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Understanding your testosterone: Test options for men’s health

Testosterone, a key male hormone, plays a vital role in muscle mass, bone health, sex drive and overall well-being. However, simply knowing your total testosterone level may not provide the whole picture. Labcorp offers two testing options to help you gain a more comprehensive understanding of your hormone health.

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Choose the option that's right for you

Curious about total and free testosterone?

Knowing the difference between total testosterone and free testosterone can help you understand how this hormone affects your health. Learn how testosterone impacts vital functions and when testing may be needed.

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FAQ

  • Total testosterone is the overall amount of testosterone in your blood, and free testosterone refers to the active form of testosterone readily available for your body to use.

    A total testosterone test is often ordered by healthcare providers as an initial evaluation for low testosterone, and it can provide a broader picture of your hormone health. It measures the total testosterone in your blood, including the testosterone that’s both attached and unattached to proteins (albumin and SHBG). A free testosterone test calculates the “free” testosterone that’s not bound to proteins and can be used by your body.1
     

  • Normal testosterone levels vary throughout the day, from person to person and throughout life.
     

    Learn more by reading our blog post about why testosterone levels change with age.
     

    Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions or concerns about the results of your testosterone levels blood test.

  • Visit the Labcorp OnDemand website to browse and purchase laboratory tests and create your Labcorp Patient™ account. All Labcorp OnDemand testing requires a healthcare provider order. For your convenience, Labcorp OnDemand has contracted with PWNHealth LLC and its affiliated professional entities (collectively, PWNHealth) to provide healthcare provider services. Visit a Labcorp location for sample collection, or if using an at-home kit, collect your sample yourself. We’ll let you know when your results are ready to be accessed through your Labcorp Patient account.

  • Your testing will be performed in a CLIA-certified clinical laboratory. Labcorp provides leading-edge medical laboratory tests and services through a national network of primary clinical laboratories and specialty testing laboratories. Our labs perform regular quality assurance testing to ensure our results are accurate.

  • Your results will be provided to you through our secure online portal to view or print. Results are also provided to PWNHealth, which provides professional healthcare provider services for OnDemand tests. If you access your results through your Labcorp Patient account, all users linked to the account will have access to all OnDemand test results. Results may also be provided to a local, state, or federal health authority, but only when legally required. For example, many states require the testing laboratory and healthcare provider to report test results for certain communicable diseases, such as sexually transmitted diseases or COVID-19, to local or state health departments.

    If you have questions or comments regarding the Labcorp Notice of Privacy Practices, or have a complaint about our use or disclosure of your PHI or our privacy practices, please contact: privacyofficer@labcorp.com, call us at (877) 234-4722 (877-23-HIPAA) and ask for the Labcorp HIPAA Privacy Officer, or send a written request to: HIPAA Privacy Officer, Labcorp, 531 South Spring Street, Burlington, NC 27215. You also may file a complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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References

1.    Harvard Medical School. Testosterone, aging and the mind. Published January 1, 2008. Accessed April 2, 2024. https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/testosterone_aging_and_the_mind.