When you receive a laboratory result regarding a hormonal analysis, it is common to see different types of testosterone. Understanding the difference between the different types of testosterone is key to an accurate diagnosis:
- Total testosterone: is the total amount of the hormone in the blood. However, this number alone can be misleading, as it groups both the testosterone that your body can use and the one that is "blocked".
- Free testosterone: is the smallest fraction that refers to the testosterone circulating without binding to proteins. Although it represents only 1-2% of the total, it is the one that actually performs biological functions, as it can enter the cells of your muscles, brain, or reproductive system to exert its function immediately.
- Bioavailable testosterone: is the sum of free testosterone and that bound to albumin. It is the hormone that your body can use quickly and effectively, that is, it is the total fraction of hormone that is actually "available" for your tissues to use in the short term.
Read the full article on: Testosterone hormone: what is its function in men and women? ( 29).
Marta Barranquero Gómez
B.Sc., M.Sc.
Graduated in Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences by the University of Valencia (UV) and specialized in Assisted Reproduction by the University of Alcalá de Henares (UAH) in collaboration with Ginefiv and in Clinical Genetics by the University of Alcalá de Henares (UAH).
License: 3316-CV
