Hormones

Total testosterone

Testosterone, total T

Included in Baseline and Complete.

Testosterone matters for women and men alike.

Total testosterone measures all the testosterone in your blood, both the large share bound to proteins and the small free share. It supports muscle, bone, energy, and sex drive in both men and women, though women make much smaller amounts.

When your blood is drawn matters.

Testosterone is highest in the morning and falls through the day. For men, guidelines recommend a fasting morning draw, since eating can temporarily lower it, and a low result is repeated before anyone draws conclusions. For women, a morning draw is also preferred, ideally early in the menstrual cycle if you have periods.

In men, lower levels can come with aging, excess body weight, diabetes, chronic illness, or problems with the testes or pituitary gland. In women, higher levels can point to conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Hormonal birth control and biotin supplements can affect some results.

A morning draw, repeated when needed, gives the clearest picture.

Questions

Why does SHBG matter for my testosterone result?

Most testosterone travels attached to proteins, mainly SHBG and albumin. If your SHBG is unusually high or low, your total testosterone can look typical while the amount your tissues can use is different. That's why total testosterone is often read alongside SHBG and free testosterone.

What happens if my result is outside the lab's reference range?

One result is a starting point. Time of day, recent meals, and medications all shift testosterone, so a repeat morning test is common. A licensed nurse practitioner reviews every MyHealthspan result, and a clinician can help decide whether further testing makes sense.

Sources and references