Help Interpreting Bloodwork (Testosterone) - 17M with absurd numbers

[warriordocjensen]

Hi, I (17M, 160 pounds, 6 foot 1.5) recently got my bloodwork done, and I need help interpreting my testosterone and free testosterone levels. The numbers I see are so absurdly low I think the test might be bunk, or I'm severely misinterpreting the test.

Total T: I read 45 ng/dL, where the cutoff for low seems to be 250-300 ng/dL according to Google, and apparently 45 is 5x lower than the average 80-year-old male.

Free Test: 7.0 pg/mL, where anything under 50 is low according to Google.

Is this all correct? Image of test below:

https://imgur.com/a/HRi3PCs

 

[dawn16]

@warriordocjensen Talk to your doc. Also, your name isn’t blurred out on the second pic.

 

[warriordocjensen]

@dawn16 oh shit thanks for pointing that out

 

[dawn16]

@warriordocjensen It is best to speak to a specialized Doctor or an Endocrinologist, they know best. They might tell you to do more than the Testosterone Level Check, they may add Gonadotropins and SHBG level check.

 

[godhasmynumber]

@warriordocjensen Everyone is correct about speaking to a hormone doctor if you have concerns. As to your confusion about why the test says 45 ng/dL is “in range”, it’s because you’re under 18, so the correct range can depend on what stage of puberty you’re in (called the Tanner stage). If you read what the paper considers to be “in range” on the right hand side it’s anything under 1000 ng/dL, because the lab obviously doesn’t know what stage of puberty you’re in so they can’t tell you what’s too low. Then they provide the possible ranges for each tanner stage. An endocrinologist will tell you what stage you’re in and what your levels are supposed to be. Although you can google Tanner stages and figure out which one you are, given your age it seems likely you should be Stage V, and might not be undergoing puberty like you’re supposed to, which would be a problem.

 

[confusedgirl98]

@warriordocjensen Gonna piggy back off this thread. Just got my test results, from last week. 141ng/dl total (can't remember free, but it was well below normal)

Anything I can do to bump these numbers? I'm cutting right now but hitting all my micros, Dr didn't seem concerned but recommended getting rechecked in a few months.

Edit: forgot to add age, 21.

It's concerning they're that low, but I put on muscle pretty easily, I'm like 160lbs @ 14% bodyfat after only training for 9-10 months or so. Really confusing, as I would have thought I'd have high T? Can you put on muscle with low T???

Weird...

Edit 2: also gonna add height for the hell of it, 5'9

 

[warriordocjensen]

@confusedgirl98 Same, except I'm 17, 160, and probably closer to 12% bf. I'm honestly not all that surprised that I have low T, since I was naturally obese (260 at peak) and I suspect I naturally have very mild gyno, but there's a difference between low T and 45 ng/dL (5x lower than the cutoff for low), which is why I think my test was bunk.

Either that or I'm 1/1,000,000, just not the way I hoped I would be...

 

[confusedgirl98]

@warriordocjensen What time of day did you get your blood taken? I got mine at 11am, which, as I've researched, might be why it's low.

Also, similar story haha, used to be obese too, was about 200lbs at my peak, and def have some gyno too.

 

[warriordocjensen]

@confusedgirl98 I got mine at around 8am. Am 6 foot 2 btw, but otherwise our stories sound fairly similar. I've heard bad sleep can really skew your results though, which may have happened to me to some extent

 

[confusedgirl98]

@warriordocjensen I've heard that too. And I've finally been getting hold of my sleep apnea. And for the past week before the test and I'd had the best sleep in my life. Still concerning, definitely keen to get myself retested.

 

[bronsontaur]

@warriordocjensen Do you feel ok though? Low test isnt a problem unless youre getting symptoms. I very much doubt you actually have an average of 45ng/dl. Thats lower than my trans friend on androgen blockers.