Home kit
LH Test
Luteinising hormone, the pituitary signal that triggers ovulation and drives testosterone production.
- Doctor-reviewed results
- Laboratory analysis
- 1 to 2 working days from lab receipt
- No fasting required
What’s included
1 marker measured
LH
Luteinising hormone, measured together with FSH. In women whose periods have stopped, high LH and FSH before age 40 suggest premature ovarian insufficiency, while normal or low levels point to causes such as weight loss, stress or excessive exercise. A normal FSH with normal or moderately raised LH may be seen in polycystic ovary syndrome.
Overview
LH triggers ovulation in women and tells the testes to make testosterone in men, so it turns up in both fertility and hormone assessments. It is almost always read with FSH, because the pattern of the two together helps show where a problem starts, particularly when periods are irregular.
LH is the hormone that surges mid-cycle to release an egg, and in men it is the signal that tells the testes to make testosterone. Because of that surge, the day of the cycle changes the number completely, so in a woman with periods it is measured on day two to five unless a clinician has asked for a different day. It is almost always read with FSH, because the two together help show whether a problem starts in the ovaries or testes or in the pituitary gland.
Who this is for and who it isn’t
Who it’s for
- Adults aged 18 and over
- Anyone adding LH to an FSH result they already have
- Men being investigated for a low testosterone
Who it isn’t for
- LH on its own tells you very little, and it changes dramatically across the cycle because of the mid-cycle surge, so a sample on the wrong day can look alarming and mean nothing. This is not an ovulation predictor either: the urine kits sold for that purpose are designed to catch the surge day by day, which a single blood test cannot do. Combined hormonal contraception suppresses LH.
- If you want the fuller picture, the Female Hormone Check includes LH with FSH, prolactin and oestradiol.
- 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
- Irregular or absent periods you want looked into
- Adding LH to an FSH result you already have
- Trying to conceive and wanting the cycle hormones checked
- Low testosterone in men, where LH helps place the cause
- Preparing for a fertility or hormone appointment
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.
- LHIn range
- Result
- 5.9 IU/L
- Range
- 2.4–12.6 (day 2–5)
| Marker | Result | Units | Range | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LH | 5.9 | IU/L | 2.4–12.6 (day 2–5) | In range |
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
- Your kit arrivesPosted to your door, with instructions and what you need to send your sample back.
- You take your sampleFinger-prick sample at home, or a clinic blood draw, your choice
- 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
- Home finger-prick kit
- Preparation
- No fasting required
- Who it's for
- Any sex · ages 18+
How to prepare
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
Which day should I test?
Day two to five of a period, unless a clinician has asked for a different day. Outside that window the mid-cycle surge makes a single value very hard to interpret.
Can I use this to time ovulation?
No. Catching the surge needs daily testing, which is what the urine kits are for. A single blood LH taken at random cannot tell you where you are in the cycle.
Why is LH measured in men?
Because it separates a problem in the testes from one in the pituitary. When testosterone is low, a high LH and a low LH point in different directions, which is why they are measured together.
Does contraception affect it?
Yes. Combined hormonal contraception suppresses LH, so the result reflects the contraception. Do not stop it to test; tell us what you use.
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?
Both, it is your choice at checkout. Either collect a finger-prick sample at home with the posted kit and send it back as the instructions explain, or book a clinic appointment and have a trained clinician take the sample 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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