What is the Sports Hormone Profile?

The Sports Hormone Profile is a specialist blood test panel assessing hormones that regulate muscle growth, energy levels, recovery, metabolism, and stress response. Hormonal balance plays a critical role in how the body adapts to training and physical load.

This profile focuses on androgens, thyroid hormones, adrenal hormones, and pituitary regulation, providing a clear picture of endocrine function under training stress.

Why do I need a Sports Hormone Profile?

Intense or prolonged training can disrupt hormone balance, even in otherwise healthy individuals. Symptoms may appear gradually and are often mistaken for overtraining or poor nutrition.

This test helps identify hormonal factors limiting performance or recovery and supports informed training or lifestyle adjustments.

You may benefit from this test if you:

• Train frequently or at high intensity
• Experience poor recovery or declining performance
• Have low energy, strength, or motivation
• Notice reduced libido or mood changes
• Suspect overtraining or hormonal imbalance
• Want to optimise body composition and results

Common symptoms assessed:

• Persistent fatigue
• Loss of strength or muscle mass
• Reduced stamina
• Low libido
• Mood changes or irritability
• Difficulty improving performance

Biomarkers included

This profile includes the following hormones and markers:

• Liver Function Tests (LFTs)
• Free T4
• Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
• Total Testosterone
• Free Testosterone
• DHEA-Sulphate (DHEA-S)
• Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG)
• Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
• Oestradiol
• Prolactin

Benefits of the Sports Hormone Profile

1. Assesses testosterone availability
   Measures both total and free testosterone.
2. Evaluates thyroid function
   Critical for metabolism, energy, and fat utilisation.
3. Monitors adrenal hormone balance
   DHEA-S reflects long-term stress adaptation.
4. Identifies hormone binding effects
   SHBG affects how much testosterone is biologically active.
5. Supports recovery optimisation
   Hormonal balance is key to muscle repair and growth.
6. Detects overtraining-related disruption
   Hormones often shift before performance drops.
7. Guides training and lifestyle adjustments
   Data-driven insight for smarter programming.
8. Supports long-term athletic health
   Prevents chronic endocrine suppression.

Step-by-step – How we offer this test

Option 1: Clinic-based blood test (UK-wide)

• Choose your nearest UK clinic
• Attend your appointment
• Blood sample taken by a clinician
• Sample sent for laboratory analysis

Option 2: Home or hotel visit (+£60, UK-wide)

• Qualified phlebotomist visits your location
• Blood sample taken at home or hotel
• No travel required
• Identical laboratory processing and reporting

Your results explained

Low levels

Low hormone levels may indicate training stress, energy deficiency, or endocrine suppression.

Examples (UK interpretation):

• Low testosterone → poor recovery and strength
• Low free T4 → reduced metabolic output
• Low DHEA-S → chronic stress or fatigue

Normal levels

Normal results suggest balanced hormonal function and good adaptation to training load.

Typical UK interpretation:

• Results within laboratory reference ranges

This indicates hormonal systems are supporting performance and recovery.

High levels

High values may reflect physiological stress, hormonal dysregulation, or external influences.

Examples (UK interpretation):

• High prolactin → suppressed testosterone
• Elevated oestradiol → altered hormone balance
• High SHBG → reduced free testosterone

These findings help guide further assessment or optimisation.