Blood WorkLow testosterone is diagnosed with a total testosterone blood test drawn early in the morning, repeated on a second morning, together with symptoms. The American Urological Association uses a total testosterone below 300 ng/dL on two mornings. At Passion Health, a testosterone test is $20 plus the $29 draw and review fee, or the $139 Men's Health Panel adds SHBG, free testosterone, a blood count, metabolic panel, cholesterol, A1c and PSA.
What to know about low testosterone
Testosterone drives sex drive, erections, muscle, bone and red blood cell production. Low testosterone (testosterone deficiency) can cause low sex drive, fewer morning erections, erectile problems, tiredness, low mood, less muscle and more body fat, though each of these has other possible causes too.
Levels fall slowly with age, and faster with obesity, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, long-term opioid or steroid use and some pituitary or testicular conditions. Testosterone is highest in the morning and drops after meals, poor sleep or illness, which is why timing matters.
Who should get a testosterone test?
Get tested if you have symptoms such as low sex drive, erectile problems or loss of morning erections. The American Urological Association also recommends checking testosterone if you have:
- unexplained anemia, or bone loss;
- diabetes;
- HIV, or a pituitary problem;
- infertility;
- long-term opioid or steroid medicine;
- past chemotherapy, or radiation to the testicles.
Testing men who feel well and have none of these isn't recommended.
Which tests check for low testosterone?
| Test | What it shows | Where it's included |
|---|---|---|
| Total testosterone | The main test. Drawn before 10 a.m. and repeated on a second morning to confirm. | Men's Health $139. Alone $20. |
| SHBG and free testosterone | SHBG binds testosterone; free testosterone is the active part. They help when total testosterone is borderline, or SHBG is changed by age, weight, thyroid or liver problems. | Men's Health $139. SHBG alone $40. |
| Blood count (hematocrit) | A baseline before treatment, since testosterone therapy can raise red blood cells. | Men's Health $139. Alone $20. |
| PSA | A prostate baseline the AUA recommends before treatment in men 40 and older. | Men's Health $139. Alone $20. |
| A1c, cholesterol, metabolic panel | Low testosterone travels with diabetes and heart risk, so these shape the plan. | Men's Health $139. |
If testosterone is low on two mornings, your clinician orders LH and sometimes prolactin to find out why. Those are added once low testosterone is confirmed.
What your testosterone results mean
The AUA uses a total testosterone below 300 ng/dL, measured on two separate early mornings, as the cutoff for low testosterone, together with symptoms. Labs print their own ranges, and they vary.
One low result isn't a diagnosis. Poor sleep, a recent illness, a meal before the draw or a late-morning draw can all lower testosterone. Free testosterone matters most when total testosterone is near the cutoff or SHBG is unusually high or low.
What a testosterone test can't tell you
These tests don't explain why testosterone is low; LH, prolactin and sometimes imaging do. They don't measure fertility, which needs a semen analysis. And testosterone therapy lowers sperm production, so men trying to have children shouldn't use it; the AUA advises discussing fertility plans before treatment.
If your testosterone is low at Passion Health
A Texas-licensed clinician reviews every result. If your testosterone is low, we:
- confirm it with a second morning test;
- look for causes we can treat, such as weight, sleep apnea, medicines and diabetes;
- explain your options if it's confirmed, including testosterone therapy and the monitoring it needs (blood count, PSA and testosterone levels), so you can decide together;
- refer you to urology or endocrinology when the cause calls for it.
Related care online: erectile dysfunction, sleep apnea and WeightCare medical weight loss.
Testosterone test cost in Texas
Self-pay. The Men's Health Panel is $139: total and free testosterone, SHBG, blood count, metabolic panel, cholesterol, A1c and PSA, with the draw and a clinician's review. Bought separately, those come to $194. A testosterone test alone is $49 with the draw and review fee, a good choice for your confirming second morning test.
With insurance. If we're in network with your plan, we bill it when the test is covered. You pay cash for a test only after we tell you the price in writing, and Medicare patients sign an Advance Beneficiary Notice first.
Lowosterone test questions
What time should a testosterone test be done?
Early in the morning, before 10 a.m., when testosterone is highest. If you work nights, tell your clinician so the timing matches your sleep.
What is a normal testosterone level for a man?
Most lab ranges start around 250 to 300 ng/dL, and the American Urological Association uses 300 ng/dL as the cutoff for low testosterone. Symptoms matter as much as the number.
Why does testosterone need to be tested twice?
Levels swing from day to day with sleep, meals and illness. The AUA asks for two low early-morning results before diagnosing low testosterone.
Do I need to fast for a testosterone test?
It's best drawn in the morning before eating, since meals can lower testosterone. The Men's Health Panel also includes cholesterol and glucose, so fast 8 to 12 hours before that draw; water is fine.
Can women get a testosterone test?
Yes, for example to check for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or unwanted hair growth. Women's levels are much lower, so ask your clinician first to make sure the test is the right one; the Men's Health Panel is designed for men.
Does insurance cover a testosterone test?
Usually, when it's ordered for symptoms. If we're in network with your plan, we bill it; without insurance it's $49 with the draw and review fee, or part of the $139 Men's Health Panel.