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Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin
Abbreviation: SHBG
Panel: Hormone Tests · All hormones tests
Typical adult reference range
| Conventional units | Male 10–80; Female 20–130 nmol/L |
| SI units | Male 10–80; Female 20–130 nmol/L |
Ranges vary between laboratories and methods — compare your result with the range printed on your own report.
What a high or low result can mean
High sex hormone-binding globulin: high values can be seen in hyperthyroidism, liver disease, and with estrogen use.
Low sex hormone-binding globulin: low values may occur in obesity, insulin resistance, and hypothyroidism.
These are associations, not a diagnosis: the same result can have several causes, and your clinician interprets it with the rest of your results and history.
Good to know
Used with total testosterone to calculate free testosterone.
Related tests — Hormone Tests
Please note: Reference ranges vary between laboratories, and between the methods and instruments they use — the range printed on your own report is the one your result should be compared with. A result outside the range is not by itself a diagnosis, and a result inside it does not rule out illness. These pages are an educational summary, not medical advice: always discuss your results with the clinician who ordered them, who can interpret them in the context of your health and history.