What are normal Testosterone levels in men and what is the optimal range you should shoot for?

Whether you look online, refer to a lab’s reference range, or ask a professional, the normal range tends to fall between 250-1200 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL).

But the problem with this so-called “normal range” is that many men can begin to experience symptoms of low testosterone even while their levels are within it.

Take me for example.

At the age of 24, my total Testosterone Levels were 564 ng/dL, i.e. well within this normal range. Yet I still had low energy, no drive, and felt embarrassed with my shirt off in public (even after 2.5 years of lifting weights).

My aim with this post is to clear the air on how to actually determine normal testosterone levels, what range you should shoot for, and how to go about getting your levels tested.

Different Types of Testosterone

When testosterone enters the blood stream, over 50% of it attaches to SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin), while most of the rest binds to albumin. Only ~2-3% of T is allowed to remain in its free form.

The distinction between bound and unbound testosterone is critical because only the unbound can exert its influence on your mind and body.

SHBG has a high binding affinity for testosterone, and therefore SHBG-bound testosterone is considered biologically inactive, i.e. it is unable to break free and exert its influence.

Albumin, on the other hand, has a much lower binding affinity for testosterone. Essentially all albumin-bound testosterone can break free and begin to exert its influence.

When looking to get your testosterone levels measured, there are two tests you can get:

• Total testosterone 
• Free testosterone 

As the name implies, total testosterone is a measurement of all the testosterone running through your body – both bound and unbound.

Free testosterone, also referred to as bioavailable testosterone, includes the sum of free and albumin-bound testosterone.

What Are Normal Testosterone Levels?

When you get your testosterone levels checked at a lab, they provide you with a reference range.

For example, the lab I got tested at showed a reference range of 348-1197 ng/dL.

The reference range includes ALL of the patients that have had their blood work done at the particular lab.

Whether it is a 20-year-old athlete or an 80-year-old diabetic, it doesn’t matter; they are all given equal weight within this reference range.

I’m sure you see the problem here:

The reference range does not break patients down by any factor other than gender.

In short, the reference ranges provided by labs and experimenters are not an accurate baseline to compare your own results with.

A more accurate measure is to break down…

Testosterone Levels By Age

It is a well-researched fact that testosterone levels tend to fall with age (1).

Although this drop is more likely a result of a man’s behavioral and health changes rather than of aging itself (2), accounting for age provides a more accurate measure towards what range you should shoot for.

Most labs don’t break down the reference range based on age, but luckily we have access to a few studies that have done just that:

The above data has been extracted from Androgens And The Aging Male, a textbook authored by two prime researchers in the area of male hormones and endocrinology (B.J. Oddens and A. Vermeulen).

In February of 2016 I was 24 years old and my total testosterone levels were at 564 ng/dL. According to the data above, my levels were closer to the average for men over twice my age (55-65 year olds).

In another study found in the same textbook, a different team of researchers broke down average testosterone levels in 5-year age increments and ran a percentile analysis whereby we can compare the top 5% and bottom 5% of testosterone levels within each age bracket.

According to this data, my T levels (564 ng/dL) were 156 ng’s within the 5^th percentile for my age bracket. In other words, around 90% of guys my age had higher T levels than me.

After taking the steps to naturally increase my testosterone, my levels increased to 906 ng/dL, i.e. higher than close to 95% guys my age.

That being said…

What Is The Optimal Testosterone Range?

If your current testosterone levels match up with the average levels for your age bracket in the charts above, it is safe to say that your levels are, well, average.

But who wants to be average.

Taking the steps to naturally increase your testosterone levels can have vast implications on every aspect of your life from how your body looks to how your mind works to how well you are able to assert your values in the world. And Triple Your T is centred on providing you with the strategies, techniques, and frameworks to help you naturally achieve T levels way above the normal range for males. 

That being said, the total testosterone level that EVERY man should strive for, regardless of age, is +700 ng/dL. Free testosterone levels should be +14 ng/dL.

Why Age Matters Less Than You Think

Older age is correlated with lower T levels and lower T is associated with fatigue, low libido, and an overall decrease in quality of life. 

Scientists out of Australia tell us that declining testosterone levels are more likely a result, and not the cause, of deteriorating general health (5). 

"Some researchers believe that an age-related testosterone deficiency contributes to the deteriorating health of older men and causes nonspecific symptoms, such as tiredness and loss of libido," says David Handelsman, MD, PhD, professor and director of the ANZAC Research Institute at the University of Sydney.

Handelsman and his team, however, found that serum (blood) testosterone levels did not decline with increasing age in older men.

Two study centres in Australia recruited 325 men (40-97 years old, average age=60) who had self-reported excellent health and no symptom complaints. To test blood testosterone levels, researchers took nine separate blood samples over a period of three months. When they looked at the entire sample of 325 men, even with the large age range, T levels did not differ (6).

"Age, in itself, has no effect on testosterone level in healthy older men. It's more likely that lowering of testosterone is a consequence of illnesses men acquire as they get older, like cardiovascular disease and obesity." says Handelsman.

​Now, obviously this sample of 325 men only represents one end of the spectrum and not the general population. Still, it is interesting to note that age was not a significant determinant of testosterone levels in this case. 

Doctors these days are overly quick to prescribe testosterone replacement therapy. They prescribe it without addressing the underlying health factors that are causing low T in the first place. 

Handelsman says that "older men with low testosterone levels do not need testosterone replacement therapy unless they have diseases of their pituitary or testes". 

Maintaining total T levels above 700 ng/dL is simply a matter of making changes in how you eat, move, and sleep. It is what every man should strive towards, regardless of age. Levels under 500 ng/dL should be considered danger zone.

Developing the right lifestyle and diet habits will allow you to maintain optimal testosterone levels well into old age.

How To Measure Your Testosterone Level

Now that you understand what testosterone range to shoot for, we move on to how to go about measuring your T levels.

Methods for Measuring Testosterone At A Lab

Many clinicians are confused about the most appropriate method for measuring T levels (7, 8, 9).

There are numerous schools of thought regarding which form of the hormone should be measured and which method of analysis provides the most accurate results.

The problem arises due to a lack of standardization in hormone testing, and this is especially the case with T levels. 

Since there is no clear consensus in this area, it is important to understand the basis for the various methods available. I will provide a quick overview of each so that you know what test to choose. 

• ​Total Testosterone. Most labs analyze total testosterone levels using automated immunoassay methods. These methods do not require much work on the part of the technician and can be performed relatively quickly and cheaply. The drawback is about a +/- 20% loss in accuracy (10). This is why liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MSMS) remains the gold standard for measuring T levels amongst researchers and professionals. LC-MSMS is more expensive and requires more work on the part of the technician, but the result is more accurate.
• Free Testosterone. Given that free T makes up such a tiny percentage of the total testosterone in your body, getting an accurate measurement of it is technically demanding. Most labs use automated immunoassay methods to measure free T, but studies have shown that the results can sometimes be misleading (11). Equilibrium dialysis and ultrafiltration are the most accurate methods for determining free T, but they require more time and the work of a well-trained technician. Most labs don't even offer these methods due to the complicated nature of testing. 
• Androgen Index Calculation. The concentration of testosterone in its various forms essentially comes down to total testosterone and the relative concentrations of SHBG and albumin. Many clinicians use an androgen index calculation to estimate free testosterone levels. Typically, the index is calculated as the ratio of total T divided by SHBG and multiplied by 100 (12, 13). The problem with this method is a lack of accuracy. Plus, you end up paying for three different tests, which can raise the price significantly.

How To Measure Your Testosterone Levels At Home

If you want to save the hassle of having to go to a lab and want to save a few bucks, it is possible to measure your testosterone levels using a home test kit.

You can buy this kit on Amazon, spit in the cup, send it in the mail, and receive your free testosterone measurement a week later. The total cost is $50, which includes a prepaid mailer for sending the sample to the lab as well as the results report. To get a measurement for both your free and total testosterone levels you can buy this kit on Amazon for $94. Both kits are made by ZRT laboratory. 

If you choose to order a home test kit, just know that salivary testosterone methods are not very accurate. This is why endocrinologists use blood serum tests to analyze low T. 

The only times researchers use a subject's saliva to measure testosterone is when ease of sample collection is a priority or when testosterone levels are being compared across a large body of subjects. 

How To Order Your Own Testosterone Blood Test Without A Doctor

I highly recommend that you order your own blood test instead of running it through a doctor.

In this way, not only is the price about 80% cheaper, but you are able to track your progress and take charge of your own health. It will be the exact same test, the same lab, and usually even the same person who draws your blood.

If you have health insurance, the best option is to go to your primary health care physician and have them run a comprehensive blood and hormone panel. This will probably cost an extra $10-20. But if this option doesn’t apply to you and if you’re in the US, (and not in the states of NY, NJ, MA, MD, or RI) then go through the following process:

Step 1 - Go to PrivateMDLabs.com

​Private MD Labs lets you order a blood test without the need for a doctor's permission. 

On their website you will have to search for the blood test you are looking for. The three best options for our purposes are:

Option #1: Hormone Panel for Females

At $66.99, this is the best option for guys on a budget.

The Hormone Panel for Females will give you your total testosterone measurement but not your free testosterone measurement.

9 times out of 10, if you have high total T you’ll also have high free T. The rare cases in which this is not true is usually with vegans and vegetarians (14, 15).

The Hormone Panel for Females contains the following tests:

• Estradiol, serum
• Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
• Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
• Testosterone, Serum (Total Only)
• Complete Blood Count (CBC) with Differential
• Comprehensive Metabolic Profile (CMP)​

The method used for measuring testosterone is ECLIA. This is an automated immunoassay method, i.e. it is the fastest and most affordable method to measure total T in your blood.

Don’t worry about the details, we will go over exactly how to analyze your blood work in a later step.

Option #2: Hormone Panel with F&T Testosterone LC/MS

This option provides the same tests as the Hormone Panel for Females with the addition of free testosterone.

Also, the method used for testing total testosterone is LC/MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry). This method requires more work on the part of the technician and is more expensive, but it outputs a more accurate result. 

The addition of a free testosterone test and use of the LC/MS method for testing brings the price of this hormonal panel up to $103.99.

Option #3: Hormone Panel for Males

Compared to option #2, the Hormone Panel for Males comes with the addition of lipid and thyroid profiles, as well as a reading for IGF-I.

The cost is $176.49.

Free testosterone is measured using Equilibrium Ultrafiltration (EU) rather than RIA direct (like in option #2).

EU is the most accurate method for measuring free T.

Tests in the Hormone Panel for Males:

• Lipid Profile
• Complete Blood Count (CBC) with Differential
• Estradiol, Sensitive
• Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (IGF-I)
• Comprehensive Metabolic Profile (CMP)
• Testosterone, Free (Equilibrium Ultrafiltration) With Total Testosterone
• Prostate-Specific Antigen
• Thyroid Profile w/TSH

Each test varies in the results it delivers and the methods it uses to take the measurements. 

Step 2 – Type Your Test of Choice Into the Search Bar

For example, type “Hormone Panel for Females” into the search bar and click “Go”.

Next, click “View Cart” and then click “Checkout”.

Step 3 – Find a Lab Near You

Enter your zip code to find the lab that is closest to you.

To get 12% off your order enter the coupon code HEALTHY12.

Enter your billing information and you’re all set.

Step 4 – Get your blood drawn

It is best to go to the lab upon waking on an empty stomach.

T levels are highest in the morning and tend to drop through the day.

Step 5 – Wait for your results

You can get your results back the next day, but the standard is usually within 2-3 days.

You’ll get an email with a PDF of your results.

Step 6 - Analyze your results

As an example, I’ll compare two results from a Female Hormone Panel.

Here’s the first test:

This person is on testosterone replacement therapy.

How do we know this?

Well, testosterone levels are very high and above the physiological range while LH and FSH (the precursors of testosterone) are extremely low. This makes it clear that there is an exogenous source of testosterone coming in to the body. 

Also, estradiol (or estrogen) is on the very high end. A lot of the excess testosterone coming into the body is being converted into estrogen.

Now, let’s take a look at a second test:

T levels lie within the upper limit of the reference range. LH and FSH are also high, which means that testosterone is being produced naturally.

Estrogen is on the lower end.

Key Takeaways

​That was a lot of information we just went over, but the key takeaways can be narrowed down to a couple of main points:

• The best way to analyze normal testosterone levels is by comparing them with a sample of males within a particular age bracket, as done in the tables above. 
• Although older age is associated with lower testosterone levels, it is not age, in itself, that is causing the low T. Rather, low T is a consequence of the illnesses that men acquire as they grow older. 
• The optimal total testosterone measurement you should shoot for, regardless of age, is above 700 ng/dL.
• The optimal free testosterone measurement you should shoot for is above 14 ng/dL. 
• LC/MS is the most accurate method for measuring your total testosterone. The ECLIA method should do fine if you're not suffering from extremely low T levels. 
• Equilibrium dialysis and ultrafiltration are the most accurate methods for measuring free T, but most labs only offer the RIA direct method, in which case it will be a slightly less accurate result. 

Given that this hormone has such a big impact on most every aspect of our lives as men, it is important to gain an understanding of it to the extent of knowing what levels to shoot for and how to go about doing so.

I hope you found this post useful, and if you have anything to add let me know in the comments below.