Testosterone is an important factor in both men's and women's health and can affect everything from sex drive to muscle mass.
The test measures your levels of free testosterone by using a mathematical model that takes into account the total testosterone value and the level of SHBG in the blood. The reference ranges for both men and women give a clear picture of your hormone levels and can help identify any imbalances.
Low levels of free testosterone can cause symptoms such as decreased sex drive, fatigue and muscle weakness. Similarly, high levels of free testosterone can cause unwanted effects such as acne and mood changes. By gaining a better understanding of your hormone levels, you can take control of your health and work towards achieving optimal hormone balance.
In addition to SHBG, Albumin is also included, which plays an important role in the transport of testosterone in the blood. Albumin keeps the testosterone molecules stable and protects them from being broken down or filtered out by the kidneys. It acts as a reserve for testosterone in the blood and releases testosterone molecules when they are needed to carry out their biological functions. When testosterone is bound to albumin, it can also be released and become available to the body's tissues and organs when needed.
When ordering free testosterone, you also pay for the analysis of SHBG and total testosterone, which are required for the calculation of free testosterone. You can read more about included markers below.