testosterone- free or bound, what test shoudl i get and why? they are both the same price at directlabs- $50. i wanted to see if i had a testosterone deficiency, and if if it was related in any way to the sleep problems, depression i have been having for awhile. I like to be proactive in my healthcare rather than reactive.

i think the total would suffice, i don't need the free testosterone tested i think.

When my husband had his hormones checked they did both free and total testosterone as well as DHEA, estradiol, progesterone, LH (luteinizing hormone). You can be producing testosterone but it may get converted to estrogen. There's also a test called Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) which I think will bind with free testosterone making unavailable.

I believe free testosterone test is measuring the "active testosterone.

Bottom line, all our hormones are so dependent on each other and do not work in isolation. That's why you need more than one test.

Life Extension organization has some very good articles on male hormones.

Marlene

right i would do all that, but $$$$$$$$$$.

so, if i had a choice of free testosterone and total testosterone, i would just pick total. because free is fluctuating. and total testosterone is a standard test that people use when they get into their 30s or 40s.

Yeah the tests are not cheap. I would have gone for the free because that is what's available to your cells. I think you can have normal total testosterone but not enough free testosterone. And from what I understand, it's the free that attaches to the androgen receptors.