Health & Fitness

Testosterone testing is used to diagnose several conditions in men, women, and boys, some of which include: delayed or early puberty in boys; decreased sex drive, infertility, testicular tumors, and erectile dysfunction in men; excessive body hair–hirsutism–and infertility in women. Testosterone levels yield high rates of variability, especially among men, and it is normal for testosterone levels to decline as a man ages.

Testosterone tests are ordered for boys, along with LH and FSH test if there is a delay in puberty, or if obvious secondary sex characteristics appear, such as an enlarged penis, development of muscle mass, and growth of body hair. A testosterone test for men may be ordered when infertility is suspected, if a patient has a decreased sex drive or erectile dysfunction–the result of low testosterone levels. Testosterone testing may be performed on a woman if she has is experiencing irregular or no menstrual periods, is having difficulty getting pregnant, or appears to have masculine features, such as facial and body hair, male pattern baldness, and a low voice.

Testosterone Test: Reading the Results
A decreased testosterone level in men may indicate hypothalamic or pituitary disease or damage to the testes. Genetic diseases will also play a part, leading to decreased testosterone production in young men, these include Klinefelters, Kallmans, and Prader-Willi syndromes. Increased testosterone levels in men can result in testicular tumors, while increased levels in women could lead to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), as well as an ovarian or adrenal gland tumor.

Alcoholism and liver disease in males will decrease testosterone levels, along with drugs, including androgens and steroids. Prostate cancer responds to androgens, so men receiving drugs for prostate cancer will have lower testosterone levels. For women, estrogen therapy may lead to increased testosterone levels; anticonvulsants, barbiturates, and clomiphene can also cause testosterone levels to rise.