Why Would You Order a Testosterone Test?
Testosterone is an important hormone in both men and women, enabling healthy growth in childhood and maintaining bone and muscle structure in adulthood. But having too much testosterone or too little can be damaging to our health. Men have significantly higher levels of testosterone than women so a deficiency or surplus can be particularly damaging as well as considerably more noticeable. However, both sexes should be aware of their hormonal balance for the sake of their health.
So, what is testosterone and why would you need to take a testosterone test?
What Is Testosterone?
Testosterone is a sex hormone, or androgen that is fundamental in the growth and development of muscles and bones in children. Adult men have higher levels of testosterone than women, although it’s integral for the healthy maintenance of muscles in both sexes.
In men, testosterone is made in the testicles and is important for the production of sperm, as well as causing hair growth and the lowering of the voice in pubescent boys, while in women, testosterone is made in the ovaries, adrenal glands and the tissue around these areas.
Both sexes can experience low testosterone levels and high testosterone levels, both of which affect our bodies negatively and should be treated by a doctor. However, testosterone levels decrease as we age, so some loss of testosterone in older age is perfectly natural and not necessarily a cause for concern. If you do experience unexplained symptoms of a testosterone deficiency or surplus, you should take a testosterone test to know how to move forward.
What Are Normal Testosterone Levels?
Testosterone levels change at various points in our lives, typically peaking around 18 or 19 as we finish puberty and enter adulthood, and continuing to steadily decrease by around 1% from around 30 years old in men.
- In adolescence, boys have on average 200 to 500 ng/dL
- In adulthood, men have on average 300 to 1200 ng/dL
- In adolescence, girls have on average 16 to 32 ng/dL
- In adulthood, women have on average 15 to 70 ng/dL
Not everyone will naturally have hormones within those levels; some people have Disorders of Sex Development (DSD) where their bodies respond differently to their hormones. People with DSD may have ambiguous genitalia or different hormone levels than are average for their age and sex. This may not be a cause for concern, but you should speak to your doctor if your child is showing signs of hormonal imbalances, or early or late puberty.
Low Testosterone
Low testosterone can be a worrying thing for many men as they begin to experience unpleasant symptoms that affect their quality of life.
Symptoms of low testosterone include:
- Low sex drive (libido)
- Erectile dysfunction
- Lower sperm count
- Tiredness
- Depression
- Reduced muscle mass
Men don’t need to test their testosterone levels when they hit a certain age, but if they experience any of these symptoms without a reasonable explanation (such as erectile dysfunction as a side effect of medication) they should take a testosterone test as soon as possible to determine if this is the cause. If your results show you have low testosterone levels, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.
Fertility can be a concern when your hormone levels are imbalanced, and your doctor may advise taking a testosterone test if you and your partner are struggling to conceive. But having low testosterone doesn’t mean you’re infertile; it may mean that your sperm count is low, which will make it more difficult to conceive.
High Testosterone
Having high levels of testosterone is a less common problem for men, however, it is possible and can be detrimental to their health.
Symptoms of high testosterone levels include:
- High sex drive (libido)
- Increased aggression
- Increased appetite
- Excessive body hair
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Headaches
- Heart and liver conditions
Many of these symptoms can be caused by various conditions, but if you experience multiple symptoms, it’s a good idea to take a testosterone test to confirm if this is the cause. You can take your results to your doctor and discuss potential treatment plans such as lifestyle changes or hormone therapy.
Testosterone in Women
Although women typically have much lower levels of testosterone than men, having abnormal levels can still be an issue. Having high levels of testosterone is more common than low testosterone in women and can cause concerns regarding reproductive health and potentially infertility.
Women with high testosterone levels may experience:
- Hair growth in typically male areas such as the face, chest or back
- Irregular menstrual cycle or no menstruation
- Low voice
- Acne
- Infertility
Having high testosterone is also a symptom of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) which affects the number of follicles in the ovaries, which can make it more difficult to conceive - although not impossible. If you haven’t had a diagnosis of PCOS or high testosterone levels, but you have any of the above symptoms, you should take a testosterone test and inform your doctor of the results.
Low testosterone often goes undiagnosed in women as a low sex drive and depression are not always considered abnormal for women and are regularly dismissed. However, low testosterone levels in women can be a sign of further hormonal imbalances or a symptom of the menopause, so you should take a testosterone test if you experience these symptoms.
Why Take a Home Testosterone Test?
Testosterone tests are the only way to find out what your testosterone levels are. You can make an appointment with your doctor, attend a clinic and have a blood sample taken, and then wait a week or more to get your results back. Or, you can simply order a testosterone test kit online, have it delivered to your door the next day, and get your results back within 48 hours of sending your sample back to the lab. In that way, home testosterone tests are much easier to take and get results back to you quicker than attending your doctor’s surgery, but they also allow you to take control of your healthcare.
Doctors in the UK are generally overworked, underpaid and have limited resources, so they may not perform a testosterone test if they don’t have the funding, or it may take a lot of time to get one. Taking a test yourself skips this waiting process so you can have reliable results quickly, and if necessary, you can take them with you to your doctor to discuss what treatment plan you need. This also gives us great autonomy, so we can take our health matters into our own hands because there’s nothing worse than waiting and worrying about our health and feeling like there’s nothing we can do about it.
If you’re experiencing any symptoms of abnormal testosterone levels, you can benefit greatly from ordering an at-home testosterone test today.
Can You Naturally Increase Testosterone?
There are no surefire ways of increasing your testosterone naturally, especially if you live a healthy life. However, if you have any unhealthy habits and low testosterone, you may be able to kick some of the habits and naturally increase your testosterone levels.
If you have low testosterone levels you should:
- Stop smoking
- Drink less (or no) alcohol
- Reduce stress
- Exercise Regularly
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Eat a healthy diet
Having sex or masturbating doesn’t lower testosterone levels, so this shouldn’t be a cause for concern, but a lack of interest in sex or arousal may be a symptom of low testosterone. So if you have become disinterested in sexual activity, you can benefit from taking a testosterone test.
Get Your Home Testosterone Test Today!
At Official Rapid Tests, we know how important it is to have control over your own healthcare. With extraordinary waiting times on the NHS, it’s never been more important to have access to affordable and reliable home testing kits, like our Home Testosterone Blood Test.
Just order yours today and receive it the next working day. Once you’ve taken your sample, send it back to us in the prepaid packaging and you’ll have your results back within 2 working days! Don’t wait around when it comes to your health; order your test kit today.