A blood test can determine testosterone levels. Men older than age 65 should have a testosterone level of about 300–450 ng/dL. Testosterone levels below 300 affect approximately 40 percent of men older than age 45, including 2 out of 10 men over 60, 3 out of 10 men over 70, and 3 out of 10 men over 80 years old.
To date, clinical trials reported some benefits of testosterone replacement therapy in older men, including improved bone density and bone strength, improved body composition, such as an increase in lean body mass and a decrease in fat mass, as well as a modest but significant improvement in physical function.
Most doctors agree that a “normal” reading falls anywhere between 300 to 1,000 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). About 40% of men over age 45 will have levels that come in below that range.
Exercise can increase your testosterone. The best types of exercise to increase your testosterone levels are weightlifting and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Lifting heavy weights is the best exercise to increase testosterone levels. Building muscle mass triggers the body to produce testosterone.
Testosterone deficiency in the aging male is associated with the loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, depression, decreased cognitive ability, lethargy, osteoporosis, and loss of muscle mass and strength.
Low testosterone levels in males can lead to erectile dysfunction. They can also affect sleep, mood, the size of the testicles, and more. In both males and females, low testosterone can lead to lower bone mass and reduced sex drive.
Testing for low T
A simple blood test can confirm your testosterone level. The bottom of a man's normal total testosterone range is about 300 ng/dL, and the upper limit is about 800ng/dL, depending on the lab. In general, levels below 300 ng/dL combined with symptoms are indicators of testosterone deficiency.
How to test testosterone levels? You can check testosterone levels with an at-home test or at a clinic. The Everlywell test uses a small, finger prick blood sample that you collect at home. You then mail the sample to a lab and get your results online.
Ejaculation results in changes in prolactin (increase) and dopamine (temporary decrease), but does not result in changes in testosterone.
Testosterone levels affect the skin much like estrogen. The higher your testosterone, the firmer and tighter your skin appears. In men, low testosterone (low-T) is associated with wrinkles, muscle loss, thinning hair, and weight gain.
Untreated testosterone deficiency will greatly increase your risk for developing heart disease, osteoporosis, and other age-related diseases.
Testosterone replacement therapy, in the form of injections, pellets, patches or gels, can improve the signs and symptoms of low testosterone in these men.
Low testosterone also appears to be linked to lower quality sleep and fewer deep sleep cycles. Researchers have observed that as testosterone goes down, the hormone cortisol increases. Cortisol contributes to wakefulness, resulting in shallower and shorter sleep, noted the February 2012 review in the journal Sleep.
Lifting heavy weights with a high volume will increase testosterone the most. Exercises include compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench press, push press, and shoulder press. Also high intensity interval training (HIIT) is excellent for testosterone.