Taking a Men’s Hormone Test: Signs of Low-T

Testosterone plays a critical role in sexual reproduction, energy production, and muscle mass in men. Despite the fact that testosterone levels typically decline with age, it is important to ensure that they remain balanced no matter how old you are. Various men’s hormonal tests can help you monitor your health and determine whether you need to take action to restore your levels.

Read on to explore different treatment options for testosterone under the age of 40, as well as the best ways to measure testosterone.

The Signs of Low Testosterone

In men, testosterone is an androgen hormone produced by the adrenal cortex. Often referred to as the primary sex hormone, it is essential for the production of sperm and stimulates the development of secondary sex characteristics like the development of body hair and muscle growth.

There are a number of factors that contribute to testosterone deficiency, including weight, sleep, and diet. Among these factors, gland dysfunction and underlying disease are of particular importance. Several areas of health, such as diabetes and cardiovascular health, can be adversely affected by low testosterone levels. Furthermore, a variety of foods can reduce testosterone levels, such as sugar, bread, and pastries. The connection between low testosterone and weight gain comes full circle when these foods are consumed in excess.

The following symptoms are indicative of low testosterone levels:

Erectile dysfunction
Infertility
Increased body fat
Enlarged breasts
Brain fog
Depression
Reduced muscle mass

Different Types of Hormone Testing

A hormone imbalance or fluctuation, such as testosterone, can leave you feeling uncomfortable. In order to reestablish a healthy balance, it is essential to identify these conditions through hormone testing. You can unravel the complex internal reality that symptoms alone may not be able to reveal by getting hormone testing, along with gaining a better understanding of how your body functions.

Here are some of the most common hormone testing methods and how they should be applied depending on your symptoms and prognosis.

Saliva Testing

In terms of sample collection, saliva tests are perhaps the most convenient hormone tests. A laboratory can determine hormone levels by analyzing individual or combined saliva samples collected over several days or weeks. There is no need to travel to the lab to collect samples because samples can be collected at home. This type of test can also be used to test for estrogen, estradiol, progesterone, and cortisol, in addition to testosterone.

In addition to measuring cortisol, saliva testing can also be a great way to measure stress levels, as some people will become stressed anticipating blood tests, which will temporarily lead to higher cortisol levels. The ability to collect saliva samples over the course of a day is also an easy way to determine stress patterns.

As opposed to measuring the total amount of hormones in your bloodstream, saliva tests indicate how many free hormones are available to the body. This type of hormone test has limitations since some hormone concentrations in saliva are inherently higher or lower than in blood or urine. Also, saliva testing must take into account the following variables:

Mouth pH levels
Effects of brushing your teeth
Consumption of food
Use of makeup

The use of saliva tests plays an important role in diagnosing and monitoring hormone replacement therapy, especially topical HRT.

Blood Spot Testing

Blood spot testing is highly convenient and minimally invasive. A finger prick is all that is required to obtain a sample of blood. Drops of blood are deposited directly onto a filter card in multiple locations and allowed to dry.

This test can sometimes even be performed at home since dry blood samples are stable enough to be delivered to a laboratory. A laboratory technician rehydrates the blood spots for testing in a manner similar to the testing of blood serum.

Despite the advantage of longer-term stability, blood spot samples are more limited in the variety of hormones and other analytes that they are capable of testing. Blood spot tests may be used to detect:

Insulin
Thyroid hormones
Estrogen
Estradiol
Progesterone
DHEA-S
Testosterone
PSA (prostate-specific antigen)

Blood Serum Testing

In the blood serum test, specific hormone concentrations are determined in your bloodstream by a blood draw administered by your practitioner or lab. The blood serum test analyzes blood in its original form rather than rehydrating dried blood for analysis as in a blood spot test.

As a result, it may have a shorter shelf life than blood spot samples, but a wider range of hormones can be tested. In order to ensure the efficacy of the blood draw, you may need to fast for a period of time before the procedure.

Besides hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, progesterone, and estradiol, blood serum testing can also determine:

Insulin
Thyroid hormones
LH (luteinizing hormone)
FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone)
Prolactin
DHEA-S
SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin)
PSA (prostate-specific antigen)

Even though blood serum tests can be highly versatile, they may not be ideal for measuring hormone levels influenced by topical HRT treatments such as gels and creams. It is, however, reliable in monitoring hormone levels for those on hormone replacement therapy injections or pellets.

Urine Testing

In order to test your urine for hormones, you will need to collect multiple samples throughout the day, or you may store your urine in a container for 24 hours. By capturing hormone fluctuations throughout the day, multiple samples can provide insight into your hormonal health. As a result of the larger sample volume and variety, practitioners are able to account for variables such as urine concentration. A urine test measures free hormones, including:

Testosterone
DHEA-S
Cortisol
Melatonin
Estrogen
Estrone
Estradiol
Estriol
Progesterone

A urine test provides practitioners with the opportunity to assess how the body is metabolizing hormones. When hormones do not break down properly in the body, there is the potential for identifying risks, such as cancer risk.

Because hormonal medicine involves many variables, no one type of hormone test is generally preferred by practitioners. Rather, hormone tests should be tailored to the individual needs of each patient.

When selecting a testing method, one must consider all of these factors and how they interact. In assessment and treatment, even slight differences in lifestyle or medication can make a significant difference. It can even be beneficial to use more than one hormone test for accurate diagnosis in some cases.

Check Your Testosterone Levels at Lowcountry Male

At any age, it is crucial for men to maintain their testosterone levels, but for men under 40, you should understand all of the facts about testosterone levels and the types of hormone tests available. With Lowcountry Male, you will be able to manage your hormone levels and optimize your overall health. With our services and resources, you can easily achieve your goals as our specialists assist you in tailoring a treatment regimen to address any of your male health concerns. In addition to testosterone pellet therapy, IV therapy, and so much more, we are committed to supporting your well-being to achieve optimal health and vitality.

For more information about our services or to take our low t quiz, click the button below. Let’s get started on your journey together!

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