What is Testosterone and Why is it So Vital?
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone that plays a crucial role in physical, mental and sexual health in men. It stimulates the development of male physical characteristics during puberty and supports many essential bodily functions throughout a man's life.
Some of the key functions of testosterone include:
- Building muscle mass and strength
- Maintaining bone density
- Regulating distribution of body fat
- Boosting sex drive and sexual function
- Supporting mood, motivation and focus
- Maintaining energy levels
When testosterone levels drop below optimal ranges, men can suffer from low testosterone (low T) which leads to a constellation of undesirable symptoms that erode quality of life.
Unfortunately, testosterone production declines naturally with age - about 1% per year after age 30. But other factors like chronic illness, poor lifestyle habits and injuries can hasten depletion of testosterone.
The good news is that testosterone levels can be restored via hormone replacement therapy to negate troublesome symptoms of low T.
Healthy Testosterone Ranges* |
Low Testosterone Ranges* |
Total T: 300-1,000 ng/dL |
Total T: Below 300 ng/dL |
Free T: Above 50 pg/mL |
Free T: Below 50 pg/mL |
*Reference ranges can vary slightly between labs