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Cindy is a freelance health and fitness writer, author, and podcaster who’s contributed regularly to Runner’s World since 2013. Experts think it may thicken the blood, making a clot more likely. You might not know you’re anemic unless you have blood work done at your doctor’s office, though. If you have low T, you might lose body and facial hair, too, Dr. Nall says.
Too much estrogen in a male body is not a good thing; it can cause erectile dysfunction, or low libido.\" When your testosterone levels are getting into the 1,000 up to the 1,500 ng/dL range—and staying up there—that’s too high, says McDevitt. \"Testosterone has a mood stabilizing effect, so as it decreases, anxiety can arise.\" There are a couple of science-backed ways to help you boost testosterone levels naturally. Free testosterone should make up about 1 to 2 percent of your total testosterone levels. Your body then metabolizes your total testosterone into other substances to keep you functioning optimally. Most men focus on total testosterone levels when they’re trying to figure out if they have low testosterone, but free testosterone levels matter, too.
Women with high testosterone levels, due to either disease or drug use, may experience a decrease in breast size and deepening of the voice, in addition to many of the problems men may have. While the specifics are uncertain, it\'s possible that androgens also play an important role in normal brain function (including mood, sex drive and cognitive function). It\'s one of several androgens (male sex hormones) in females. When testosterone levels rise too high, the brain sends signals to the pituitary to reduce production.
People often ask whether 500 ng/dL is a good level of total testosterone. Testosterone levels peak in the earlier phases of life as a teen and young adult (6). \"But it’s hard to say where ‘average’ is for your age, since it can depend on so many criteria,\" says McDevitt.
It\'s best to measure free testosterone levels in the morning. Men and women need the proper amount of testosterone to develop and function normally. Because prostate cancer is so common, doctors tend to be leery of prescribing testosterone to men who may be at higher than average risk of having undiagnosed prostate cancer. Some men and women experience immediate side effects of testosterone treatment, such as acne, disturbed breathing while sleeping, breast swelling or tenderness, or swelling in the ankles. For example, a man with osteoporosis and low testosterone can increase bone strength and reduce his fracture risk with testosterone replacement.

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