Now that you have read tons of articles on what testosterone is, you can finally move on to measuring your testosterone levels, to determine whether they are actually low. So, you might have wondered how to measure your testosterone levels, without visiting the doc for a blood test.
Are there any available options that would allow you to accurately test your testosterone levels at home?
Well, a medical test will certainly give you the most accurate results, but there are ways to test your hormonal levels at home, that are pretty close in accuracy to the medical tests that you will get in the lab.
So, here we are giving you a full-on guide to testosterone level tests that you can easily do at home, to determine whether you are on the low or high side of the testosterone levels chart.
Of course, this is a guide where you will use actionable steps to determine whether you’re feeling the effect of the so-desired high testosterone levels.
So if the factors below don’t apply to you, we have some bad news.
Understanding Testosterone
Now we know that you can get a chart of your hormonal levels from the doctor, but what are the actual traits to high testosterone levels?
Understanding the physiological benefits that high testosterone levels give us is all we need to determine which side of the chart we are on.
The Testicles
As you may already know, the hormone is produced in the testicles, which, needless to say, are responsible for many physical and physiological processes in the body.
So, let’s have a look at those processes and determine how low/high levels of testosterone affect them.
Determine The Size of Your Testicles
Your testicles’ size is one of the main physical clues, that can lead you to the answer of whether or not you’re on the high side of the testosterone chart.
If your testosterone-producing organs are bulky, big and full, odds are your testosterone levels are at a high level.
And of course, if they are chronically small, it probably means that your test levels are low.
You can single-handedly (no pun intended) test this, by doing something that will either raise your testosterone levels or decrease them.
So, for example, if you intoxicate your body with alcohol (get significantly drunk), you will probably not wake up with a morning wood on the next day, simply because alcohol affects testosterone level production negatively.
It’s not a good idea to decrease your testosterone levels on purpose, so it would be recommended to take this to the positive side, with an activity that will boost your endocrine system.
Things like regular exercising and proper nutrition habits will definitely have a positive effect on your overall physical development and that, ladies and gentlemen, is the outcome of “having balls”.
Sexual Functions
Erections
Now, besides the punny lines above, we can repeat the fact that testosterone is responsible for many other functions in the body, like the erectile function, which is strongly testosterone-driven.
So, quite logically, if you don’t wake up with an erection that often, that means your testosterone levels are not up to par with the demand of it, for frequent erections to occur.
If an individual with symptoms of low-testosterone takes a testosterone levels test, the data proving those low levels would show levels of about 300 ng/dl for adults, and 400-500 ng/dl for younger guys.
In other words- The more your testosterone levels go up, the more your libido and erectile functions will improve.
Other Physical Traits
Sweat
Have you ever wondered why babies’ and females’ sweat doesn’t smell all that much, if at all?
This is because of their lower testosterone levels.
The body has hormonally driven sweat producing mechanism, which works via the apocrine glands, which produce the apocrine sweat.
So, next time you meet that one guy in the locker room that you and your gym buddies call “the skunk”, think about this.
Shortly, if your sweat has little to no smell, this means your testosterone levels are very low.
Factors That May Influence Your Testosterone Levels
Levels of Body Fat
When the body’s testosterone levels are low, it tends to store more fat, so a higher body fat percentage would be a sign of low testosterone levels.
However, this is just not a theory, as the main proof of that is the aromatase enzyme, which the body produces in especially big quantities when the body fat increases.
All of the enzymes will transform your testosterone into estrogen (the female hormone), which, on its own terms will signal your brain to decrease steroid production.
Of course, this is a controllable factor, meaning that your body is a testosterone production machine, which can be stimulated and given fuel to, through three things:
- Exercise
- Nutrition
- Supplementation
But be careful, not all testosterone booster supplements are made the same and will have completely different formulas to cater for different needs. So, choose yours carefully.
Exercise
Being a couch potato will definitely lead to low testosterone levels, as the body requires a certain amount of physically challenging activity to stimulate the production of steroid hormones like testosterone.
However, running 10 kilometers also may not be the perfect boost for your test levels, as excessive running may cause an exhaustion of the organism. (Of course, the body can adapt to running 10-30 km on the regular basis while still sustaining optimal hormonal levels, but this is a different topic.)
Remember that the most effective types of exercising, if you really want to boost your endocrine system, are strength training and overall, intense movements in the ~20 seconds per set range.
So, that would mean your aerobic exercises will be modified from cross-runs to intense sprints, where you will really put your musculature to a test, through explosive movements.
Exercise is another no-lab testosterone test that you can do, to determine whether your levels are high or low. If you feel lazy, unmotivated in the gym and the weights get too heavy for you even in the range of your usual warm up, that would mean your testosterone levels have taken a dive.
And the other side, there’s peak performance, where you experience massive blood pumps during the workout, accompanied by an immense feeling of motivation. Well, those workout sessions are caused by the optimally peaking testosterone levels, which are a definite measure that requires no lab test.
Nutrition
If you are consuming mostly crap, processed foods in a caloric surplus, then your testosterone levels are probably down in the Mariana trench and you will feel like a slob.
However, it is well known that a nutrition plan, which is well built around organic, whole foods, quality carbs, and healthy fats will greatly help to increase your testosterone levels.
That is simply because the body digests all the valuable nutrients, which work for the stimulation of the endocrine, hormone-producing system.
Supplements and Medication
There is a wide variety of prescription medications, that may have a negative effect on your testosterone production.
So, if you are combining more than 3 types of pills a day and you’re wondering why you are feeling like a bear in the winter, wonder no more, because chances are, some, if not most of those pills are affecting your hormonal system.
Medications like painkillers, anti-depressants, beta blockers and hair loss medication are among the biggest enemies of your testicles.
And the list of medications that have that effect is very long, so be wary of what you put in your body.
Age
The human body is a complex machine, which develops throughout the years, with peaking development at around 25 years for males.
However, at one point the processes start going backward (aging).
On average, the reverse hormonal processes (decrease in testosterone levels) starts around the mid-30s, to mid-40s for physically active individuals.
So, here we can definitely mention the fact that a sedentary lifestyle will lead you to way lower testosterone levels, especially in your adult years.
If you are not a young man anymore, make sure to include testosterone boosting physical activity and better nutrition in your daily routine.
Testosterone Level Test Kits
Now to the final part- Are there actual testosterone level tests that you can do at home?
Yes, there are. In certain countries, you can find and purchase a test kit, which usually uses your saliva or blood to determine the levels of different hormones in the body.
Of course, there is no magical chart that examines your body fluids, so you will have to send the probe to the given address, then wait a couple of days for your results.
Important note: Testosterone levels vary a lot and are usually at their peak in the morning, so if you are taking such a test- this is the best time to do it, in order to determine optimal test levels.
However, you should take note that tests you can do at home, will just give you an idea of your hormonal levels, and the best result will still be yielded by a blood test from your doctor.
Best Home Testosterone Test Kits we Could Find:
1. Saliva Profile I – Test Kit For 5 Hormone Level Imbalances (E2, Pg, T, DS and C)
2. 3 Hormone Imbalance Home Test Kit – Blood Spot Hormone Trio (E2, Pg, T)
3. Saliva Profile III – Test Kit For 8 Hormone Level Imbalances (E2, Pg, T, DS & Cx4)
Conclusion
According to the physiological factors that we have mentioned, you can determine whether your testosterone levels are high or low.
Here is a summarized list of the actionable steps towards determining the problem and fixing it:
Monitor These Physical Traits to Determine the Levels of Your Testosterone:
- Testicle size – The testosterone producers get bigger and harder when levels are high
- Sexual drive – Frequency, intensity, and duration of your erections.
- The smell of your sweat -The less it smells, the lower your testosterone levels are.
Control These Habits to Increase Your Testosterone Levels Naturally
Levels of physical activity and nutritional/sleeping habits.
Focus on high-intensity workouts, that require short bursts of power. Avoid excessively long aerobic activities, as they will exhaust your energetic stores, as well as nerfing the endocrine system.
Your nutrition should revolve around whole, unprocessed, organic foods, healthy fats, and animal products.
Sleep should be regulated according to your levels of physical activity, so if you are really active throughout the day, you require 7 to 10 hours of sleep every night.
Supplement with vitamins and herbs/extracts instead of taking prescription pills (unless, of course, they are required for a disease you may have).
That’s about it. Let us know if you have any additional questions regarding this topic
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