For adult men, a normal total testosterone level falls between 264 and 916 ng/dL, with 300 ng/dL being the widely used clinical cutoff below which a level is considered low. For adult women, normal total testosterone is below 40 ng/dL. These ranges come from standardized lab methods, but the number on your lab report only tells part of the story.
The Standard Range for Men
The Endocrine Society, using labs certified through the CDC’s accuracy program, places the normal male range at 264 ng/dL on the low end and 916 ng/dL on the high end. The American Urological Association uses 300 ng/dL as a practical diagnostic threshold: below that, combined with symptoms, is generally considered low testosterone (hypogonadism).
Where you fall within that wide 264-to-916 window matters less than you might think. A man at 350 ng/dL can feel perfectly fine, while another at 450 ng/dL might have symptoms. The number is a starting point, not a verdict. Labs also vary slightly in how they calibrate their equipment, so your reference range may look a little different from one lab to the next. Always compare your result to the specific range printed on your lab report.
Why Your Test Needs to Be Done in the Morning
Testosterone fluctuates throughout the day, peaking in the early morning and dropping as the day goes on. Labs set their normal ranges based on blood drawn between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. If you get your blood drawn in the afternoon, your result could come back artificially low simply because of timing. The Endocrine Society also recommends fasting before the draw, and a diagnosis of low testosterone requires at least two separate morning tests showing consistently low levels, not just one.
Total Testosterone vs. Free Testosterone
Most of the testosterone circulating in your blood is bound to proteins, primarily one made by the liver called sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). Bound testosterone can’t interact with your tissues. Only the small fraction that’s unbound, called free testosterone, is actively available to your muscles, bones, and organs.
This distinction explains why two people with identical total testosterone numbers can feel very different. If your SHBG is high (which can happen with aging, liver conditions, or certain medications), more of your testosterone is locked up and unavailable. Your total number looks fine, but your body isn’t getting enough usable hormone. Conversely, low SHBG means more of your total testosterone is free and active, so even a modest total number might supply your tissues with plenty.
When symptoms don’t match a total testosterone result, your doctor may order a free testosterone test or check your SHBG levels to get a clearer picture of what’s actually reaching your cells.
How Testosterone Changes With Age
Testosterone peaks in the late teens and early 20s, then gradually declines by roughly 1% to 2% per year starting around age 30. This means a 60-year-old man will naturally sit lower in the reference range than a 25-year-old, and that’s not automatically a problem. The same 264-to-916 range applies across adult ages, so a healthy older man can still fall well within normal limits even as his levels drift downward over the decades.
The decline isn’t inevitable at a fixed rate for everyone. Weight gain, poor sleep, chronic stress, and certain medications can accelerate the drop. Losing excess body fat and improving sleep quality are two of the most reliable ways to support healthy testosterone levels without medical intervention.
Normal Testosterone Levels for Women
Women produce far less testosterone than men, and normal levels for adult women of any age are below 40 ng/dL. Testosterone still plays an important role in women’s health, contributing to bone density, muscle maintenance, and sex drive. Levels that climb above the normal range in women can signal a condition called hyperandrogenism, which affects roughly 5% to 10% of women of reproductive age. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause and typically produces mildly elevated testosterone. Sharply elevated levels that develop suddenly may point to a tumor in the ovaries or adrenal glands and warrant prompt evaluation.
Signs Your Level Might Be Low
A low number on a lab report doesn’t mean much on its own. Both major guidelines (from the Endocrine Society and the American Urological Association) require symptoms alongside low lab values before making a diagnosis. Common signs of low testosterone in men include:
- Low sex drive or difficulty getting erections
- Fatigue and trouble concentrating
- Loss of muscle mass or increased body fat
- Bone loss
- Depression or mood changes
- Sleep problems
Many of these symptoms overlap with other conditions like thyroid disorders, depression, sleep apnea, or simple aging. That overlap is exactly why guidelines insist on confirmed lab work plus symptoms before reaching a diagnosis.
What Happens If Levels Are Too High
Abnormally high testosterone is less common in men unless anabolic steroids or testosterone therapy push levels above the normal range. In men, excess testosterone from outside sources can paradoxically shrink the testicles and reduce fertility, because the body responds by shutting down its own production. High adrenal androgens in men typically don’t cause obvious outward symptoms but can still impair testicular function.
In women, untreated high testosterone raises the risk of infertility, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease over time. If testosterone therapy is prescribed and levels climb too high, men may see their red blood cell count rise excessively, which is why doctors monitor blood counts at baseline, again at three to six months, and then yearly.
Getting an Accurate Result
If you’re planning to test your testosterone, a few practical steps improve accuracy. Schedule a morning blood draw, ideally between 7 and 10 a.m., and fast beforehand. Avoid heavy drinking or unusually poor sleep the night before, since both can temporarily suppress levels. If your first result comes back low, expect your doctor to repeat the test on a separate day before drawing conclusions. One low reading could be a fluke caused by illness, stress, or a bad night of sleep.
When reviewing results, look at both the number and the lab’s specific reference range. A result of 280 ng/dL at a lab whose range starts at 264 is technically normal but sits near the floor. Context matters: your age, symptoms, SHBG levels, and overall health all factor into whether that number represents a problem or simply where your body naturally operates.