Testosterone Levels - Are Mine Normal or Low?

[854clc]

A few weeks ago, I had gynecomastia surgery. Before I had surgery, I got my testosterone levels checked. This is what they were (reference ranges are also given in brackets).

Testosterone (T):        15.1 nmol/L (10-30 nmol/L)

SHBG:   21 nmol/L (10-70 nmol/L)

Albumin:     48 g/L (35-50 g/L)

Free T calculated:          419 pmol/L (200-800 pmol/L)
 Method of Vermeulen

Bioavailable T:       10.9 (5-20 nmol/L)
Method of Vermeulen

All of my numbers are within the reference ranges. However - are the reference ranges appropriate for someone my age? I'm a 20 year old male. My doctor told me that these ranges are for "someone who has gone through puberty" (so for anyone older than a teenager, I assume).

I'm wondering because although my results are normal according to the doctor, I have a female sounding voice. I sound like an adult female. My voice only lowered very little when I was around 15. It lowered from a typical boy voice to a typical adult female (not to an adult male). I'm ALWAYS called ma'am on the phone! Also, from age 12 until about age 18, I did have a very feminine like body (fat around the legs, bum, big midsection, gynecomastia). Now, because I had gynecomastia surgery, I look better. My legs, bum, and midsection are still fatter than most males my age, but they don't look as bad as they did when I was in my teens (but I did lose some weight in the last year).

Would testosterone therapy help me look and sound more male? If I do get testosterone therapy, could it cause my gynecomastia to come back. I'll only get testosterone therapy under the supervision of an endocrinologist.

[kingboob]

Your actual testosterone results don't look so bad I guess; but normal range is just some numbers on a chart - Your  body might operate better with a higher or lower level..... and there is no doubt that younger men should be towards the mid to higher end of 'normal' than older men because testosterone levels naturally decline with age.

You should probably get your estradiol / estrogen tested to see if that is too high.  I'm no doctor but my basic understanding is that all men have some estrogen (female hormones) but sometimes it can get too high as your testosterone is converted into the estrogen causing an overload (which is why steroid abuse or excessive testosterone replacement therapy can cause gyne).   LH (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) should also be tested to see if your body is screaming out for more T production or not. (high levels would indicate a possible issue).

What time of day was the blood test taken?  Testosterone levels are higher in the morning and the test should really be taken then.

Do you have any other symptoms or issues? Libido an erection issues are a dead give away.......other warning signs that something is not right are not having beard growth/body hair or having small testicles (once past puberty obviously).

I was put on TRT and my two tests were 9.5nmol/l and 11.0nmol/l (10 to 30 range), which isn't so far away from 15.1nmol/l...... but then where does one draw the line?  19.0/nmol/l isn't so far away from 15.1...... 24 from 19.0 etc etc...............  you could have loads of  guys at the doctors with ''low t'' symptoms trying to get their T levels pumped up for bodybuilding reasons  or whatever.


you would probably get better advice on this type of issue over at http://forum.bodybuilding.com/forumdisplay.php?f=81   or http://musclechatroom.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=2

Both forums which specialise in male health and testosterone replacement type of discussions.