Clinic appointment
HRT Hormone Check Plus
FSH and oestradiol with a full cholesterol breakdown, glucose, TSH and free T4, the wider set used at a hormone replacement review.
- Doctor-reviewed results
- Laboratory analysis
- 1 to 2 working days from lab receipt
- Fasting preferred
What’s included
10 markers measured
All items are shown below, grouped by area. You can collapse a group as you read.
Cholesterol
Total cholesterol
The total amount of cholesterol carried in your blood. The result can be split into HDL (good) cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol, and doctors use it with things like age and blood pressure to estimate the risk of heart and circulation problems.
Triglycerides
A type of blood fat measured in a standard lipid profile, which does not usually need a fasting sample. A high level is one form of lipid imbalance and is a risk factor for heart and circulatory disease in its own right.
HDL cholesterol
HDL cholesterol is part of a standard cholesterol (lipid) profile. It works against the build-up of fatty plaque in artery walls, so higher levels are linked with a lower risk of heart and circulation disease. A low HDL level is one form of unhealthy blood fat balance (dyslipidaemia).
LDL cholesterol
LDL cholesterol is usually calculated from the other results in a standard cholesterol profile. It plays a major part in fatty plaque building up in artery walls, so a raised level increases the risk of conditions such as heart attack and stroke. It has long been the main target of cholesterol-lowering treatment.
Non-HDL cholesterol
All the cholesterol types that raise heart risk added together in one number. NICE uses it to set cholesterol treatment goals.
Diabetes
Glucose
Measures the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood when the sample is taken. It may be done after not eating for a few hours (a fasting test) or at other times, and the result is judged differently depending on when you last ate. A high level is mainly seen in diabetes.
Hormones
Free T4
Free thyroxine (FT4), one of the main thyroid hormones. It is read alongside TSH, the pituitary hormone that controls thyroid hormone production: a low TSH with a raised T3 or T4 usually points to an overactive thyroid. What counts as normal varies with age and laboratory method.
TSH
Thyroid-stimulating hormone, released by the pituitary gland to prompt the thyroid to make T4 and T3. Thyroid hormone levels feed back to control it, so a TSH above the normal range points to an underactive thyroid, especially when free T4 is low.
FSH
Follicle-stimulating hormone. As the ovaries become less active in the years before the menopause, less feedback reaches the pituitary gland and FSH rises. Levels can swing sharply from day to day during this change, then stay high after the menopause.
Oestradiol
An oestrogen hormone, often checked with FSH, LH and prolactin when periods have stopped. A low level can point to early loss of ovarian function (with a high FSH), a raised prolactin, or causes such as weight loss, stress or heavy exercise. Results are not reliable during any hormonal treatment.
Overview
The menopause changes more than the reproductive hormones. Cholesterol and blood sugar handling shift in the years around it, and thyroid problems become more common and can cause similar symptoms. This panel puts FSH and oestradiol, a full cholesterol breakdown, glucose, TSH and free T4 on one report so the overlap can be untangled.
Menopause changes more than the reproductive hormones. Cholesterol and blood sugar handling shift in the years around it, and thyroid problems become more common and can cause symptoms that overlap with menopausal ones. This panel puts all of that on one report so the overlap can be untangled. The glucose reading is more useful fasted, so a morning appointment after an overnight fast gives the clearest result, and the report states whether you fasted.
Who this is for and who it isn’t
Who it’s for
- Women aged 18 and over
- Women who want thyroid, cholesterol and blood sugar checked alongside the hormones
- Anyone whose tiredness and weight change could be thyroid or menopause
Who it isn’t for
- This is not a decision-making test for hormone replacement therapy: over 45, UK guidance rests that decision on symptoms. It also does not include progesterone, which the standard HRT Hormone Check does. And while it covers cholesterol and glucose, it is not a full annual health check: liver, kidneys, blood count and iron are not included, and the well person panels cover those.
- Anyone with a new, severe or worsening symptom: contact your GP or call NHS 111. A test you buy today is not a substitute for being examined.
Common reasons people choose this test
- Hot flushes, night sweats or disturbed sleep
- Tiredness and weight change where thyroid and menopause both fit
- Preparing for a hormone replacement review
- Wanting cholesterol and blood sugar checked at the same time
- A family history of heart disease alongside menopausal symptoms
These are reasons people choose to test, not signs that something is wrong. A result is one part of a picture your doctor puts together with your history and an examination.
What your result looks like
Every result is shown with the unit and the reference range exactly as the laboratory reported it, with the doctor’s note underneath.
- Total cholesterol▲ High
- Result
- 5.8 mmol/L
- Range
- <5.0
- TriglyceridesIn range
- Result
- 1.1 mmol/L
- Range
- <1.7 (fasting)
- HDL cholesterolIn range
- Result
- 1.5 mmol/L
- Range
- >1.2 / >1.0
| Marker | Result | Units | Range | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total cholesterol | 5.8 | mmol/L | <5.0 | ▲ High |
| Triglycerides | 1.1 | mmol/L | <1.7 (fasting) | In range |
| HDL cholesterol | 1.5 | mmol/L | >1.2 / >1.0 | In range |
Doctor’s note (example)
Total cholesterol is above the target, but it is the breakdown that matters: non-HDL and LDL decide the advice. Read with your age, blood pressure and family history.
…and 7 more markers. Ranges shown as women / men. Values above are examples. Your report shows your own results with the laboratory’s units and reference range for your age and sex, reviewed, signed and released by a GMC-registered doctor.
How it works
- You book your appointmentA trained clinician takes your sample at one of our London clinics. Nothing to do at home.
- The clinician takes your sampleA single clinic blood draw by a trained clinician
- The laboratory analyses itYour sample is processed for the measurements included in this test. Lab processing typically takes 1 to 2 working days from receipt of your sample.
- A doctor reviews and releases itA GMC-registered doctor reads every result and signs the report before it reaches you.
- Sample
- Clinic blood draw
- Preparation
- Fasting preferred
- Who it's for
- Women · ages 18+
How to prepare
A fasted sample is preferred for this test, which usually means nothing but water overnight. It is not essential, and the reviewing doctor takes it into account if you have eaten. If you can, book a morning slot and come before breakfast.
What we can and can’t tell you
The reference range beside each result is the laboratory’s own. A result in range is not a clean bill of health and a result outside it is not a diagnosis. Most ranges cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one range. No test result replaces an examination or your own doctor’s judgement, and none of these panels is a cancer screening programme.
Read the full note
The reference range printed beside each of your results is the laboratory's own, and it is the range that applies to your result. We do not apply a second range of our own, and we do not tell you that a result the laboratory reported as normal is nonetheless too low or too high. If you see a claim elsewhere that your result ought to sit inside a narrower band than the one the laboratory printed, treat it with caution and ask your doctor.
Some assays cannot give an exact figure above or below a certain point, and those results are reported the way the laboratory sends them, for example as a value greater than a stated number. A result in range is not a clean bill of health, and a result outside a range is not a diagnosis: most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so some healthy people fall just outside them. No blood test replaces an examination, a scan or your own doctor's judgement, and none of these panels is a screening programme for cancer.
If you have a symptom that is new, severe, or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111 rather than waiting for a test result. In an emergency call 999.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to fast?
It is worth it. The glucose reading is more useful after an overnight fast, and triglycerides are too, so a morning appointment with water only beforehand gives the clearest result. The report states whether you fasted.
How is this different from the Menopause Check?
The Menopause Check covers FSH, LH, oestradiol, TSH and free T4 as a home kit. This one swaps LH for a full cholesterol breakdown and glucose, which is the metabolic side that matters in the years around the menopause.
Why is thyroid included?
Because an underactive thyroid causes tiredness, weight gain, low mood and poor concentration, which is the same list people bring to a menopause appointment. Measuring both at once is how the two get separated.
Which day of my cycle should I book?
If you are still having periods, day two to five of a bleed for the hormone results. If they have stopped, any day suits.
I use oestrogen gel or spray. Does that affect the blood test?
It can. Gel on the skin near where the needle goes in can make oestradiol read falsely high. Tell the nurse where you applied it, so the sample is taken from an arm you have not used it on that day.
Does biotin affect the result?
It can. High-dose biotin (vitamin B7), often sold for hair, skin and nails, can make some hormone results read too high or too low. Laboratory advice is usually to leave at least 8 hours after a dose of 5 mg or more, and some advise longer, so the simplest approach is to skip it on the day of your sample. Tell us if you take it, and do not stop a medicine that a doctor has prescribed.
How long do results take?
The laboratory typically takes 1 to 2 working days from receiving your sample. This does not include kit delivery, sample collection or return postage. A doctor reviews your results before they are released.
Can I choose a home kit or a clinic?
This test is a clinic blood draw, as it needs a venous sample for accuracy. We arrange a convenient appointment for you.
Is a doctor involved?
Yes. Every result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor who signs it off and explains what it means and what to do next.
Is it confidential?
Your results are available through your secure patient portal. Our privacy policy explains how your information is handled and when it may be shared to provide your care.
What happens to my sample and results?
Your sample is analysed at a UKAS-accredited laboratory (ISO 15189). A GMC-registered doctor then reads every result and signs the report before it is released, so nothing reaches you unreviewed. There is no option to receive results without a doctor reading them first. The report arrives in your secure portal in plain English: each result with its unit and the laboratory's own reference range, and the doctor's note on what the set means read together. If a result sits outside its range the report says so and explains what usually happens next, which is most often a conversation with your own GP, who can act on it alongside your history and examination. Most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one of them. On a report with many results it is common for one to sit just outside its range, and a single number on its own rarely tells the whole story. If a result needs urgent attention, the reviewing doctor is alerted straight away and we contact you by phone the same working day rather than leaving it in the portal for you to find. If a specific result needs rechecking, the reviewing doctor says so in your report.
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