Mens Health Questions Answered: What is Low Testosterone? Washington University in St Louis

What Is a Normal Testosterone Level for Men?

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During puberty, it’s responsible for the development of your penis and testes, your ability to grow facial hair and your voice deepening, and your sperm production. Normal testosterone levels vary, depending on your age, size, overall health, and even the time of day. Blood or saliva tests can measure your testosterone, and doctors recommend testosterone replacement therapy if your levels are too low, Dr. Patel says. If you need to know where you stand, you should ask to have your total testosterone and free or bioavailable testosterone levels measured, preferably early in the morning.

Testosterone therapy can help reverse the effects of hypogonadism, but it’s unclear whether testosterone therapy would benefit older men who are otherwise healthy. All of this reduces the active (free) form of testosterone in the body. More than a third of men over age 45 may have reduced levels of testosterone than might be considered normal (though, as mentioned, defining optimal levels of testosterone is tricky and somewhat controversial). Among women, perhaps the most common cause of a high testosterone level is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). If you think you may have symptoms of low testosterone or excess testosterone, talk to your healthcare provider. It affects male fetuses as they develop in the uterus, as well as teenage sexual development during puberty. AIS prevents male genitals from developing as they should and almost always results in infertility (it’s difficult or impossible to father children) during adulthood.

A man’s testosterone levels will typically peak somewhere between age 20 and 30. After this time, they will gradually decrease for the rest of his life. Testosterone levels are estimated to decrease by 1 percent annually after age 30 to 40. Therefore, lower testosterone levels are more common among older men. This explains some of the age-related changes in men, such as loss of muscle mass. For example, the hormone stimulates the body to make new red blood cells. Testosterone can also affect a man’s bone density, fat distribution, and muscle strength.

In adult males, the effects of excess testosterone depend on whether the source is from the adrenals or exogenous. Adrenal androgen elevations have few observable effects in males and do not cause an increase in muscle mass or hair growth. In adult females, increased adrenal androgens can lead to acne, hirsutism, menstrual irregularities, infertility, male-pattern baldness, or virilization. In males, the majority of testosterone is secreted from the testes, hence the term “testosterone”. The hormone is also produced in small amounts by the adrenal gland. The production of this hormone is controlled by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in the brain.

Regaining fertility is not guaranteed, but it is possible for some patients depending on their age and duration of testosterone use. The first step is to end any testosterone therapy and get baseline lab tests to know where your levels truly are. Often, we find that the patient’s LH production has been suppressed. Studies show testosterone replacement therapy does not result in prostate cancer, but research is still on. Contact your primary care physician if you think you may have low T and want to address it.

Without adequate testosterone, you may experience a loss of muscle mass and strength, making it harder to stay active and healthy. In addition to symptom relief, keeping testosterone levels optimized helps to promote vitality, longevity, and good overall health (including heart health, bone health, brain health, and metabolic health). But we’re beginning to see more men in their 20s with low-T at the UT Southwestern male urology clinic.

According to the American Urological Association, about 2 men in every 100 have low testosterone. Like all medications, oral testosterone should be taken exactly as a doctor prescribes. Your dose will be based on your personal needs, depending on your testosterone levels and symptoms. Over time, your doctor will follow up and monitor your progress.