Most testosterone in your blood is bound to proteins. Free testosterone is the small, unbound part your tissues can use right away.
Two people with the same total testosterone can feel very different, because the amount of binding protein (SHBG) differs. Free testosterone helps explain symptoms when total testosterone is borderline or SHBG is unusually high or low.
At Serene Med Spa in Hudson, Ohio, every hormone and wellness plan starts with Labcorp lab work reviewed by a board-certified physician.
High free testosterone can come from treatment, low SHBG (often seen with insulin resistance or excess weight) or, in women, conditions like PCOS.
Low free testosterone with symptoms can point to testosterone deficiency even when total testosterone looks normal, especially when SHBG is high.
Normal ranges vary by lab, age and sex. Your physician reads every result together with your symptoms, history and other tests.
Drawn in the morning with total testosterone. If you take biotin (vitamin B7) or a hair, skin and nail supplement, tell us first. The FDA warns that high-dose biotin can interfere with some lab tests, including hormone and thyroid tests.
Total includes all testosterone, bound and unbound. Free is only the unbound part that tissues can use directly.
It’s estimated from total testosterone, SHBG and albumin, a standard and reliable approach.
Yes, especially when SHBG is high. That’s why we look at all three numbers together.
Book a hormone and wellness consultation at Serene Med Spa in Hudson, OH. We’ll review your symptoms, order the right panel and walk you through every result.
Book a ConsultationSources: MedlinePlus: Testosterone Levels Test · Endocrine Society testosterone guideline (Bhasin et al., 2018). This page is for general education and is not medical advice. Tests are ordered only after a consultation with a licensed provider.
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