At home blood test for men: which markers to track and which kit covers them

Quick answer

The best at home blood test for men covers two things most routine checkups skip: a proper hormone picture (total and free testosterone plus SHBG) and the heart markers that predict risk better than LDL alone (ApoB and Lp(a)). SiPhox Longevity Essentials measures both, plus HbA1c, hs-CRP, vitamin D and ferritin, for $124 plus $25 shipping per test. If you want estradiol, LH, FSH, prolactin or PSA, switch to Hormone Focus for that test; if you want all of it at once, Ultimate 360 is $274 per test.

Hormones and heart in one drawSiPhox Longevity Essentials: testosterone, free T, SHBG, ApoB, Lp(a), HbA1c and 24 more, needle-free at home.

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Markers men should track

Testosterone, free T and SHBG

Testosterone is highest in the morning, between about 7 and 10 a.m., so every test should be taken at the same early time. The American Urological Association uses 300 ng/dL as a reasonable cut-off for low total testosterone, and says the diagnosis should only be made after two early morning measurements on separate days, together with symptoms. That is one of the best arguments for a home kit you can repeat: one low number on its own is not a diagnosis.

The chart shows why the lab matters: one lab's lower limit for men over 50 is 193 ng/dL, another's is 300. The upper limit falls with age in both sets, from 1,080 to 720 ng/dL in ARUP's ranges. See testosterone levels by age for the full tables.

Most testosterone in blood is bound to SHBG and albumin. If SHBG is high, total testosterone can look normal while free testosterone is low, and the reverse. That is why a total-T-only test, like the one in Labcorp's $219 Men's Health Test, tells only part of the story. SiPhox reports total testosterone, calculated free testosterone and SHBG on Longevity Essentials, and adds % free testosterone and the free androgen index on Hormone Focus. More in our at-home testosterone test guide.

Estradiol in men

Men make estradiol mostly by converting testosterone, and need some for bone and sexual function. It matters most for men on testosterone therapy, where levels can rise. Note that SiPhox's Longevity Essentials measures estradiol only for women; men need Hormone Focus or Ultimate 360 to get it. Both use a sensitive estradiol assay.

PSA: what the guidelines say

PSA is a protein made by the prostate. MedlinePlus lists prostate cancer, an enlarged prostate, prostatitis, urinary tract infections and some medicines as causes of a high PSA, and notes that ejaculation in the 24 hours before the test can raise it. The US Preventive Services Task Force (2018 recommendation, currently being updated) says:

• Men 55 to 69: whether to screen should be an individual decision after talking to a clinician about benefits and harms (grade C).
• Men 70 and older: do not screen (grade D).

The harms are false positives, biopsies and overtreatment. So a PSA on a home panel is information to take to your doctor, not a screening program on its own. SiPhox includes PSA on Hormone Focus and Ultimate 360 only.

Heart and metabolic markers

The routine lipid panel misses two useful heart markers. ApoB counts the particles that actually enter artery walls; the 2018 AHA/ACC guideline treats 130 mg/dL or higher as a risk enhancer. Lp(a) is mostly genetic, so one measurement is usually enough; 50 mg/dL or 125 nmol/L or more is a risk enhancer. Both are on SiPhox Longevity Essentials by default. See the ApoB test guide for other ways to get it.

For blood sugar, SiPhox measures HbA1c and C-peptide rather than glucose. HbA1c below 5.7% is normal, 5.7% to 6.4% is prediabetes and 6.5% or more is in the diabetes range; a diagnosis is usually confirmed with a repeat test.

Blood test for men over 40

After 40, add to the list rather than replace it:

• Kidney and liver markers (eGFR, creatinine, ALT, AST), especially on long-term medication: SiPhox Heart & Metabolic.
• Lp(a) once, if it has never been measured.
• PSA conversation with your doctor from 55, or earlier with a family history.
• Thyroid if you have symptoms: TSH is on most SiPhox panels; free T4, free T3 and antibodies on Thyroid Focus.

A simple SiPhox rotation for a man over 40: Longevity Essentials twice a year, Heart & Metabolic once, Hormone Focus once. That is four tests for $596 a year, switching panels at each renewal. For one broad test instead, see our full body blood test guide.

TRT monitoring at home

Men on testosterone therapy are one of the groups that genuinely benefit from repeat home testing. The AUA guideline calls for measuring hemoglobin and hematocrit before starting (testosterone can thicken the blood), PSA before starting in men over 40, and follow-up levels after starting and then every 6 to 12 months. Your prescriber sets the actual schedule.

The gap: Hormone Focus itself does not report hematocrit. For a single TRT check, Hormone Focus plus the $45 CBC covers testosterone, estradiol, PSA and a measured hematocrit in one draw. Share results with your prescriber; SiPhox is a wellness service and does not manage medication.

Which SiPhox panel covers what (men)

Generated from SiPhox's panel lists on September 29, 2026. "Women only" means the panel reports it for women but not for men.

Most people start here

Longevity Essentials

$124 + $25 shipping per test

31 biomarkers per test

The default panel: heart, metabolic, hormone and inflammation markers in one draw.

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Hormone Focus

$124 + $25 shipping per test

14 biomarkers per test

Sex hormones for men and women, including PSA for men and progesterone for women.

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Ultimate 360

$249 + $25 shipping per test

62 biomarkers per test

Everything on the four core panels plus iron studies, B12 and folate, GGT and PSA.

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How to prepare for a men's blood test at home

• Collect between about 7 and 10 a.m., when testosterone peaks, and use the same time for every repeat.
• On TRT, ask your prescriber when in your injection or gel cycle to test, and keep it the same each time. A level taken the day after an injection and one taken the day before the next will look very different.
• Skip the test if you are ill. Illness can skew hormone results and raises hs-CRP.
• Avoid biotin for a few days if you take high doses, as it can interfere with some hormone assays.
• For PSA, MedlinePlus advises no sex or masturbation for 24 hours before the test, because releasing semen can raise PSA, and telling your provider about any medicines you take.
• Hydrate and warm up before an arm-device draw; see our EasyDraw guide.

What to do with a borderline result

A year of testing for men: plans and costs

All prices include $25 shipping per test and assume list prices; the first test is advertised at $99 plus shipping for new members. See SiPhox cost for every cadence.

Other options

• Labcorp OnDemand Men's Health Test, $219: CMP, CBC, lipids, HbA1c, urinalysis and total testosterone at a lab. No free T, SHBG, estradiol or PSA.
• Quest Comprehensive Health Profile (men's), $329 + $6: 75+ markers including testosterone, PSA, hs-CRP and vitamin D, at a lab.
• Function Health or Superpower, $365 or $349 a year: the widest panels, two Quest draws a year. See SiPhox vs Function Health.
• Rythm Health, $79 a test: a smaller monthly panel from an arm device; compare in SiPhox vs Rythm.

Test in the morning, at homeLongevity Essentials for hormones and heart, Hormone Focus for estradiol and PSA. Switch every cycle.

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Frequently asked questions