When in the menstrual cycle should the sample be collected?

For progesterone assessment, mid-luteal collection (around days 19–22 of a regular 28-day cycle) is ideal. For androgen profiling, any cycle day is acceptable, though some practitioners prefer the follicular phase. Document the collection date relative to the menstrual cycle on the requisition.

Can this test be used in men?

Yes. The profile measures androgen and progesterone metabolites in both sexes. In men it is used to assess androgen output, DHEA reserve, and the effects of supplementation, though serum free and total testosterone remain the primary tools for male hypogonadism diagnosis.

Does exogenous hormone therapy affect results?

Yes. Oral micronised progesterone, DHEA supplements, testosterone creams or pellets, and hormonal contraceptives will elevate the measured metabolites. The test can be used to monitor therapy, but clinicians must document all exogenous hormones when interpreting baseline status.

What does a low DHEA result indicate?

Low urinary DHEA metabolites may reflect adrenal insufficiency, age-related decline, chronic stress, or ovarian insufficiency in women. Some functional practitioners interpret low-normal DHEA as adrenal fatigue, though this concept is contested and not recognised as a formal diagnosis in endocrinology.

Is fasting required for urine collection?

No. Fasting is not required, though first morning urine is often preferred for consistency and concentration. Follow the collection instructions provided with the Doctor's Data kit.

How are results reported?

Metabolites are quantified by mass spectrometry and reported as micrograms per gram of creatinine to correct for urine concentration. The laboratory provides age- and sex-stratified reference intervals and may include derived ratios such as progesterone-to-androgen balance.

Can the profile diagnose polycystic ovary syndrome?

No. PCOS is a clinical diagnosis based on the Rotterdam or Androgen Excess Society criteria, incorporating history, examination, serum androgens, and pelvic ultrasound. This urinary profile characterises the androgenic pattern and complements serum testing but does not replace the diagnostic workup.

BML-HRF-017female hormonesUSA

Androgens and Progesterones Profile

Q: How does urinary hormone testing differ from serum testing?

Urinary metabolite testing integrates hormone production and clearance over the collection period, capturing fluctuations that a single serum sample may miss. Serum measures circulating bioactive and bound hormone at one time-point, while urine reflects cumulative excretion of conjugated metabolites; the two approaches complement one another rather than substitute.

The Androgens and Progesterones Profile measures urinary metabolites of testosterone, androstenedione, DHEA, and progesterone to provide a time-integrated assessment of androgenic and progestogenic output. Ordered to investigate hyperandrogenism, luteal insufficiency, and hormone balance in functional practice, it complements serum immunoassays with a longer collection window and is…

Biomarkers

Urine (random)

Sample

10–14 business days

Turnaround

Fasting

What is the Androgens & Progesterones test?

The Androgens and Progesterones Profile quantifies urinary metabolites of key steroid hormones to provide an integrated, time-averaged picture of androgenic and progestogenic activity. Practitioners order this profile when investigating symptoms of androgen excess — hirsutism, acne, anovulation — or when assessing luteal-phase adequacy in women with irregular cycles, subfertility, or suspected progesterone insufficiency. Because the test uses random or timed urine rather than serum, it captures fluctuations that a single blood draw may miss, and the metabolite panel offers a window into peripheral conversion and clearance pathways. The profile is most commonly used in functional and integrative medicine to map hormone balance, inform bioidentical replacement or supplementation strategies, and monitor interventions over time, complementing rather than replacing serum immunoassays and free-hormone measurements.

What does the Androgens & Progesterones test measure?

T(Testosterone (urinary metabolites))

Range: Laboratory- and method-specific; typically 1–50 µg/g creatinine for adult women, higher for men.Optimal: Functional reference intervals are assay- and population-specific; Doctor's Data provides age- and sex-stratified ranges.µg/g creatinine / nmol/mmol creatinine

Urinary testosterone measurement reflects the sum of free and conjugated testosterone metabolites excreted over the collection period, integrating ovarian, adrenal, and peripheral tissue contributions. Unlike a single serum sample, urine captures fluctuations across the day and provides an index of integrated androgen production, though it does not distinguish between the parent hormone and its metabolites.

Urinary testosterone is used in functional assessments of androgen status, particularly when investigating symptoms of hyperandrogenism or monitoring adrenal-androgen output. It complements serum free and total testosterone, offering a longer collection window that can unmask intermittent elevations.

A4(Androstenedione (urinary metabolites))

Range: Laboratory-specific; typically 5–100 µg/g creatinine for adult women.Optimal: Assay-specific functional ranges provided by the laboratory.µg/g creatinine / nmol/mmol creatinine

Androstenedione is a C19 steroid synthesised in the adrenal cortex and ovaries, serving as a precursor to both testosterone and oestrone. Urinary metabolites represent integrated production over the collection interval and are useful in mapping the delta-4 androgen pathway.

Elevated urinary androstenedione may reflect adrenal hyperactivity, polycystic ovary syndrome, or ovarian androgen excess. It is part of the androgenic profile used to differentiate the source and pattern of hyperandrogenism.

DHEA(Dehydroepiandrosterone (urinary metabolites))

Range: Laboratory-specific; wide physiological range with age- and sex-dependent decline.Optimal: Functional practitioners often target mid-normal ranges, though evidence for specific thresholds is limited.µg/g creatinine / nmol/mmol creatinine

DHEA is the most abundant adrenal steroid, secreted in response to ACTH and converted peripherally to androgens and oestrogens. Urinary measurement reflects adrenal output integrated over time, smoothing diurnal variation seen in single serum samples.

DHEA serves as a marker of adrenal androgen reserve and is investigated in suspected adrenal insufficiency, hypoandrogenism, and monitoring of DHEA supplementation. Low levels may correlate with chronic stress, ageing, or adrenal fatigue concepts in functional medicine; high levels suggest adrenal hyperplasia or supplementation.

Prog-M(Progesterone metabolites (pregnanediol-3-glucuronide, others))

Range: Follicular phase: <1–5 µg/g creatinine; luteal phase: 10–100+ µg/g creatinine; post-menopausal: <2 µg/g creatinine (laboratory-specific).Optimal: Luteal adequacy is suggested by values well above the follicular-phase range; specific thresholds are assay-dependent.µg/g creatinine / nmol/mmol creatinine

Urinary progesterone metabolites — chiefly pregnanediol-3-glucuronide — integrate corpus luteum output across the collection window, making them a useful index of luteal-phase progesterone production without the timing constraints of a single mid-luteal serum sample.

Progesterone metabolites are used to confirm ovulation, assess luteal sufficiency, and investigate irregular cycles or recurrent pregnancy loss. In functional hormone assessments they complement salivary or serum progesterone, particularly when cycle timing is uncertain.

Prog:A(Progesterone-to-androgen ratio (derived))

Range: No universally accepted reference; functional practitioners interpret relative balance.Optimal: Functional interpretation varies by practitioner and clinical context; the laboratory provides population distributions.Ratio

This derived ratio compares integrated progesterone metabolite excretion to the sum of androgen metabolites, providing a functional index of progestogenic versus androgenic dominance over the collection period.

The ratio is used in functional hormone mapping to identify patterns such as relative progesterone deficiency with maintained androgen output, or androgen excess with low progesterone. It is not a diagnostic marker but a tool for tailoring individualised interventions.

Why is the Androgens & Progesterones test ordered?

Investigation of clinical hyperandrogenism — hirsutism, androgenic alopecia, acne, or virilisation — when serum androgens are borderline or discordant with clinical presentation
Assessment of ovulation and luteal-phase progesterone production in women with irregular cycles, anovulatory infertility, or recurrent early pregnancy loss
Functional hormone mapping in polycystic ovary syndrome, to characterise the androgenic profile and guide individualised management
Monitoring of DHEA supplementation or bioidentical progesterone therapy, where serial urine profiles track changes in integrated output
Adrenal androgen assessment in suspected adrenal hyperplasia, late-onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia, or functional hypoadrenalism
Perimenopausal hormone transition profiling, when practitioners seek a longitudinal view of declining progesterone and shifting androgen patterns
Pre- and post-intervention comparison in lifestyle, nutraceutical, or hormone therapy protocols, where the integrated urine picture complements serial serum testing

Sample collection and turnaround

Sample type

Urine (random)

Fasting required

Collection method

At-home collection kit

Turnaround

10–14 business days

Collection notes

Doctor's Data provides a collection kit with a specimen cup and return mailer. Practitioners typically instruct patients to collect first morning urine or a random void at a specified cycle day (e.g. mid-luteal, days 19–22 of a regular cycle). The patient transfers a sample to the provided vial, records collection date and time, and ships to the laboratory according to kit instructions. Avoid collection during menses if possible, and document all hormone medications and supplements.

Specimen requirements

Minimum 10 mL random urine. Refrigerate after collection if shipping is delayed. The laboratory measures creatinine to correct for concentration and reports metabolites as mass per gram creatinine.

What can affect Androgens & Progesterones results?

variableVariation in urine concentration and hydration status

Creatinine correction normalises for dilution, but extreme hydration or oliguria can still affect metabolite-to-creatinine ratios; first morning voids are more concentrated and may yield different values than random daytime collections.

variableTiming within the menstrual cycle

Progesterone metabolites rise markedly in the luteal phase and fall in the follicular phase; interpreting the profile requires knowing cycle day or collecting at a specified time (e.g. days 19–21 of a 28-day cycle).

elevatesExogenous hormone therapy or supplementation

Oral micronised progesterone, DHEA supplements, testosterone pellets or creams, and hormonal contraceptives will alter measured metabolites; full medication and supplement history is essential.

variableLiver and kidney function

Hepatic conjugation and renal clearance govern urinary metabolite excretion; severe hepatic or renal impairment may reduce metabolite recovery or alter creatinine correction.

variableDietary phytoestrogens and adaptogens

Some herbal supplements and high soy intake may modestly influence steroidogenesis or clearance pathways, though effects are generally small.

reducesCollection and storage conditions

Improper storage (prolonged room-temperature hold, no preservative if required) can degrade conjugated steroids or allow bacterial growth; adherence to collection instructions is critical.

What do Androgens & Progesterones results mean?

Elevated

Elevated urinary androgens (testosterone, androstenedione, DHEA metabolites) suggest hyperandrogenism — polycystic ovary syndrome, adrenal hyperplasia, ovarian or adrenal tumour (when markedly raised), or exogenous androgen exposure. High progesterone metabolites in the luteal phase confirm adequate corpus luteum function; persistently high levels outside the luteal window may indicate exogenous progesterone or a progestin-secreting lesion (rare).

Normal

Metabolites within the reference range support physiological steroid production and clearance. Because ranges are broad and method-specific, 'normal' must be interpreted in clinical and cycle context — a low-normal luteal progesterone metabolite may still indicate relative insufficiency if symptoms are present.

Reduced

Low urinary androgens may reflect hypoadrenalism, ovarian insufficiency, or ageing-related decline in DHEA; functional practitioners sometimes interpret low-normal DHEA as adrenal fatigue, though this remains contested. Low progesterone metabolites suggest anovulation, inadequate luteal phase, or early follicular-phase timing; serial or cycle-timed collection clarifies the pattern.

Note: Urinary steroid metabolites are not interchangeable with serum concentrations; they reflect integrated excretion and conjugation rather than free bioactive hormone. Results are assay-platform-dependent and should not be compared across laboratories. Cycle timing is paramount for progesterone interpretation, and a single random collection may miss intermittent peaks. The profile is a functional tool, not a standalone diagnostic test, and findings must be correlated with serum immunoassays, free-hormone measurements, and clinical presentation.

Frequently asked questions

Urinary metabolite testing integrates hormone production and clearance over the collection period, capturing fluctuations that a single serum sample may miss. Serum measures circulating bioactive and bound hormone at one time-point, while urine reflects cumulative excretion of conjugated metabolites; the two approaches complement one another rather than substitute.

How to access the Androgens & Progesterones test

The Androgens & Progesterones reference page is free and open to all practitioners. Create a free practitioner account to see pricing, save tests to your list, and generate requisition forms. Verification takes 1–2 business days.

Create Free Account

About this page

Published: October 7, 2026

Last reviewed: October 7, 2026

References:

Azziz R, et al. Androgen Excess and PCOS Society criteria for the polycystic ovary syndrome: the complete task force report. Fertil Steril. (2009)
Stanczyk FZ, Clarke NJ. Advantages and challenges of mass spectrometry assays for steroid hormones. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. (2010)
Prior JC. Progesterone for treatment of symptomatic menopausal women. Climacteric. (2018)
Teede HJ, et al. International evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. (Monash University / ESHRE / ASRM collaborative guideline). (2023)
Keevil BG. LC-MS/MS analysis of steroids in the clinical laboratory. Clin Biochem. (2016)

This content is for licensed healthcare practitioners only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical decisions should be based on the full clinical picture and not on any single test result.

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