How to determine your testosterone level and adjust it

Why Know Your Testosterone Level

Testosterone is involved in many body processes: it regulates sexual behavior in both sexes, stimulates muscle building, maintains bone density, and affects fat metabolism.

Hormonal imbalances can cause many problems, including being overweight, decreased sex drive, and even memory impairment. By recognizing the signs of low testosterone in yourself, you can take steps to normalize it and solve your health problems.

How to determine the level of testosterone by indirect signs

There are several indirect signs by which you can determine that your testosterone level has dropped or, conversely, increased too much.

Signs of low testosterone

Decreased libido

Low testosterone levels are often the cause of decreased libido in men.

Men with low testosterone want sex less, which can lead to problems with erection, masturbate less and do not experience erotic fantasies.

For women, a decrease in sexual desire along with a decrease in testosterone levels is especially noticeable after menopause, however, testosterone therapy rarely gives positive results. The best results have been obtained when testosterone and estrogen are used together.

Excess weight

Testosterone is associated with increased amounts of body fat in men.

A decrease in testosterone increases the activity of the enzyme lipoprotein lipase, which determines the concentration of lipids in the blood and their transport to visceral fat - reserves around the internal organs.

In women, both high and low testosterone levels with low estradiol (female sex hormone) can cause obesity.

Depression

If you are in a bad mood all the time, there is no strength and energy, it may be due to low testosterone levels.

Scientists have found that testosterone levels are reduced in depressed men. And while it is still unknown what the root cause is, hormone therapy is quite effective in treating depression, especially in the elderly.

In women, decreased testosterone levels also lead to lack of energy, depression, constant fatigue and bad mood.

Loss of muscle mass

If in the gym you can't lift weights that you easily worked with a while ago, while you did not stop training and eat well, it may be due to the amount of testosterone.

Loss of muscle mass is directly related to decreased testosterone levels.

Increased testosterone levels lead to increased muscle cell synthesis. For example, the addition of 3 mg of testosterone per kg of body weight once a week for 12 weeks increases muscle synthesis by 27%.

Unwillingness to achieve your goal after failure

If after a failure you feel discouraged, it may not be a matter of character.

The level of testosterone affects the desire of a man to compete after a loss and achieve his goals after failures. Since it is critical to being successful in any endeavor, testosterone levels can be a critical factor in achieving success.

Memory impairment

Lack of testosterone can negatively affect memory in both men and women.

In a large scientific review in 2015, scientists concluded that testosterone definitely affects memory, but the specific effect depends on gender, age, the presence of diseases and hormonal levels.

For example, testosterone injections help improve spatial memory in healthy young women, but when combined with estrogen, impair verbal memory in menopausal women.

At the same time, testosterone improves spatial and verbal memory in Alzheimer's patients.

If you do not remember the words well or cannot find a place in any way, although you have been there several times, it may be due to hormones.

Signs of high testosterone

While everyone is keen to increase testosterone levels, too high levels of this hormone also negatively affect the body. Especially the increased production of testosterone affects women's health.

Skin problems

Increased levels of male sex hormones in women increase sebum production and trigger acne.

In addition, increased testosterone can cause follicular hyperkeratosis, or goose bumps. This is a disease in which the exfoliation of the skin is disturbed, its top layer coarsens and turns red.

At the same time, acne is associated with high androgen levels not only in women, but also in men.

Aggressiveness and recklessness

Testosterone provides confidence and motivation, but when there is too much of it, the positive qualities are replaced by negative ones.

Testosterone activates the subcortical regions of the brain responsible for aggressive behavior, while cortisol and serotonin act as antagonists and reduce the effect of testosterone. Prisoners and violent criminals tend to have higher testosterone levels, so they tend to be aggressive.

But even when it comes to a completely civilized and adequate person, high testosterone makes you take risks and make decisions rashly, relying on the first thing that comes to mind.

Disruptions in the menstrual cycle

In women, high testosterone levels often manifest as irregularities in the menstrual cycle. This dependence is observed regardless of the presence or absence of diseases.

So, indirect signs may indicate an increased or decreased testosterone level, but you can find out for sure by doing an analysis.

What test for testosterone to take

There are two types of testosterone testing. This is due to the fact that testosterone in the human body can be in a free or bound state. Free testosterone is bioactive and acts on receptors, while globulin or albumin bound to special proteins remains in reserve.

The connection between testosterone and globulin is very strong. Globulin is produced in the liver and binds most of the testosterone in our body. But albumin does not hold testosterone so tightly, this connection is also called conditionally free.

When laboratory tests are performed, the total amount of testosterone in the body (free and bound) is determined.

There are also tests for the level of free testosterone, but since it is very small (about 1-2%), it is rather difficult to accurately calculate its amount. Therefore, to get started, get tested for the total testosterone level. If it is really lowered or raised, the doctor may prescribe a test for the level of free.

How to take a testosterone test

You can go to a public or private clinic and donate blood from a vein to determine the level of testosterone. To get accurate results, follow a few rules:

If you are taking hormonal medications, consult your doctor about the possibility of temporarily canceling them 48 hours in advance for the test.
12 hours before the analysis, it is recommended to refrain from smoking, alcohol, fatty foods and physical activity.
If you are unable to quit smoking for 12 hours, do not smoke for at least 30 minutes before donating blood.
Women donate blood for testosterone on the 2-5th day of menstruation.
Take tests in the morning on an empty stomach, before 11 o'clock.

What level is considered the norm

To decipher the results, the indicators are compared with the standard ones. We provide the standards for different ages from the Mayo Clinic. Rates are indicated in nanograms per deciliter. If your test sheet has a different value, such as milligrams per deciliter, you can convert the values here.

Total testosterone in men

Age, years	Testosterone level, ng / dl
10–11	7–130
12–13	7–800
14	7–1 200
15–16	100–1 200
17–18	300–1 200
From 19 years old	240–950

In more than 3,000 men between the ages of 40 and 79, the study found that changes in testosterone levels become noticeable when levels of the hormone fall below 320 ng / dL.

Total testosterone in women

Age, years	Testosterone amount, ng / dl
10–11	7–44
12–16	7–75
17–18	20–75
More than 19	8–60

Free testosterone in men

Age, years	Testosterone amount, ng / dl
10–15	0, 04–17, 7
15–20	1, 62–21, 2
20–25	5, 25–20, 7
25–30	5, 05–19, 8
30–35	4, 85–19, 0
35–40	4, 65–18, 1
40–45	4, 46–17, 1
45–50	4, 26–16, 4
50–55	4, 06–15, 6
55–60	3, 87–14, 7
60–65	3, 67–13, 9
65–70	3, 47–13, 0
70–75	3, 28–12, 2

Free testosterone in women

Age, years	Testosterone amount ng / dl
10–15	0, 04–1, 09
15–20 (19)	0, 04–1, 09 (0, 04–1, 08)
20–25	0, 06–1, 08
25–30	0, 06–1, 06
30–35	0, 06–1, 03
35–40	0, 06–1, 00
40–45	0, 06–0, 98
45–50	0, 06–0, 95
50–55	0, 06–0, 92
55–60	0, 06–0, 90
60–65	0, 06–0, 87
65–70	0, 06–0, 84
70–75	0, 06–0, 82

What to do with test results

If your testosterone is below the normal range for your age group, it's worth seeing your doctor. Perhaps he will prescribe hormone therapy. If your testosterone levels are within the normal range, but your libido and body shape leave much to be desired, you can increase your testosterone levels by following simple rules.