{"id":43749,"date":"2021-10-18T09:30:23","date_gmt":"2021-10-18T13:30:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=43749"},"modified":"2021-10-14T10:11:28","modified_gmt":"2021-10-14T14:11:28","slug":"how-to-increase-testosterone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/how-to-increase-testosterone\/","title":{"rendered":"How to increase testosterone"},"content":{"rendered":"

Normal testosterone levels<\/a> | Symptoms of low testosterone<\/a> | Natural remedies<\/a> | Testosterone boosters<\/a> | When to see a doctor<\/a> | Medications<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Testosterone is a male sex hormone made primarily in the testicles, but also in other parts of the body, such as the adrenal glands. It\u2019s responsible for a man\u2019s sexual development (e.g., the growth of his testes and penis) and his sexual function (including <\/span>sex drive<\/span><\/a> and sperm production). It also helps give men their characteristic male traits\u2014things like facial hair, a deepened voice, and increased muscle mass. Women also naturally produce testosterone, but at levels significantly lower than men\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\n

Low testosterone (also called hypogonadism or low T) affects <\/span>40% of men age 45 and older<\/span><\/a>, according to the Cleveland Clinic. That can spell trouble for men\u2019s physical and mental well-being. It can cause weight gain, fatigue, bone loss, depression, and even cardiovascular problems like heart attack and stroke.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Normal testosterone levels<\/h2>\n

Normal testosterone levels range between <\/span>300-1,000 ng\/dL<\/span><\/a> (<\/span>nanograms per deciliter of blood). <\/span>But a lot of factors\u2014a man\u2019s weight, the time of day blood samples are tested, and even the lab itself performing the testing\u2014can influence his testosterone levels (sometimes referred to colloquially as T levels). <\/span>Another big factor is age.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t know the exact \u2018normal\u2019 based on age ranges,\u201d explains <\/span>Petar Bajic, MD<\/span><\/a>, an assistant professor of urology at Case Western Reserve University and a spokesperson for the American Urological Association. \u201cIn general, though, the professional societies for urology and endocrinology\u2014the two types of doctors who manage low testosterone\u2014have agreed on a universal cutoff of 300 ng\/dL as the threshold for \u2018low.\u2019 However, we know that younger men have a higher \u2018normal\u2019 testosterone than older men.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Research published in the journal <\/span>PLoS One<\/span><\/i><\/a> finds that total testosterone in males is low before puberty, rises at about age 11, and peaks in the late teen years. Other <\/span>research<\/span><\/a>, however, says testosterone peaks around age 30 to 40 before it starts to steadily decline\u2014at about <\/span>1% to 2% annually<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>We don\u2019t fully understand why testosterone decreases with age,\u201d Dr. Bajic says. \u201cThere are likely to be many different components\u2014some genetic, some environmental, and others inherent to aging. Those inherent to aging are most likely due to either decreased signaling from the brain to the testicle (via a hormone called LH), or due to decreased ability of the testicles to produce testosterone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Total testosterone levels in males by age<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Up to 9 years of age<\/span><\/td>\n7-20 ng\/dl<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10-11 years<\/span><\/td>\n7-130 ng\/dl<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12-13 years<\/span><\/td>\n7-800 ng\/dl<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14 years\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n7-1,200 ng\/dl<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15-16 years\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n100-1,200 ng\/dl<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17-18 years<\/span><\/td>\n300-1,200 ng\/dl<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
19 and over<\/span><\/td>\n240-950 ng\/dl<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

*Source: <\/span><\/i>Mayo Clinic Laboratories<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

Symptoms of low testosterone<\/h2>\n

How do you know if you have hypogonadism? Symptoms include:<\/span><\/p>\n