Age Related Testosterone Decline

Testosterone is a critical hormone for men's health.

Testosterone declines over time and around 41% of that decline is due to age. Testosterone is mainly produced by the testes and 2% is free testosterone and not bound.

Free testosterone is biologically active and drives the benefits described here.

Age-related decline

Men's testosterone starts to decline from around age 30. A fact of life. It declines by 1-2%, or to be exact around 1.6% per year.

Free testosterone however declines at a higher rate of around 2-3% per year (Per the National Library of Medicine and their research entitled " Testosterone of the aging male and recommended practice 2008.)

So, following conventional wisdom with 19.2% lost per decade due to age, (1.6% per year for every 10 years) in ng/dl for total testosterone. The calculations by "big" birthdays are illustrated below, assuming the start was a "normal" range for a male of 20 years old.

Now if you agree that age only accounts for 41% of the decline in testosterone and lifestyle factors for the rest, and that the decline above relates only to age, this will mean the worst-case scenario could be:

Keep in mind under 300ng/dl is considered low, so if the stats are correct and you do not look after yourself, things can apparently get ugly really quickly.

Don't forget free testosterone is what is biologically active, and that can decline at nearly double the rate.

Check out the data included on the normal levels of testosterone page, and the studies would track more closely to the age-only related data but are not that far out when looking at low levels of testosterone by age, which is around the 250ng/dl level. 

Male menopause it isn't. 

Unlike menopause which is where women experience a rapid drop in estrogen which drives menopause, the testosterone decline is gradual and can vary by individual.

This implies you do NOT have enough testosterone, which is not the case. Levels can be lower due to age but still healthy for that individual.

Do you know the benefits of healthy testosterone levels? 

Disclaimer: The information provided by Old Bull Health in this article is for informational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice. Our content is not intended to be medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and thus reliance should not be placed on it. If you are experiencing testosterone related symptoms, please consult a healthcare professional.