PSA Levels by Age Chart: Normal Ranges, and What They Mean
As you age, your body’s natural ability to produce testosterone diminishes, making it important to monitor and maintain these levels to ensure a high quality of life and optimal health. Aging, genetics, medical conditions (like hypogonadism), poor diet, lack of exercise, and chronic stress can all contribute to declining testosterone levels. While convenient home testosterone test kits are available, they don’t provide the same accuracy or detailed analysis as laboratory blood work conducted through a medical provider. The professional staff at National HRT® is here to answer any questions dealing with Low T or any other type of hormonal deficiency. We offer testing, support, and treatment for men, as well as women, dealing with decreasing hormone levels.
Testosterone peaks in a man's late teens, and starts to gradually decline after the age of 30. Normal levels of free testosterone levels in the blood are affected by aging. As a man gets older, his levels of both free testosterone and overall testosterone naturally drop. Other functions are to balance cholesterol and high blood pressure levels, support bone strength, support muscle strength, promote a healthy weight by stimulating metabolic function, and enhance memory and focus. As we enter older adulthood, understanding testosterone levels becomes increasingly important for overall health and well-being.
Women who have extremely low testosterone levels may have Addison disease, which is a disorder of the pituitary gland. Men who have testosterone levels that are higher than normal may have a tumor in their testicles or adrenal glands. Low testosterone in men may be a result of chronic disease, metabolic dysfunction, exposure to different toxins, certain pharmaceutical drugs, pituitary gland disturbances, or genetic variability. Below is a testosterone level chart by age, along with information about how testosterone therapy in Aventura can help you stay healthy as you continue to age.
On the other hand, girls exposed to higher testosterone levels in the womb had lower muscle strength at age 7. To start, "factors such as increasing rates of obesity, poor sleep patterns, and chronic stress are thought to contribute significantly to reduced testosterone levels," he says. (According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US prevalence of obesity was 23.9% in 1990 and currently sits at 41.3%).
As its name suggests, total testosterone is the total amount of testosterone in your bloodstream. Your body then metabolizes your total T into other substances to keep you functioning optimally. T levels in men can vary widely, though they generally decline in men after the age of 35 says McDevitt. "But it’s hard to say where ‘average’ is for your age, since it can depend on so many criteria," says McDevitt. The average male who reaches 70 years old will have testosterone production that’s 30 percent below his peak (5).
There is some general disagreement in the medical community as to what constitutes "normal" testosterone levels for men. Frequent marijuana use and alcohol consumption aren’t doing your T levels any favors, according to Houman. "Both can interfere with testosterone production, especially when used regularly or excessively during your teens and 20s," he says. Research from the American Urological Association Education and Research Inc. suggests a link between marijuana use and lower testosterone levels. Meanwhile, one Journal of Clinical Medicine study reports that regular alcohol consumption can running improve testosterone damage the Leydig cells responsible for testosterone production. To support hormone balance, Houman recommends cutting back on these substances or discussing a reduction plan with your healthcare provider.
They measured maternal testosterone at 28 weeks of pregnancy using mass spectrometry and later assessed body composition in the children at age seven using Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA). This advanced imaging technique provided detailed measurements of fat mass and lean body mass. The team also took other anthropometric measurements, such as body weight, body mass index (BMI), and abdominal circumference. There are also foods that have been shown to boost your testosterone levels as well as some foods to avoid. It may be noted that the normal levels of testosterone in men tend to decrease naturally at a rate of 1 percent per year after they are 30 years old.
As you will learn in this article, symptoms are a critical factor in determining whether a particular testosterone level is normal. T production peaks during adolescence, and slowly starts to decrease by your mid-thirties. Speak with a healthcare professional about whether you should take testosterone. They will assess your symptoms and test your testosterone levels to help provide a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan, if necessary. According to the American Urological Association (AUA), healthy male testosterone levels range between 450 and 600 ng/dL, and low testosterone is below 300 ng/dL.
In men, it’s diagnosed when levels fall below 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). Healthcare providers can help you figure out how to interpret your results. Free testosterone is sometimes measured in a different unit — picograms per milliliter (pg/mL).
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that men make individual decisions regarding PSA testing in consultation with their healthcare providers. Men with elevated PSA levels may need more frequent testing, depending on individual risk factors. If initial PSA tests show high levels, healthcare providers often recommend a repeat test to confirm the findings before proceeding.
