What is a normal testosterone level for a man?

For adult men, a normal total testosterone is roughly 300 to 1,000 ng/dL, though each lab sets its own range. Below 300 ng/dL on two early-morning tests, with symptoms, is generally considered low.

What is a normal testosterone level by age?

Most labs use one adult range rather than a different range for each age. Levels are usually highest in the 20s and decline slowly after that, but the cutoff for low testosterone is the same at any adult age.

At what age does testosterone start to decline?

Testosterone usually starts a slow decline in the 30s or 40s. The drop is gradual, and weight, sleep and health conditions often affect it more than age alone.

What is the best time of day to test testosterone?

Early morning, ideally before 10 a.m., is the right time to test. Levels are highest then, and a low result should be repeated on a second morning to confirm it.

Can you raise testosterone naturally?

In some men, yes. Losing excess weight, treating sleep apnea, sleeping enough and stopping medicines that lower testosterone, when that is safe, may raise levels.

Is TRT approved for low testosterone from aging?

No, FDA approval covers low testosterone from a medical cause, not low levels from aging alone. Older men with symptoms and confirmed low levels should discuss the risks and benefits with a doctor.

What is a normal testosterone level for a woman?

For adult women, a typical total testosterone is roughly 15 to 70 ng/dL, depending on the lab. Higher levels with irregular periods or extra hair growth may point to PCOS.

Testosterone Levels by Age: Normal Ranges

For adult men, a normal total testosterone is roughly 300 to 1,000 ng/dL, and levels decline slowly with age, usually starting in the 30s or 40s. Low testosterone is generally defined as below 300 ng/dL on two separate early-morning blood tests, together with symptoms. Most labs use the same adult range at every age, so a low level in an older man still needs a cause found.

What is a normal testosterone level?

Testosterone is measured in a blood test, usually reported as total testosterone in nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). Typical adult ranges:

Adult men: roughly 300 to 1,000 ng/dL. Many labs now use a standardized range of about 264 to 916 ng/dL.
Adult women: roughly 15 to 70 ng/dL.
Teens: levels rise through puberty, so labs compare teens with ranges for their age and stage of development.

Each lab sets its own reference range, so always read your result against the range printed on your report. For men, a total testosterone below 300 ng/dL on two separate early-morning tests, together with symptoms, is the usual definition of low testosterone.

How do testosterone levels change with age?

In men, testosterone peaks in the late teens and twenties. After that it declines slowly, a little each year, usually starting somewhere in the 30s or 40s. There is no sudden drop like menopause in women. Instead, the change is gradual, and it varies a lot from man to man.

20s and 30s: levels are usually at their highest.
40s and 50s: levels drift down slowly. Weight gain, poor sleep and health conditions often speed this up.
60s and older: average levels are lower, and more men fall below 300 ng/dL, but many healthy older men stay in the normal range.

Free testosterone, the part not bound to proteins in the blood, falls faster with age than total testosterone. That is because a carrier protein called sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) rises as men get older and holds on to more of it.

A common surprise: most labs do not use a different normal range for each decade of life. The same cutoff for low testosterone is used at 35 and at 70. An older man with a low level still needs a cause found and symptoms present before treatment is considered.

Why one testosterone number is not the whole story

Testosterone levels move around more than most people expect. A single result can be misleading for several reasons:

Time of day: levels are highest in the morning and lower in the afternoon, which is why tests are drawn early.
Illness: a cold, flu, surgery or a recent hospital stay can lower levels for a while. Wait until you are well to test.
Sleep: a few nights of short sleep can lower the next morning's reading.
Food: some guidance suggests a fasting sample, since eating can lower the reading slightly.
SHBG: if this protein is high or low, total testosterone can look normal while free testosterone is not, or the reverse.
Lab differences: results from different labs or methods are not always directly comparable.

This is why a low result is repeated on a second morning before anyone calls it low testosterone. If it is confirmed low, the next step is finding out why. Tests such as LH and FSH show whether the problem starts in the testes or in the pituitary gland, and prolactin may be checked if the pituitary is involved.

What are the symptoms of low testosterone?

Low testosterone can cause physical, sexual and mood symptoms. None of them is specific, which is why a blood test is needed. Common symptoms include:

Low sex drive.
Fewer morning erections or erectile dysfunction.
Tiredness and low energy.
Low mood, irritability or poor concentration.
Loss of muscle and strength, and more body fat.
Less body or facial hair.
Breast tenderness or enlargement.
Thinning bones or a fracture from a minor fall.
Low sperm count or trouble conceiving.

When should you get your testosterone checked?

Testing is not recommended for every man as a routine screen. It makes sense when you have symptoms like those above, or when you have a condition linked to low testosterone, even without symptoms:

Type 2 diabetes or obesity.
Unexplained anemia or low bone density.
Long-term use of opioid pain medicine or steroid (glucocorticoid) medicine.
Past chemotherapy, radiation to the testes, or a pituitary problem.
HIV.
Male infertility.

Book the blood draw for the early morning, ideally before 10 a.m., on a day when you are not sick.

What lowers testosterone?

Many causes of low testosterone are tied to overall health, and some can be improved:

Excess weight: body fat converts testosterone to estrogen, and weight gain is one of the most common reasons levels fall. Losing weight may raise them.
Poor sleep and sleep apnea: testosterone is made mostly during sleep, and untreated sleep apnea can lower it.
Opioids: regular opioid use can strongly suppress testosterone.
Steroid medicines and anabolic steroids: past or current use can shut down the body's own production.
Diabetes and other chronic illness, including liver and kidney disease.
Heavy alcohol use.
Pituitary conditions and high prolactin.

What about testosterone levels in women?

Women make testosterone too, in the ovaries and adrenal glands, at much lower levels than men. It falls gradually with age through the 20s, 30s and 40s rather than suddenly at natural menopause. Removing both ovaries does cause a sharper drop.

High testosterone in women is often linked to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), with irregular periods, acne or extra facial hair. For postmenopausal women with distressing low sexual desire, low-dose testosterone is sometimes considered, but there is no FDA-approved testosterone product for women in the United States. Women's blood levels are not used on their own to diagnose a problem.

Is testosterone replacement therapy safe?

Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is a prescription medicine with real benefits for men who need it, and real risks that need monitoring. FDA approval for testosterone products covers men with low testosterone from a medical cause, such as a problem with the testes, pituitary or hypothalamus. It is not approved for low levels caused by aging alone, because the safety and benefit in that group have not been established.

Key safety points from the FDA drug label:

Testosterone gel can pass to women and children through skin contact. Wash your hands, cover the area with clothing and keep children away from the application site.
It can raise red blood cell counts, which raises the risk of clots. Blood counts are checked during treatment.
It can raise blood pressure, so blood pressure is checked.
It can worsen an enlarged prostate. Men with known or suspected prostate or breast cancer should not use it.
Blood clots in the legs or lungs have been reported.
It can lower sperm production, so it is usually not the right choice for men trying to have a child.
It may worsen sleep apnea and can cause swelling or breast enlargement.

Men on TRT need regular follow-up labs, including testosterone, blood count and, for men over 40, PSA.

How Dr. Munib approaches low testosterone

Sabeen Munib M.D., treats a low testosterone result as a starting point, not a diagnosis. An evaluation usually includes:

.A review of symptoms, sleep, weight, medicines and any plans to have children.
.Two early-morning testosterone tests, plus LH, FSH and other labs that help find the cause.
.A look at related conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea and weight, which often affect levels.
.A plan based on the results. That may be treating the underlying cause first, or discussing whether testosterone replacement therapy is an option for you.

If TRT may be appropriate, she will walk you through the forms available, the follow-up labs and the risks. Whether it fits depends on your labs, symptoms and health history.

Read about testosterone therapy at The Pur Health

See all hormone care at The Pur Health

Get your testosterone checked in Irvine

If you have symptoms of low testosterone or a borderline lab result, a visit can sort out what the number means for you. The Pur Health is at 114 Pacifica, Suite 280, Irvine, and is in-network with most PPO plans. Cash visits are $190 for new patients and $150 for returning patients. Call (949) 647-5234 to book.

Testosterone Levels by Age: Normal Ranges, Low T Symptoms and When to Test