If you have a hard time with needles or blood samples, a saliva test may be an alternative. If your testosterone test results show that your testosterone level is low, this may be a result of aging. However, according to the American Urology Association, men with levels below 300 ng/dL should be classified as having low T, or hypogonadism. Recent landmark trials have demonstrated that testosterone therapy offers modest benefits, particularly for older men with low testosterone levels and symptoms of hypogonadism. It also affects mental health, bone and muscle mass, fat storage, and red blood cell production. While testosterone production naturally tapers off as a man ages, other factors can cause hormone levels to drop. It helps men develop during puberty, and as they age, it plays a critical role in helping control fat levels, cholesterol, and glucose levels (1). Cleveland Clinic’s health articles are based on evidence-backed information and review by medical professionals to ensure accuracy, reliability and up-to-date clinical standards. 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. In transdermal therapy, timing matters differently. One reason lab conversations around TRT become confusing is that testosterone values are not independent of timing. In younger men, some authors have argued that a one-size-fits-all cutoff may miss clinically relevant low values when symptoms are present. That does not mean every man on TRT should target the same exact point in that range. Reference-range work helps place this in context. The goal is to restore your testosterone levels to a normal range so it alleviates your symptoms. In general, in a healthy population, the normal level of testosterone hormone in men is an average of 264 to 916 ng/dL . While levels below 300 ng/dL are considered clinically low total testosterone, McDevitt says that symptoms can appear even in a healthy range. Classical male hypogonadism is when low testosterone levels are due to an underlying medical condition or damage to your testicles, pituitary gland or hypothalamus. She hasn’t seen patients develop male pattern baldness, grow a beard, or start speaking in a deeper voice, for example. That's why experts including Kurtzer typically recommend against using pellets. "Once they’re in your body, you can't alter or adjust the dose or how long you're exposed to it," Kurtzer says. Most men focus on total testosterone levels when they’re trying to figure out if they have low testosterone, but free testosterone levels matter, too. The researchers also broke the data down into normal levels of free testosterone and bioavailable testosterone At its peak, during your adolescent years, a normal range for your testosterone is anywhere between 300 and 1,200 ng/dL (4). You’d not be sleeping well, you’d have no sex drive, you’d be fatigued, you’d have no muscle mass, you’d have uncontrolled glucose levels and more." If you think you may have symptoms of low testosterone or excess testosterone, talk to your healthcare provider. This is called androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) and occurs when someone is genetically male but is insensitive to androgens (male sex hormones).
