Emerge CareWhat does a testosterone blood test actually measure?
Total versus free testosterone, why the time of day matters, and why one result rarely settles anything.
A testosterone test measures the hormone in your blood, and results are usually reported as total testosterone. Some panels also report free testosterone, the portion not bound to proteins. The two answer slightly different questions, which is why a clinician may order both.
Timing matters more than people expect. Testosterone follows a daily rhythm and is generally highest in the morning, so samples are often taken early in the day. A single reading taken at the wrong hour, or during illness, can be misleading on its own.
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