Testosterone is an important androgen (a steroid hormone) that is usually produced by the testes in males of all ages. The adrenal glands in both males and females also produce it in small quantities as does the female ovary. In males, this is the hormone that is responsible for the development of secondary sex characteristics such muscle growth, the growth of body/ facial hair and the deepening of the voice. It is also responsible for the regulation of sex drive and libido in men.

On the surface, all the benefits associated with testosterone might seem to suggest that having as much of it as possible is a great idea.  But this is wrong- too much testosterone can lead to some very unwelcome side effects such as excessive thickening of the blood and sleep apnea. The problem of too much testosterone is usually common in males who are on some form of testosterone replacement therapy and is rarely a problem for males who use natural means like dieting and lifestyle adjustment to increase their testosterone levels. On the other hand, having too little testosterone is probably even worse than having too much. With insufficient testosterone, problems like underdeveloped muscles and sexual organs, depression, erectile dysfunction and much more are very likely to come knocking. The secret is to strive for optimal testosterone levels and this website explains more on how that can be done.

That raises the big question- What is the optimal testosterone level?

If you are hoping for a straight answer to this question then you are in for some disappointment. There is no specific level of testosterone that will be optimal for every male. Optimal T levels will differ from one male to another simply because no two males are the same. For instance, while some men will feel great with a testosterone level of  800ng/dl, this level may be too high for others who may be more comfortable at lower levels like, say, 600 ng/dl. There is no accurate threshold for optimal testosterone that has been determined through clinical research though most experts from the Endocrine Society agree that symptoms of low T will begin to show when the testosterone levels fall below 400 ng/dl.

Because of these inconsistencies, it is safe to always make sure that your T levels stay above the 500s. It goes without saying that the only way to make sure you stay within this threshold is by testosterone level testing on a regular basis. This is the only sure way to maintain your testosterone levels within optimal levels.

Testosterone level testing using scientific methods

Scientific testosterone level testing can be carried out in three ways and each of these options comes with its own merits and demerits. The three scientific tests are:

• Urine tests
• Saliva tests
• Blood tests