Community Conversation => Transitioning => Hormone replacement therapy => Topic started by: AlyssaJ on June 01, 2017, 08:05:42 PM Return to Full Version
Title: Free Testosterone vs Total Testosterone??
Post by: AlyssaJ on June 01, 2017, 08:05:42 PM
Post by: AlyssaJ on June 01, 2017, 08:05:42 PM
So I finally got the actual complete results for my Testosterone levels (for some reason they weren't showing up in my list so my doctor gave me the quick results). These are at the two month mark on low-dose Spiro.
Total Testosterone: 534 ng/dL
Free Testosterone: 7.2 pg/mL
So my understanding first of all is that the total testosterone is a little low for males my age but obviously way higher than I ultimately want it to be in the long run for transition (I believe <50 is optimal). However, the free testosterone appears to be promising as it's well below the acceptable male range and and almost in a normal female range (based on the numbers I've found at GID.info).
The way I understand it, total testosterone includes testosterone that is already bound to receptors in blood cells and other tissues while Free Testosterone is bio-available and possibly the more significant number? Looking for thoughts here. I'm still very much a newbie on all this side of things and while I've tried to study up, I'm finding lots of different information out there.
Total Testosterone: 534 ng/dL
Free Testosterone: 7.2 pg/mL
So my understanding first of all is that the total testosterone is a little low for males my age but obviously way higher than I ultimately want it to be in the long run for transition (I believe <50 is optimal). However, the free testosterone appears to be promising as it's well below the acceptable male range and and almost in a normal female range (based on the numbers I've found at GID.info).
The way I understand it, total testosterone includes testosterone that is already bound to receptors in blood cells and other tissues while Free Testosterone is bio-available and possibly the more significant number? Looking for thoughts here. I'm still very much a newbie on all this side of things and while I've tried to study up, I'm finding lots of different information out there.
Title: Re: Free Testosterone vs Total Testosterone??
Post by: mako9802 on June 01, 2017, 09:11:53 PM
Post by: mako9802 on June 01, 2017, 09:11:53 PM
Free Testosterone is the total testosterone that is not bound up by shbg(sex hormone binding glubulin) If it is bound it can not act upon your tissues it is basically inactivated. Only free testoserone is able to act upon your bodies testosterone receptors.