What are the symptoms of prostate cancer? The best vitamins and minerals for energy P. I'm worried that I may have very low levels of testosterone. How do I get tested? Are there certain measures that can ensure an accurate reading? Although it is the most commonly used test, caution should be exercised when interpreting the results. First, much of the testosterone that binds to proteins is not active in the body. In addition, the percentage that binds to proteins is different; it differs from man to man.
Second, total testosterone fluctuates throughout the day. Laboratories set normal values based on taking blood from men between 7 in the morning. Finally, slightly low readings in middle-aged and older men don't consistently correlate with symptoms. In addition, the total testosterone levels measured may vary from one test to another and from one laboratory to another.
For people with nearly low testosterone levels, a repeat test would show a normal range about 30% of the time. LeWine, MD, chief medical editor of Harvard Health Publishing; member of the editorial advisory board of Harvard Health Publishing. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinical professional. With all the television commercials and magazines advertising treatments for erectile dysfunction (OF).
However, it's important to note that many men can alleviate, or even reverse, erectile dysfunction by making simple lifestyle changes, such as losing excess weight and quitting smoking, which can also improve their overall health and reduce the chances of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. This special health report, Erectile Dysfunction, provides a comprehensive review of these treatments, as well as the causes of erectile dysfunction and how erectile dysfunction can be an early warning sign of other serious health problems. Harvard Medical School Health Alerts Stay up to date with the latest health news from Harvard Medical School. If you are going to have a total testosterone blood test, you may need to do it in the morning, as testosterone levels are higher at that time. In some cases, your healthcare provider may ask you to fast (not eat or drink anything except water) several hours before the test.
Living a healthy lifestyle is important for maintaining normal testosterone levels and potentially even compensating for the natural deterioration that occurs with aging. The Endocrine Society recommends that men get tested for testosterone if they have symptoms associated with low testosterone levels. Any of these separate findings, including erectile dysfunction,4 is not sufficient reason to request a testosterone test. Therefore, it is not recommended to test serum total testosterone and cBAT in patients treated for hyperandrogenism, unless a specific cause has been identified, such as non-classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia or an androgen-secreting tumor.
Because of the natural daytime variation in serum testosterone levels, guidelines recommend collecting the sample first thing in the morning. While this natural decline in testosterone levels is a normal part of aging, levels that are too high or too low can contribute to symptoms that affect quality of life. Total testosterone is largely determined by the carrier protein SHBG, the latter of which can vary markedly from one individual to another.
Although specific research is beyond the scope of this protocol, it is important to establish the etiology of hypogonadism, after biochemical confirmation of the clinical diagnosis and before starting testosterone replacement.
Your healthcare provider may recommend this test if you have symptoms that could indicate high or low testosterone levels.Patients should use the same laboratory for initial and follow-up tests for testosterone, as the reference ranges depend on the laboratory2, meaning that results from different laboratories may not be comparable. The diagnosis of excess testosterone is based on medical history and physical findings, followed by of tests in the investigative phase. If lifestyle changes don't alleviate symptoms of low testosterone, testosterone replacement therapy may be an option under the care of a healthcare provider. In British Columbia, it has been observed that men often receive prescriptions to replace testosterone without first having a serum testosterone test to confirm low levels.
