Written by &you Labs Team
Updated September 21, 2026
Male factors cause 30 to 40% of fertility cases. Yet men often skip this test, or put it off. The good news is that testing is simple. A sperm test plus a short hormone panel covers most cases.
This guide covers the blood test side. You will learn which hormones matter and what your numbers can mean.
A male fertility blood test checks testosterone, SHBG, FSH, LH, prolactin, estradiol, and TSH. FSH signals sperm making. LH signals testosterone making. A sperm test stays the main test, since it looks at sperm directly. Blood tests help explain why a sperm test came back off.
The single most useful test is not a blood test. It is a semen analysis, often called a sperm test. It checks:
World Health Organization values to know:
A sperm test is the first step for most couples. Blood tests come next, guided by what that test shows.
The normal morning range is 264 to 916 ng/dL. A healthy target under 60 is 600 to 900 ng/dL. Low testosterone can lower your sex drive. It can also lower sperm making, through signals from the brain.
This is worked out from total testosterone and SHBG. It is the active share your body actually uses. It is often more useful than the total number alone.
The normal range is 10 to 80 nmol/L. Think of SHBG as a taxi for testosterone in your blood. Only the "unbooked" part, the free share, can act on your body.
The normal range is 1.5 to 12.4 IU/L. In men, FSH drives sperm making in the testicles. A high FSH hints the testicles are not doing their job well. A low FSH points to a brain-signal problem.
The normal range is 1.7 to 8.6 IU/L. LH drives testosterone making in the testicles. It helps tell apart two causes of low testosterone. One is a testicle issue. The other is a brain-signal issue.
The normal range is under 15 ng/mL. High prolactin blocks the brain signals that drive testosterone and sperm. It is a fixable cause of male infertility.
The normal male range is 10 to 40 pg/mL. Men need some estradiol for normal sperm making. Very low or very high levels can hurt fertility.
An untreated thyroid problem can lower fertility too.
This comes from your adrenal glands. It is a support marker, not a stand-alone diagnosis.
Total and free testosterone are low. FSH and LH are high. Sperm counts are often low too. Causes include past injury, infection, or a genetic condition. This pattern needs a urologist and a fertility doctor.
Testosterone is low. FSH and LH are low or low-normal. Common causes are excess weight, sleep apnea, or heavy stress. This pattern is often fixable once the root cause is treated.
Prolactin is high, often over 20 to 30. FSH, LH, and testosterone are all low. Causes include certain drugs or a small, usually harmless growth on the pituitary gland. A doctor can find the cause and treat it well.
This often comes with excess weight. Fat tissue turns testosterone into estradiol. High estradiol can block fertility through a brain feedback loop. Weight loss often helps here.
Hormones look fine, but the sperm test does not. Common causes are heat, certain drugs, smoking, alcohol, or poor sleep. Lifestyle fixes and a recheck in 3 months often help.
Hormones and testicles both look normal. Sperm counts are still off, with no clear reason. Lifestyle steps, and sometimes fertility treatment, can still help here.
Hot tubs, saunas, tight clothing, and a laptop on your lap all raise heat near the testicles. This lowers sperm count and motility. It is usually fixable within 2 to 3 months.
Smoking lowers sperm quality and can damage sperm DNA. Quitting shows results within 2 to 3 months.
Heavy drinking lowers testosterone and sperm quality. Light drinking has a less clear effect.
Extra weight lowers testosterone and raises estradiol. It often comes with other health issues too.
Poor sleep and high stress disrupt brain-to-testicle signals. Better sleep and stress habits help over time.
Anabolic steroids, opioids, some antidepressants, and some blood pressure drugs can all lower fertility. So can finasteride, a common pill for hair loss.
Enough zinc, selenium, and omega-3 support sperm quality. A diet rich in vegetables and fish is linked to better results.
Want to see how your testosterone stacks up outside a fertility context too? Our guide to testosterone testing for men covers normal versus healthy target ranges.
Test testosterone in the morning, between 7 and 10 AM. This gives the most reliable reading. A sperm test is often repeated 2 to 3 weeks later, since one sample can vary. Retest hormones 4 to 6 weeks after any lifestyle change. Avoid ejaculation for 2 to 5 days before a sperm test.
See what a full &you Labs panel covers if you want your hormones checked with your other health markers.
Yes, in a roundabout way. Low testosterone often comes with weak FSH and LH signals, which lowers sperm making. Testosterone therapy usually makes this worse, since it can shut down natural sperm making. Men trying to conceive should avoid it without a fertility-focused plan.
Often, yes, by a good amount. Quitting smoking, cutting drinks, losing weight, treating sleep apnea, avoiding heat, and easing stress can all help within 2 to 3 months.
For most couples, a sperm test makes sense after 6 to 12 months of trying. Testing earlier makes sense with known risk factors, like a past surgery or chemo.
Some evidence backs zinc, selenium, coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, vitamin E, and omega-3. The effect is often small. Lifestyle changes tend to matter more.
Home kits can give a rough count. They often miss motility and shape, which matter a lot. A lab-based sperm test gives a fuller, more useful picture.
The &you Labs Team combines medical science with personal care. We help Filipinos understand their health markers with blood work analysis that is easy to follow, whole person support, and health expertise built for Filipino life.
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