The Most Effective Hormone Replacement Therapies
A low testosterone blood test is necessary in order to properly diagnose you with low testosterone, also known as “Low-T.”
Testosterone levels will begin to decline after age 30 by 1-2% per year
Anyone over the age of 35, man or woman, can be suffering from the many debilitating symptoms of low testosterone. Signs you may have Low-T include:
However the only way to make sure that your symptoms are indeed due to Low-T, and not some other disease or condition, is to have a low testosterone blood test.
The only way to confirm a diagnosis of low testosterone is with a blood test.
While some doctors or testosterone clinics will use a swab salvia test, the most accurate way to determine if you have low testosterone is with a blood test. Blood testing for low testosterone is used not only to diagnose age-related testosterone loss, but any abnormality of testosterone level. Other reasons why your doctor could prescribe a testosterone blood test could be:
In children, a testosterone blood test could be ordered to see why they may not be reaching puberty, or developing secondary sex characteristics, or presenting with ambiguous sex organs. In women, a testosterone blood test could be used to pinpoint infertility issues, or to test for a condition known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
In any case, no matter the reason why your doctor has ordered a testosterone blood test, a small sample of blood will be drawn from a vein in your arm, and then sent to the proper lab for testing.
Your testosterone blood test is designed to measure the testosterone level in your blood. There is no special preparation needed for your testosterone blood test.
There is no special preparation needed for your testosterone blood test. Doctors usually do prefer to draw you blood sample in the morning. While testosterone is understood to be the “male” hormone, it exists in the blood stream of men and women. Testosterone blood tests are used to diagnose low testosterone related conditions in men, women, boys, and girls.
Your testosterone blood test is designed to measure the testosterone level in your blood. Testosterone exists in your blood in two ways: as testosterone bound to proteins, such as albumin and sex-hormone binding globulin [SHBG], and as unbound, or “free testosterone.”
Most of the testosterone in your blood, over 95% circulates as bound testosterone, a much smaller amount exists as free testosterone. However, both are what we call “bioavailable,” and can interact with target tissues, and stimulate testosterone reliant processes. A typical testosterone blood test, tests for both, or the total volume of testosterone in the blood. If something should come back in the results of your total testosterone blood test that causes doctors to suspect some specific condition, an additional test, to detect only your level of free testosterone, may be ordered. However, for most conditions, and specifically for age-related low testosterone, the total testosterone blood test, is all that will be required.
What is considered a “normal” testosterone level changes throughout your life. What is normal also varies from patient to patient. Depending on your age, and why the doctor ordered you testosterone blood test, if the results are found to be below normal for you, the doctor will then attempt to diagnose the cause of your declining testosterone.
In men under 30, low testosterone could indicate:
However, if you are over 30, and you have been tested for low testosterone, and your testosterone blood tests indicate your levels are below normal, the cause is almost always due to age related testosterone decline.
In women under 30, a blood test that indicates low testosterone could mean:
Again, in woman over 30, and particularly over 40, who come back with a testosterone blood test indicative of Low-T, chances are it is not one of the above conditions, but a result of age-related testosterone decline.
If your blood test indicates that you do have low testosterone, particularly if you are a man or woman over 35, your doctor may prescribe testosterone replacement therapy.
Testosterone replacement therapy is only available with a doctor’s prescription. Testosterone replacement therapy can be given in patches, as gels, or in sub-dermal slow-release pellets, but it is most commonly prescribed in the form of injections. You will be taught how to self-administer the injections, which are given into the muscles, usually of your arm, thigh, or buttocks.
In men and women between the ages of 35 and 65, testosterone replacement therapy has produced life changing results. Testosterone therapy has been shown to slow, and in some cases, even reverse the symptoms of age-related hormone decline.
Here are 10 ways that testosterone therapy can improve your quality of life:
The benefits of testosterone therapy far exceed the 10 listed here. This just provides you a snapshot of the many ways testosterone replacement can improve your quality of life.
If you are experiencing any of the signs of low testosterone listed on these pages, why not contact us and see if a testosterone blood test is recommended for you?
After an initial evaluation, we will schedule your testosterone blood test, and this simple procedure could have you on the path to a happy healthier life! You can be proactive with your health. Now is the time to get involved with the most important person in your life. YOU!!!
For men or women diagnosed with low testosterone, testosterone replacement therapy can significantly improve your quality of life.
