Unlocking the Mystery of Testosterone: Understanding Testing, Symptoms, and Treatment

,Even before the COVID-19 pandemic moved many provider visits to your living room couch, at-home health testing was a booming industry. Today, test kits allow you to check everything from food sensitivities to fertility, all from the comfort of your home. One of those home tests is a testosterone kit. Read on to learn more about these testing kits, signs of low testosterone (or low T), and treatments.

How to Test Testosterone Levels

Testosterone tests check your testosterone levels. One option to measure your testosterone is to visit a healthcare provider for a blood test. Because testosterone levels fluctuate throughout the day and peak in the mornings, healthcare providers generally require two blood tests from different mornings to diagnose low T.

If you’d rather avoid visiting your healthcare provider’s office, you may want to try an at-home testosterone test kit, available online and in stores. With testosterone test kits, you collect a sample and mail it back to a lab (via a prepaid shipping label). After you send the kit back, your results are usually provided by email or online within a few business days.

There are three types of at-home testosterone test kits:

Saliva: With this test, you collect your saliva in a tube and mail it to a lab. Unfortunately, the use of saliva testing for testosterone is controversial.

Dried Blood Spot (DBS):With DBS testing, you prick your finger with the supplied tool, apply blood to the testing paper, and mail the kit to a lab. One small study determined DBS testing is as accurate as traditional blood testing for hormones like testosterone.

Microtainer: With this safe and easy approach to measuring hormones in your blood, you prick your finger with the supplied tool and add a few drops of blood to a small tube. Microtainer tests are intended to replicate traditional in-lab or in-clinic testing as closely as possible with a finger prick at home.

What is a Normal Testosterone Level?

For men, the normal range for total testosterone typically ranges from 300–1,000 ng/dL. For women who are not in menopause, the normal range for total testosterone is around 15 to 46 ng/dL.

Symptoms of Low Testosterone

For men, symptoms of low testosterone can include erectile dysfunction, low sex drive, decreased muscle mass, reduced semen volume, sleep problems, depression, and hair loss.

For women, symptoms of low testosterone can include decreased sexual desire, sensitivity, and arousal, fatigue, and more.

Symptoms of High Testosterone

In both men and women, high testosterone levels can lead to symptoms such as acne, breast tissue development, sleep apnea, fluid retention, low sperm count, and more.

Conclusion

High or low testosterone levels can cause frustrating symptoms. Fortunately, there are many options available to test your testosterone levels. Whether you use an at-home testosterone test kit or visit a healthcare facility to test your hormone levels, a healthcare provider can help you develop a treatment plan to address your symptoms.

DISCLAIMER

If you have any medical questions or concerns, please talk to your healthcare provider. The articles on Health Guide are underpinned by peer-reviewed research and information drawn from medical societies and governmental agencies. However, they are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Sources:

Hall, J. E. (2015). Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology (13th ed.). Saunders.
Bhasin, S., & Jasjua, G. K. (2020). Testosterone Therapy: An Evidence-Based Approach. Springer.
American Urological Association. (2018). Low Testosterone. https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/l/low-testosterone
Harvard Health Publishing. (n.d.). Testosterone–What It Does and Doesn’t Do. Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/drugs-and-medications/testosterone–what-it-does-and-doesnt-do
Mayo Clinic. (2021). Testosterone Therapy: Key to Male Vitality? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/sexual-health/in-depth/testosterone-therapy/art-20045728