Testosterone Total in Dehradun

What is a Testosterone Total?

Testosterone is the principal androgen, made mainly in the testes in men and in smaller amounts by the ovaries and adrenal glands in women, and it governs muscle mass, bone density, red cell production, libido and, in men, sperm production. Total testosterone measures everything present, both the small free fraction that is biologically active and the much larger portion bound to carrier proteins, chiefly sex hormone binding globulin. That binding is why the total can mislead. Obesity, diabetes and advancing age lower carrier protein and can make total testosterone look low when free levels are adequate; liver disease and an overactive thyroid raise it and can mask a genuine deficiency. Levels also follow a strong daily rhythm, peaking in the early morning and falling through the day, so a sample taken in the afternoon can read low in a perfectly normal man. For both reasons an abnormal result is confirmed on a repeat early-morning sample before anything is concluded, and free testosterone or SHBG may be added.

Why take this test?

In men, testosterone is advised for reduced libido, erectile difficulty, persistent fatigue not explained otherwise, loss of muscle mass with increased body fat, low mood or poor concentration, reduced body hair, infertility, or unexplained osteoporosis. It is also checked in type 2 diabetes and obesity, where low testosterone is common, and after treatments affecting the testes. In women it is measured for excess facial or body hair, persistent acne, scalp hair thinning, irregular or absent periods and difficulty conceiving, where the question is androgen excess, most often from polycystic ovary syndrome. Timing matters more than most people realise: give the sample between 7 and 10 in the morning, and ideally when you are well, since acute illness suppresses testosterone temporarily. Never start testosterone treatment on a single low reading; it requires confirmation and a search for the cause, and it has significant effects on fertility.

• Reduced libido, erectile difficulty or unexplained fatigue in men
• Loss of muscle mass with increased body fat
• Male infertility or unexplained osteoporosis
• Type 2 diabetes or obesity, where low testosterone is common
• Excess facial or body hair, acne or scalp thinning in women
• Irregular periods or difficulty conceiving in women

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