What are the normal testosterone levels?
A normal testosterone-level range for men is 300 to 1,000 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). For women, it’s between 15 and 70 nanograms per deciliter.
It’s normal for you to have changes to your level of testosterone throughout your life. The normal level of testosterone for your age and sex is as follows:
| Age | Male (ng/dl) | Female (ng/dl) |
| 0-5 months | 75-400 | 20-80 |
| 6 months-9 years | <7-20 | <7-20 |
| 10–11 years | <7-130 | 7-44 |
| 12-13 years | <7-800 | <7-75 |
| 14 years | 7-1200 | <7-75 |
| 15-16 years | 100-1200 | <7-75 |
| 17-18 years | 300-1200 | 20-75 |
| 19 years and up | 240-950 | 8-60 |
Testosterone levels can decrease naturally due to your age or other health conditions. After the age of 40, men’s testosterone levels usually decrease at least 1 percent every year. Some symptoms of low testosterone, particularly erectile dysfunction, are commonly seen in men over 40. Low testosterone levels have often been observed in people with obesity, no matter their age.
The most common testosterone-related problem in men is hypogonadism, also called low testosterone. Your testosterone level may be abnormally low if you have one or more of the following symptoms:
- decreased sex drive
- inability to achieve an erection (erectile dysfunction)
- inability to conceive a child
- overall tiredness
Women with too much T may grow facial hair, develop a deeper voice, or experience decreased breast size. Too much T in women can also cause acne. Too much T in women can be the result of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can make it difficult to get pregnant and interfere with menstruation.
How to treat abnormal testosterone levels?
Ask your doctor about testosterone tests if you suspect that you have abnormal hormone levels or if you notice developmental issues in your children. A wide range of treatment is available.
The most common treatment for low testosterone is testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). In TRT, you’re given an injection, a skin patch, or a topical gel containing testosterone that replaces the testosterone missing from your body. Though this treatment is common, TRT is known to have some risks and side effects. They include:
- sleep apnea
- acne
- blood clot formation
- benign prostatic hyperplasia, or prostate growth
- possible increased risk of heart attacks and strokes
If you’re taking any medications or supplements (such as steroids) that abnormally affect your testosterone levels, your doctor may ask you to stop taking them or suggest an alternative.
Your doctor may also recommend lifestyle changes that can help balance your testosterone levels, such as exercising to build muscle and healthy weight loss through dietary changes.
