Low-T symptom self-check
Low testosterone can only be diagnosed with blood tests, a morning total testosterone repeated on another day, together with your symptoms. These eleven yes-or-no questions, written from the symptom lists in US guidelines, help you see whether your symptoms are the kind that can go with low testosterone and what to ask your clinician. It is not a validated test.
This is an educational estimate, not medical advice. It doesn’t recommend a dose. Real levels vary a lot between people; only a blood test shows yours. Talk to your prescriber before changing anything. This checklist is not a validated test and cannot diagnose low testosterone.
- Could these symptoms be from low testosterone, or from something else?
- Should I have a morning total testosterone test, and a second one if it comes back low?
- Do I need other tests, such as LH, FSH or SHBG?
- What else could explain how I feel: sleep, mood, weight or my medicines?
Read next: How low testosterone is diagnosed and How to prepare for your appointment.
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How it works
The questions follow the symptoms listed in the Endocrine Society and American Urological Association guidelines on testosterone deficiency. Some symptoms point more towards low testosterone: a lower sex drive, fewer spontaneous erections, breast tenderness, losing body hair and hot flushes. Others, like tiredness, low mood or poor sleep, are common and have many causes.
You get one of three plain messages, not a score. If you answer yes to any of the more specific symptoms, or to three or more of the others, the summary says your answers include symptoms that can go with low testosterone. A yes to one or two of the common ones gets a gentler message, and no yeses a reassuring one.
This is not a validated test. It has not been studied against blood results, and it cannot tell you whether your testosterone is low. Guidelines diagnose low testosterone only with symptoms plus consistently low morning blood tests, so the next step is always a conversation with your clinician.
Sources
Questions
What are the symptoms of low testosterone?
The ones guidelines treat as most suggestive are lower sex drive, fewer morning or spontaneous erections, breast tenderness or swelling, losing body hair and hot flushes. Low energy, low mood, poor concentration, poor sleep, less muscle and more body fat are also common, but they have many other causes.
Can this checklist tell me if I have low testosterone?
No. It is not a validated test and it cannot diagnose anything. It helps you notice which symptoms you have and what to ask. Only blood tests, together with your symptoms, can show whether your testosterone is low.
What blood test checks for low testosterone?
A total testosterone test taken in the morning, ideally fasting. Because levels vary from day to day, guidelines ask for a second morning test to confirm a low result, and often for other tests such as LH and FSH to find the cause.
What else can cause these symptoms?
Poor or short sleep, sleep apnoea, stress, depression, weight gain, thyroid problems, some medicines, alcohol and other health conditions can all cause tiredness, low mood or a lower sex drive. That is why a blood test and a conversation with your clinician matter.
Are my answers saved or sent anywhere?
No. Your answers stay in your browser while the page is open, and closing the page clears them. The PDF is made on your device. If you ask us to email your summary, we send it once and keep no copy of it or your address.
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Free tools for education only. Nothing you type here is stored; the maths runs in your browser, and your result is only sent if you ask us to email it. TRTracker does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Privacy policy