Testosterone blood test: how do I take a male hormone test?

You notice symptoms related to lower testosterone ? Weight gain, loss of muscle mass and a drop in sexual desire are all signs of declining production. When in doubt, it's best to take a test to find out where you stand. But how do you do a blood test for testosterone ? And how should the results be interpreted? In this article, discover the answers to the most frequently asked questions about male hormone tests.

What are the signs of low testosterone?

Testosterone is a androgen hormone.

The body's secretion of testosterone declines naturally with age. aging. This is also the case for certain pathologies such as hypogonadism.

This deficiency can materialize in various ways symptoms : 

• A drop in libido
• A drop in fertility
• A slower muscle growth
• An increase in body fat
• A lack of muscle strength
• Loss of bone density (osteoporosis)
• Hair loss
• A feeling of fatigue constant

If you experience the side effects of a hormonal imbalanceIf you're pregnant, it's best to take a test to check your sex hormone levels.

How do I take a testosterone test?

Would you like to have your testosterone levels checked?

You'll need to turn to a health professional. Your GP or an endocrinologist (a doctor specializing in hormone analysis) will be able to prescribe a complete check-up.

Most of the time, such an examination is carried out in a laboratory. The aim is to detect any abnormalities in hormone levels (testosterone, of course, but also DHEA, insulin and cortisol). This is known as testosterone dosage.

This can also be done by a doctor, who then sends the samples to a laboratory for analysis.

It then takes a few hours or days to receive the results.

How does a testosterone blood test work?

Most often, a testosterone test is based on a blood test performed at the elbow crease.

This is undoubtedly the most reliable method.

In addition to a blood test, you can also opt for a urine test. However, unlike the blood test, the urine test focuses on free testosterone levels.

Finally, there's the saliva test, which also has its drawbacks.

What's the difference between free testosterone and total testosterone?

You've probably already heard of total testosteronebioavailable or free. But what is it?

There are 3 main forms of testosterone: 

• The first represents about 60 to 70 % of the total and circulates in the blood by binding to a transport protein known as SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin).
• The second represents about 30 to 40 % of the total and circulates by binding to thealbuminanother protein.
• The third represents a tiny fraction and is not bound to any protein, allowing it to enter cells: this is the free testosterone.

These 3 forms form a whole: total testosterone. Free testosterone and testosterone bound to albumin make up total testosterone. bioavailable testosterone.

A blood test for free testosterone therefore focuses the analysis on that which is actually active in the body, whereas the total testosterone assay is less representative.

For a complete analysis, be sure to tell your doctor that you also want to know your free testosterone levels.

How to read the results of a testosterone blood test?

But then, how do you know if you have a good testosterone levels ?

Rest assured, your doctor will help you interpret the results of your blood test.

However, to better understand, normal testosterone levels are between 8.2 and 34.6 nmol/l in men (and between 0.3 and 3 nmol/l in women).

As you can see, the normal level is strongly linked to age. The expected level varies greatly, depending on whether you're a man aged 20 or 60 years old.

Here's an indicative table of normal levels of free testosterone and total testosterone in men.

Age	Free testosterone in ng/DL	Total testosterone in nmol/L
From 10 to 20 years	Not established	From 1.7 to 17.5
From 20 to 45 years old	From 6.6 to 26.5	From 10 to 30
From 40 to 60 years	From 5.2 to 23.9	From 7 to 28
From 60 to 75 years	From 4 to 20.2	From 3.5 to 17.5
Over 75	From 2.9 to 14.7	From 0.4 to 9

Do I need to fast to take a blood test for testosterone?

The testosterone test is performed in the morning, on an empty stomach. This means that you must not eat or drink (except water, in moderate quantities) for 8 to 12 hours before the examination.

Testosterone levels in the body are highest in the morning. These levels fluctuate throughout the day.

How to treat a lack of testosterone?

If the test shows an abnormally low level, here's what to do 6 tips to boost your testosterone naturally.

But if that's not enough, you may want to consider TRT (testosterone replacement therapy).

The TRT helps boost testosterone levels and counteract the negative effects of falling testosterone production. Several methods are available: injection, patch, gel, etc. 

This protocol must, of course, be strictly supervised by a healthcare professional.

Little developed in France, TRT is very widespread in the United States. It's a topic I present in detail in my new TOTAL REBORN coaching. This training program is specifically designed for men from over 40 years anxious to regain their shape and vitality.