Free Testosterone Test

What is a free testosterone test?

Testosterone is known as the male hormone, which helps the hair, muscles and the reproductive organ of men grow. The pituitary gland of a human body controls the production of testosterone in a human body. Greater percentage of the testosterone in the blood remains attached with sex hormone binding globulin and albumin but a little amount of testosterone does not remain attached with any of these and are used most easily by our body. They are called free testosterone and they are also known as bioavailable testosterone. The main objective of performing a free testosterone test is to measure the amount of free testosterone in the body.

Free testosterone test is one of those tests that are suggested by a medical expert when it is suspected that a person’s body doesn’t have enough testosterone. Low testosterone can be the reason for so many kinds of health conditions as well as high testosterone in a human body and this is the main reason why this test is necessary.

What are some basic functions of testosterone?

The basic functions of testosterone in a human body include the controlling of the below mentioned functionalities

• Sperm production
• Sex drive
• Maintaining erections
• Growth of facial hair
• Growth of body hair
• Maintaining bone density
• Maintaining muscle mass
• Production of red blood cells

What are the impacts of low testosterone in men and high testosterone levels in women

Impacts on low testosterone in men may include

• Low energy
• Lack of sex drive
• Bone loss
• Infertility

Impacts of high testosterone in women can be the reason for PCOS that may cause several complexions including

• Acne
• Infertility
• Lack of menstruation
• Obesity

What are the most possible causes of low testosterone?

• Damage to testes
• Diabetes
• Autoimmune diseases
• Obesity
• pituitary gland dysfunction
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Radiation or chemotherapy
• Infections
• Side effects of certain medications

When to go for this test?

Abnormally low testosterone in men can be the reason for a particular kind of health condition named hypogonadism. Usually this test is suggested to men with hypogonadism. Men who are suffering from hypogonadism may experience conditions like

• Depression
• Anemia
• Decreased bone density
• Poor concentration
• Lack of muscle mass
• Lack of energy
• Infertility
• Erectile dysfunction
• Inability to have orgasm

Men who are having high testosterone in the body may experience certain conditions like

• Enlarged breasts
• Aggressive mood
• Acne
• Higher risk of prostate cancer
• Sleep apnea
• High cholesterol
• Elevated blood pressure
• Shrinking testicles
• Increased RBC count

Men who are facing these conditions can be recommended by medical experts to appear for a free testosterone test. However, women who are having high testosterone levels in the body may experience conditions such as

• Irregular menstruation or no menstruation
• Infertility
• Excessive facial hair growth
• Thinning hair on scalp
• Blood sugar imbalance

Test preparations

No specific preparations are required before appearing for a free testosterone test. However, you still should have a consultation with the healthcare professionals to know if there are any crucial guidelines that need to be followed before appearing for this test. Also, do not forget to mention if you are on medication when you appear for the test. It is also necessary to avoid drinking because extreme alcohol consumption may impact the hormone levels, which may also affect your test result.

Sample requirements

Your blood sample will be required to perform this test. A specific amount of blood will be fetched from your vein. After the sample collection process is completed, the sample will be stored in a tube and then it will be sent to the laboratory and the test will be performed on that collected blood sample.

Are there any risks associated with this test?

It’s natural to feel a bit of bruising or inflammation at that particular area from which the blood has been fetched. Don’t worry, these complexities are temporary and usually go away with time. However, you can consult with a doctor if you feel any serious discomfort after the blood collection procedure.

Result interpretation

It can be challenging to define normal free testosterone levels because usually when medical experts define testosterone levels, they refer to the total testosterone levels. The normal levels of testosterone levels are 300-1000 ng/dl. However, the test result may vary depending on your age, gender or health history. It would be a wise decision to have a brief consultation with a genuine and reliable doctor about the test report for a better understanding. It’s not challenging anymore to find the facilities of free testosterone test near you.