Normal testosterone levels by age in nmol/L, and why your own baseline matters

In healthy men without obesity, total testosterone typically runs from about 9.2 to 31.8 nmol/L at ages 19 to 39; after 40 the median barely moves, while the low end falls to about 7.6 nmol/L in the 50s to 70s and 5.4 nmol/L after 80.

Those figures come from a 2017 study of 9,054 men, calibrated so the ranges hold across labs. Notice how wide they are: two healthy young men can differ more than threefold.

So what does this mean for you? One result shows whether you're inside a wide band, not what's usual for you. A personal baseline, set before symptoms or any treatment decision, shows that. Numia Health, a physician-ordered, at-home blood testing service in Greater Vancouver, helps you set one.

What is a normal testosterone level at each age?

In nmol/L, the low and high ends mark where 2.5% of healthy men without obesity fall below or above (units guide for ng/dL):

Age pulls the low end down far more than the middle. Your lab's own range decides how a result is flagged; Numia prints it beside each result.

How fast does testosterone fall with age?

Gradually, and faster in some men. The Massachusetts Male Aging Study retested 1,156 men aged 40 to 70 after seven to ten years: total testosterone fell about 1.6% a year, and bioavailable testosterone (the usable share) 2–3% a year (Feldman et al., 2002).

Health and habits shape that slope. In the same study, gaining 4 to 5 BMI points (a weight-for-height score) was linked to a drop similar to about 10 years of ageing (Travison et al., 2007). A Numia baseline shows which way your own numbers head.

Why is one test not enough?

Here's the catch: testosterone also shifts from day to day. When men were tested days and months apart, two readings of the same hormone differed by more than 18–28% about half the time, and the authors concluded one sample generally isn't enough (Brambilla et al., 2007).

That's why it helps to test the same way each time: mornings, when testosterone peaks, and not while ill. Numia draws in the morning and adds SHBG, the protein that carries testosterone, and free testosterone, so a low total can be read in context (how to check testosterone properly).

Where does Numia fit?

The usual route runs in steps: an appointment, a lab visit, a wait, then another appointment for results. It's publicly funded when clinically indicated.

Numia puts those steps in one place. A licensed Canadian physician approves your requisition online in about three minutes, and a clinician comes to your home for a 10-minute morning draw. The Male Hormone Panel measures total and free testosterone, SHBG, albumin, LH and DHEAS, with plain-English results in the Numia app in 7 days. An optional wellness consultation is available. Numia is an HSA-eligible service that sells testing, not treatment.

Frequently asked questions

Do testosterone reference ranges change with age?

At the low end, yes; at the high end, barely. Canada's urology guideline lists the lack of age-related reference standards among the reasons a single cut-off is hard to set. A Numia baseline adds a personal comparison.

What is a normal free testosterone for my age?

There's no harmonized Canadian table. BC labs calculate free testosterone from total testosterone, SHBG and albumin, so use your lab's range. Numia reports it with every total.

How common is low testosterone at 60 or 70?

It rises with age. Canada's urology guideline estimates testosterone deficiency at 4–12% of men aged 50–59, 9–23% at 60–69 and 28–49% over 70; the spread reflects different definitions. A Numia baseline shows where you start.