JOWS6
I am banned!
I jus' want to mention something that I found interesting. Long story short for those who have not read my previous thread, I had an increase in total and free testosterone but still exhibit signs of hypogonadism. My lab's range for free testosterone is 35-155 and I came in at 94.4. I thought that this value was somewhat acceptable being around the middle but I was wrong. After looking at my previous labs I noticed an inconsistency with lab ranges for free testosterone. As you know there are various ranges for total testosterone, such as:
250-841
300-1100
etc
We don't pay too much attention to these total testosterone ranges but generally aim for 800-1200. Having said that, I found out that there are two different ranges for free testosterone that labs use. The first one is sensitive to low levels of t and has a smaller range of:
35-155 pg
The second range is what you want to base your numbers on and is the range:
46-224 pg
Again, my results came in at 99.4 and I thought, "Well, that's in the middle." but in actuality, it's around the 25th percentile according to this range. It paints a whole new picture of where I stand doesn't it?
Here is an insightful post my member "Frozenx" on another forum:
"The problem with this test stems from the fact that it is designed as way to detect free testosterone in people with extremely low levels, where as the other test Quest uses is made for people with normal levels. The reason this test can detect levels better is because for free testosterone, Quest uses the equilibrium dialysis method to determine the percent free which correlates more accurately in extremely low people than by just basing it off of shbg, albumin and total test algorithm used in their other test.
The test results itself are not inaccurate but the range Quest uses for free testosterone only scales up to 155 pg or 15.5 ng. However, for most normal men the top of the range for free testosterone before they begin to exhibit negative side effects is around 224 pg or 22.4 ng. This is the much more accurate range Quest uses in their other test. Both tests will also yield very similar results.
Going more in depth with how this ultra sensitive free testosterone test works, basically in lamen terms Quest determines the percentage of free testosterone using equilibrium dialysis out of the amount of total testosterone in your blood. They then take that number turn it into a fraction and multiply it by your total testosterone amount then multiply that number by 10 to go from ng to pg. So for example if your total testosterone was 600 and you had roughly 2.7 percent free you would be above their reference range of 155 pg since your levels would be 162 pg, but you would be squarely a little above the middle in their other test.
Furthermore, in order for someone lets say to be above the high range on free testosterone at 600 total testosterone (aka above 22 pg) they would have to have a shbg of around 2 which is physiologically impossible. Also anyone with a total testosterone level of 800 and above and a free testosterone percentage of as low as 2 percent would be above this scale. (in literature most males are reported to have around 1 to 3 percent free).
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/hcp/intguide/EndoMetab/Gen_Misc/Testosterone/Table%201.pdf"
250-841
300-1100
etc
We don't pay too much attention to these total testosterone ranges but generally aim for 800-1200. Having said that, I found out that there are two different ranges for free testosterone that labs use. The first one is sensitive to low levels of t and has a smaller range of:
35-155 pg
The second range is what you want to base your numbers on and is the range:
46-224 pg
Again, my results came in at 99.4 and I thought, "Well, that's in the middle." but in actuality, it's around the 25th percentile according to this range. It paints a whole new picture of where I stand doesn't it?
Here is an insightful post my member "Frozenx" on another forum:
"The problem with this test stems from the fact that it is designed as way to detect free testosterone in people with extremely low levels, where as the other test Quest uses is made for people with normal levels. The reason this test can detect levels better is because for free testosterone, Quest uses the equilibrium dialysis method to determine the percent free which correlates more accurately in extremely low people than by just basing it off of shbg, albumin and total test algorithm used in their other test.
The test results itself are not inaccurate but the range Quest uses for free testosterone only scales up to 155 pg or 15.5 ng. However, for most normal men the top of the range for free testosterone before they begin to exhibit negative side effects is around 224 pg or 22.4 ng. This is the much more accurate range Quest uses in their other test. Both tests will also yield very similar results.
Going more in depth with how this ultra sensitive free testosterone test works, basically in lamen terms Quest determines the percentage of free testosterone using equilibrium dialysis out of the amount of total testosterone in your blood. They then take that number turn it into a fraction and multiply it by your total testosterone amount then multiply that number by 10 to go from ng to pg. So for example if your total testosterone was 600 and you had roughly 2.7 percent free you would be above their reference range of 155 pg since your levels would be 162 pg, but you would be squarely a little above the middle in their other test.
Furthermore, in order for someone lets say to be above the high range on free testosterone at 600 total testosterone (aka above 22 pg) they would have to have a shbg of around 2 which is physiologically impossible. Also anyone with a total testosterone level of 800 and above and a free testosterone percentage of as low as 2 percent would be above this scale. (in literature most males are reported to have around 1 to 3 percent free).
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/hcp/intguide/EndoMetab/Gen_Misc/Testosterone/Table%201.pdf"
