Testosterone

Results

A testosterone test checks the level of this male hormone (androgen) in the blood.

Normal

Normal values may vary from lab to lab. Your doctor will have your test results in 1 to 2 days.

Total testosterone for males

Age	Male
7 months to 9 years	Less than 30 ng/dL (less than 1.04 nmol/L)
10–13 years	1–619 ng/dL (0.04–21.48 nmol/L)
14–15 years	100–540 ng/dL (3.47–18.74 nmol/L)
16–19 years	200–970 ng/dL (6.94–33.66 nmol/L)
20–39 years	270–1,080 ng/dL (9.00–37.48 nmol/L)
40–59 years	350–890 ng/dL (12.15–30.88 nmol/ L)
60 years and older	350–720 ng/dL (12.15–24.98 nmol/L)

Total testosterone for females

Age	Female
1 month to puberty	Less than 10 ng/dL (less than 0.35 nmol/L)
7–9 years	1–12 ng/dL (0.04–0.42 nmol/L)
10–13 years	2–53 ng/dL (0.07–1.84 nmol/L)
14–17 years	8–53 ng/dL (0.28–1.84 nmol/L)
Premenopausal	10–70 ng/dL (0.35–2.43 nmol/L)
Postmenopausal	7–40 ng/dL (0.24–1.39 nmol/L)

The testosterone level for a postmenopausal woman is about half the normal level for a healthy, nonpregnant woman. And a pregnant woman will have 3 to 4 times the amount of testosterone compared to a healthy, nonpregnant woman.

Normal free testosterone levels in men range from 44 to 244 pg/mL (0.68 to 3.76 pmol/L). In women, the free testosterone level may range from 0.6 to 9.2 pg/mL (0.01 to 0.14 pmol/L).

High values

• In men, a high level of testosterone may be caused by cancer of the testicles or adrenal glands.
• In boys younger than 10, a high level of testosterone may mean early (precocious) puberty, a tumor in the testicles, or an abnormal adrenal gland.
• In women, a high level of testosterone may be caused by cancer of the ovaries or adrenal glands or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Low values

• In men or boys who have gone through puberty, a low level of testosterone may be caused by a problem with the testicles, such as slow development of, an injury to, or a lack of testicles. It can also be caused from treatment with the female hormone estrogen, a problem with the pituitary gland, or many long-term (chronic) illnesses.
• A low testosterone level in men can also be caused by certain inherited diseases (such as Klinefelter syndrome or Down syndrome), liver disease (cirrhosis), or treatment for cancer of the prostate gland.
• Chronic alcohol use can cause a low testosterone level.
• In women, a low level of testosterone may be caused by an underactive pituitary gland, Addison's disease, loss of ovary function through disease or surgery, and some medicines (such as corticosteroids or estrogen).

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Author:	Bets Davis, MFA	Last Updated: May 29, 2008
Medical Review:	Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine David C.W. Lau, MD, PhD, FRCPC - Endocrinology & Metabolism
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