT monitoring: Total + Free Testosterone, Estradiol, SHBG, CBC (hematocrit safety), PSA, Lipid Panel. The standard every-3-month workup recommended by AUA and Endocrine Society for men on testosterone replacement.
Men currently on testosterone replacement therapy — required for safe dose management. AUA recommends quarterly monitoring in the first year, then every 6-12 months once stable.
Sample Type
Blood draw
Fasting
Required
Results In
2–4 business days
Biomarkers
40 across 11 tests
11 individual tests · 40 biomarkers measured — each test linked so you can learn more.
Fasting for 10–12 hours is recommended. Morning blood draw (before 10 AM) preferred. If on injectable testosterone, draw blood at trough (day before next injection) for most accurate levels.
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.
The short answer
If you're on testosterone therapy, this is the standard-of-care monitoring set in one quarterly draw: your testosterone response plus the safety markers every prescriber tracks - hematocrit (CBC), estradiol, PSA, lipids, A1c. Worth it whether your TRT comes from a men's-health clinic, telehealth, or your own physician - $179 versus ordering the eleven tests separately.
We would rather you order the right test than the most expensive one.
One venous draw at Quest, morning preferred, fasting 10-12 hours recommended (the panel includes lipids and A1c). Time it consistently relative to your dose - for weekly injections, most draw at trough, the morning before injection day - so quarter-over-quarter trends are comparable.
An at-home draw is not recommended for this test — it needs a lab-based collection to be accurate.
The markers that matter most and what an out-of-range value can mean. Reference ranges vary by lab, age and sex.
| Marker | Typical range | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Total + free testosterone | On-therapy targets are set by your prescriber | Confirms your protocol actually achieves therapeutic levels at trough - the efficacy half of monitoring. |
| Hematocrit (from CBC) | ~38-52% (labs vary) | Testosterone stimulates red-cell production; rising hematocrit is TRT's most common side effect and the classic reason doses get adjusted. Trending it quarterly catches the drift early. |
| Estradiol, PSA, lipids, A1c | See individual reference ranges | Estradiol rises via aromatization (symptoms when out of proportion); PSA is the prostate-safety trend every guideline tracks on therapy; lipids and A1c capture the metabolic picture. |
This section medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD — updated August 2026. General health information, not medical advice; interpret results with a qualified clinician.
A TRT Quarterly Panel costs $179.00 at TestWell — $185.00 all-in when ordered alone, because the $6 lab processing fee is charged once per order, with no draw fee or physician fee added. 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) | $179.00 | $185.00 | Includes the one $6 lab processing fee, charged once per order |
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
Total + Free T (dose effectiveness), Estradiol (aromatization), SHBG (binding fluctuations), CBC (hematocrit safety — TRT can thicken blood), PSA (prostate safety baseline), Lipid Panel (TRT can worsen lipids in some men).
On TestWell, the TRT Quarterly Panel starts at $179.00 (Quest; $229 at Labcorp or BioReference, which price these hormone markers higher) — vs about $480 at Quest Direct and $300-$700 at TRT clinics. Quarterly testing this affordable removes the cost barrier to safe monitoring.
Yes — morning fasting draw between 7-10 AM. Time it relative to your last TRT dose for consistency (e.g., always 3-4 days into your injection cycle).
For injectable TRT (cypionate or enanthate weekly), draw at the trough — 6-7 days after last injection. For daily creams/gels, draw 2-4 hours after morning application. For pellets, draw at month 3 post-insertion (steady-state).
Hematocrit >54% raises stroke and DVT risk. Solutions: reduce TRT dose, switch from injectable to cream (less erythrocytosis), donate blood (therapeutic phlebotomy). Discuss with your TRT provider.
Quarterly is the common rhythm in the first year and after any protocol change, often relaxing to twice yearly once stable - your prescriber sets the exact cadence. TestWell offers this panel as a quarterly auto-renewing subscription so the retest happens without remembering.
Consistency beats any single 'right' answer: most prescribers want trough levels - the morning of (or day before) your next weekly injection - because peak levels vary wildly with timing. Whatever you choose, repeat it every quarter so your trend line means something.
$179 for the 11-test panel on TestWell - the same set ordered individually runs well over $300, and men's-health clinics commonly bill $250-400 for quarterly labs. HSA/FSA eligible.
TRT Quarterly Panel results are typically ready in 2–4 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.
Keto and high-protein diets, common medications and smoking and nicotine can change a TRT Quarterly Panel result without anything being wrong. Keto and high-protein diets can raise LDL Cholesterol and HDL Cholesterol and 2 more markers on this test and can lower Triglycerides, Sodium and Glucose — recheck with ApoB; discuss cardiovascular risk rather than dismissing the rise as 'diet noise'. Common medications can raise ALT, SHBG and WBC and can lower Total Testosterone and PSA Total — continue; report muscle pain to the prescriber. Smoking and nicotine can raise RBC and WBC and 2 more markers on this test and can lower HDL Cholesterol — tell the clinician; a high hematocrit in a smoker is usually smoking, not polycythemia. 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 TRT Quarterly Panel online from TestWell for $179.00 (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 2–4 business days.
Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD · Last reviewed September 2026
Related guide
Testosterone Testing: Which Test Do You Actually Need (Total, Free, SHBG, or Full TRT Panel)?
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+ $6 lab processing fee at checkout
No insurance needed · HIPAA compliant
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TRT Quarterly Panel
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