Testosterone Free (female) by LifeLabs

Optimal Result: 0 - 30 pmol/L.

What is Free Testosterone?

Free testosterone refers to the small portion of total testosterone in your blood that is not bound to proteins like sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG) or albumin. Because it’s “free,” this fraction is biologically active — it can enter cells and activate androgen receptors to carry out testosterone’s functions.

In women, testosterone is produced in small amounts by the ovaries, adrenal glands, and through the peripheral conversion of other hormones. Even though testosterone is often considered a “male hormone,” it plays essential roles in female health, including:

  • Supporting bone density and muscle strength

  • Maintaining libido and sexual response

  • Contributing to mood stability and cognitive function

  • Helping with energy balance and overall vitality


Why Measure Free Testosterone?

Measuring free testosterone is often more informative than measuring total testosterone alone. This is because protein levels (especially SHBG) can fluctuate due to age, medications, thyroid status, weight changes, and other hormonal shifts.

  • Normal total testosterone + low free testosterone can happen if SHBG is high.

  • Low total testosterone + normal free testosterone can occur if SHBG is low.

For women, testing free testosterone can help investigate:

  • Menstrual irregularities

  • Symptoms of excess androgens (e.g., acne, unwanted hair growth, hair thinning on scalp)

  • Low libido, fatigue, or low muscle tone

  • Suspected polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

  • Hormonal changes during perimenopause or menopause

  • Effects of hormone therapy


Reference Range – LifeLabs

LifeLabs provides its own method-specific reference ranges for free testosterone in females. Your report might show results in pg/dL or pmol/L, but the reference interval and cut-off for “normal” depend on the laboratory’s calibration.
For example, a lab might list:

  • Reference interval: 0.7 – 2.0 pg/dL

  • Or Less than: 30 pmol/L

Because LifeLabs uses its own validated method, ranges may not match those found in other labs or online charts. Always interpret your result in the context of the range shown on your report.


What Does a Low Free Testosterone Mean in Women?

Low free testosterone in females can be due to:

  • Natural aging (especially after menopause)

  • Ovarian insufficiency or surgical removal of ovaries

  • Pituitary or adrenal disorders

  • Chronic illness or inflammation

  • Certain medications (e.g., oral estrogens, glucocorticoids, anti-androgen drugs)

  • High SHBG levels (often linked to high estrogen, hyperthyroidism, or certain medications)

Possible symptoms of low free testosterone:

  • Low sexual desire

  • Decreased muscle mass and strength

  • Reduced bone density

  • Fatigue

  • Low mood or cognitive fog


What Does a High Free Testosterone Mean in Women?

High free testosterone levels in females may be caused by:

  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

  • Ovarian or adrenal androgen-secreting tumors (rare)

  • Late-onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH)

  • Low SHBG (seen in insulin resistance, obesity, or hypothyroidism)

  • Use of testosterone or other androgenic medications/supplements

Possible symptoms of high free testosterone:

  • Excess facial or body hair (hirsutism)

  • Acne and oily skin

  • Scalp hair thinning (androgenic alopecia)

  • Irregular or absent menstrual cycles

  • Fertility difficulties


How to Support Healthy Free Testosterone Levels

Maintaining balanced free testosterone involves addressing underlying causes rather than chasing a “perfect” number. Strategies may include:

  • For low levels: Address nutritional deficiencies, manage stress, maintain a healthy weight, and discuss hormone therapy options with your healthcare provider if symptoms are significant.

  • For high levels: Manage insulin resistance, reduce refined carbohydrate intake, support weight balance, and treat underlying hormonal conditions like PCOS.


Key Takeaway

Free testosterone is the active fraction of testosterone in a woman’s blood and can provide valuable insight into hormonal health. LifeLabs uses its own testing method and reference ranges, so interpretation should always be done with your healthcare provider, considering symptoms, medical history, and other lab results.

Frequently asked questions

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Instead of searching for your lab results in different places or tracking them down from different providers, Healthmatters houses, organizes, and interprets them all in one central location.

With a Healthmatters account, you can dive into the details of each biomarker and gain insights into the meaning behind your medical test data, anytime, anywhere.

For our professional users, Healthmatters provides intuitive tools that not only streamline analysis but also save valuable time when delving into your client's lab report history.

Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:

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You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.

If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.

While we work with many popular labs, we welcome reports from lots of other places too.

It's as simple as this: if you can get a test done, you can upload it to Healthmatters and we can interpret results from any lab out there. If laboratories can analyze it, we can interpret it.

If you’re on the hunt for a specific biomarker, contact us and we'll add it to our database. Anything from blood, urine, saliva, or stool can be uploaded, understood, and tracked with your Healthmatters account.

There are two ways to add your test reports to your Healthmatters account. One option is to input the data using the data entry forms. The other method is to utilize our "Data entry service."

Our data entry forms offer an easy, fast, and free way for you to input the reports yourself. Self-entry allows you to add an unlimited number of reports at no cost. We make the self-entry process user-friendly, providing dozens of templates that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels and offering instant feedback on entered values.

For those who prefer assistance, we offer a "Data entry service" to help you input your data. Simply attach an image or file of your lab test results, and a qualified team member from our data entry team will add the results for you.

We support various file types, including PDFs, JPGs, or Excel. This service is particularly useful if you have many reports to upload or if you're too busy to handle the data entry yourself.

Our special data entry service makes it easy to add your results to your private dashboard. Just attach an image or a file of your lab test results, and our skilled data entry team will do the work for you. It's all done by humans, ensuring that your data is entered accurately and with personal care for each client.

Depending on your account, the data entry service can be included for free or come at an additional cost of $15 per report.

For users on the Complete monthly plan, the first report is entered free of charge, and each additional report incurs a fee of $15.

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Additionally, you can upgrade to the yearly Advanced plan from within your account. The annual cost is $79, and it comes with a data entry service for five reports.

You can always upgrade to a lifetime version with a prorated price from a monthly or yearly subscription.

Simply log in and navigate to your account settings to cancel your subscription. Scroll down to locate the 'Cancel' button at the bottom of the page. Ensure you cancel at least one day before the renewal date to prevent any charges. Once cancellation is requested, the subscription remains active until the conclusion of the current billing cycle.

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We’ve crafted multiple ways for you to navigate your data, whether you're glancing at a single report or delving into your historical test reports.

1. Graph View:

Dive into a visual journey with our biomarker graphs, showcasing over 40 data points. Combining years of results unveils trends, empowering you to make informed decisions. Our visualization tools make it a breeze to compare and understand changes over time, even if your results are from different labs. A search function and filters simplify the exploration of extensive data, allowing you to focus on what needs attention.

2. All Tests View

Explore neatly organized reports on a timeline, highlighting crucial details like dates, critical results, and lab/panel names. Each report opens up to reveal in-depth descriptions and additional recommendations for each biomarker. The history of previous results is just a click away, and you can download a comprehensive report for deeper insights. Color-coded and user-friendly, it's designed for easy reading, understanding, and navigation.

3. Table View:

For a holistic view of all biomarkers side by side, our table view is your go-to. Results are neatly displayed in a categorized and dated table, ideal for those with an extensive test history. Utilize sorting, filters, and color-coding to enhance your analysis and gain extra insights.

Yes, you can download information from your account. We can compile your labs into a CSV file. To download all your labs, you can go to Account Settings, and at the bottom of the page, you will find a link to download your information.

Yes, you can print your report. To do so, navigate to "All tests" and open the report you wish to print. You'll find a print button in the right corner of the report. Click on it, and your browser's print window will open. If you prefer to print in a bigger typeface, adjust the scale using the print window settings.

Yes, you can! We highly recommend activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your account. To do so, please navigate to the "Profile and Security" section of your account, where you will find instructions for activating 2FA.

Yes, you can. When entering values for the biomarker, you will see an "Edit Range" button. Click this button, and you'll have the option to enter a custom range.

A personal account is all about keeping your own lab test results in check. It's just for you and your personal use.

The professional account is designed for health professionals who wish to track and organize their clients' laboratory results.

Yes, you can! Simply go to the "Invite Doctor" section, enter your doctor’s email address, and send the invitation. Your doctor will receive an email with secure access to view your results. You can revoke this access at any time. All shared information is securely encrypted and protected for your privacy.
Yes, you can! Go to the Graph view or Spreadsheet view. In the top-right corner, click "Export to Excel," and the file will be downloaded to your device.

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