01
Biological age
Find out if your body is aging faster or slower than your actual age — and see how you rank against the general population.
39
Biological age
44
Actual age
4.2
Years younger
Testosterone, Total
Results in about 6 days
Testosterone Total MS: what this lab measures and how to read your result. It measures total testosterone with a highly specific MS method to help interpret symptoms and monitor therapy, with easy ordering through Vitals Vault/Quest.
Testosterone affects more than sex drive. It influences energy, mood, muscle and bone maintenance, red blood cell production, and reproductive function in people of all sexes. A Testosterone Total MS test measures the total amount of testosterone in your blood using mass spectrometry (often reported as LC-MS/MS). This method is designed to be more specific than many immunoassays, which can matter when levels are low, when binding proteins are unusual, or when you are monitoring treatment. Your number is only one piece of the picture. The most useful interpretation comes from pairing your result with your symptoms, the time of day the sample was drawn, and related labs like SHBG and free testosterone.
What to expect before and at your draw.
Sample Type
Blood
Collection Method
In person at a Quest Diagnostics location
Age
18+
This order includes the lab markers used for Testosterone, Total.
Testosterone, Total, Ms
Included in this Quest Diagnostics order and reported in your Vitals Vault account.
Order Testosterone, Total online.
Visit a Quest Diagnostics location near you for your blood draw. Appointments can be scheduled after checkout.
View easy-to-read results in your Vitals Vault account, with trends and a personalized action plan.
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Find out if your body is aging faster or slower than your actual age — and see how you rank against the general population.
39
Biological age
44
Actual age
4.2
Years younger
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Add Testosterone, Total to your cart and check out. No doctor referral is required.
Visit a Quest lab
Provide your blood sample at a Quest Diagnostics location. Appointments can be scheduled after checkout.
Review in Vitals Vault
Results in about 6 days. They stay in your Vitals Vault account for trends and follow-up.
No special preparation is usually needed unless noted at checkout.
This order includes the lab markers used for Testosterone, Total and reported in your Vitals Vault account.
Results
Results in about 6 days
HSA/FSA
Accepted
Who takes it
Must be taken by the purchaser
Preparation
No special preparation needed unless noted at checkout.
It measures total testosterone with a highly specific MS method to help interpret symptoms and monitor therapy, with easy ordering through Vitals Vault/Quest.
Testosterone affects more than sex drive. It influences energy, mood, muscle and bone maintenance, red blood cell production, and reproductive function in people of all sexes.
A Testosterone Total MS test measures the total amount of testosterone in your blood using mass spectrometry (often reported as LC-MS/MS). This method is designed to be more specific than many immunoassays, which can matter when levels are low, when binding proteins are unusual, or when you are monitoring treatment.
Your number is only one piece of the picture. The most useful interpretation comes from pairing your result with your symptoms, the time of day the sample was drawn, and related labs like SHBG and free testosterone.
You may consider total testosterone testing if you have symptoms that could fit low androgen levels, such as lower libido, fewer morning erections, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, depressed mood, reduced exercise tolerance, loss of muscle, increased body fat, or low bone density. In people with ovaries, reasons can include new or worsening acne, increased facial/body hair, scalp hair thinning, irregular periods, or fertility concerns.
This test is also commonly used to monitor testosterone therapy (TRT) or gender-affirming hormone therapy, to evaluate possible pituitary or testicular/ovarian causes of hormone changes, or to follow up on an unexpected prior result.
Testing is most informative when it is timed and repeated appropriately. If a result is low and you have symptoms, many clinicians confirm it with a repeat morning sample and add companion tests (such as SHBG and LH/FSH) before making treatment decisions.
A lab result can support clinician-directed care, but it cannot diagnose the cause of symptoms by itself.
This is a CLIA-certified laboratory blood test; results should be interpreted with your clinician in context and are not a standalone diagnosis.
from $46.99 at Quest Diagnostics
Results in days
Clear next steps
HSA / FSA
Vitals Vault lets you order Testosterone Total MS directly and use the result to have a more focused conversation with your clinician. You can also use PocketMD to understand what your number may mean, what follow-up labs are commonly paired with it, and when a retest is worth doing.
If you are tracking a change—starting or adjusting testosterone, stopping a medication, changing sleep or weight, or treating an underlying condition—Vitals Vault makes it easier to repeat the same test and compare trends over time.
You will see your lab report in a clear format, and you can bring it to your existing clinician for diagnosis and treatment decisions.
Total testosterone is the combined amount of testosterone in your bloodstream, including testosterone bound to proteins and the small fraction that is unbound. Most testosterone circulates attached to sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG) or albumin, and only a small portion is “free,” which is the fraction most available to tissues.
“MS” refers to mass spectrometry (commonly LC-MS/MS), a measurement technique that identifies molecules by their mass-to-charge signature. In hormone testing, this approach is valued for analytical specificity, which can reduce cross-reactivity that sometimes affects immunoassay-based testosterone tests.
Because total testosterone is influenced by binding proteins, a normal total level does not always mean you have normal biologically available testosterone. That is why clinicians often interpret total testosterone alongside SHBG and either calculated or measured free testosterone, especially when symptoms and the total level do not match.
Testosterone follows a daily rhythm in many people, with higher levels earlier in the day. For that reason, clinicians often prefer a morning draw (commonly before 10 a.m.) for evaluating possible low testosterone, and they may repeat testing on a different day to confirm a low result.
Total testosterone is a good starting point, but it does not directly measure how much testosterone is available to tissues. If SHBG is high or low, your free or bioavailable testosterone may be meaningfully different even when total testosterone looks “in range.”
A low result can fit with hypogonadism (low gonadal hormone production), but it is not diagnostic on its own. Common contributors include obesity and insulin resistance, untreated sleep apnea, chronic illness, heavy alcohol use, certain medications (such as opioids or glucocorticoids), and pituitary signaling problems. If your result is low and you have symptoms, a repeat morning test plus LH and FSH can help distinguish testicular/ovarian causes from pituitary or hypothalamic causes. SHBG and free testosterone are often added when the total level and symptoms do not align.
An in-range result generally suggests your total testosterone is not clearly low or high for the lab’s reference interval, but “optimal” still depends on your age, sex, symptoms, and goals. If you still have symptoms, your clinician may look at free testosterone, SHBG, thyroid status, iron, sleep, mood, and medication effects rather than assuming testosterone is the cause. If you are monitoring therapy, the target range is individualized and should be interpreted alongside hematocrit/hemoglobin and symptom response.
A high result can occur with testosterone therapy, anabolic steroid use, or less commonly with hormone-producing tumors or certain adrenal/ovarian conditions. In people with ovaries, high testosterone can also be seen in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), although diagnosis relies on a broader clinical and lab picture. If your level is unexpectedly high, your clinician may confirm timing and medications/supplements, then add tests such as SHBG, free testosterone, DHEA-S, and sometimes imaging depending on the situation.
Time of day, recent illness, sleep quality, and calorie restriction can shift testosterone, so consistent test timing matters when you are trending results. SHBG strongly affects total testosterone, and SHBG can change with thyroid status, liver disease, aging, pregnancy, and estrogen exposure. Medications and hormones (testosterone, estrogen, anti-androgens, some anticonvulsants, opioids, and glucocorticoids) can alter levels or interpretation. Intense training blocks, weight change, and alcohol use can also move results over weeks to months.
“MS” typically means the lab measured testosterone using mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Many “regular” total testosterone tests use immunoassays, which can be more prone to interference in some situations. Your clinician may prefer MS-based testing when results are near the low end, when prior results were inconsistent, or when accurate monitoring matters.
For evaluating possible low testosterone, clinicians often recommend a morning blood draw (commonly before 10 a.m.) because levels can be higher earlier in the day. If you are monitoring therapy, timing should be consistent relative to your dosing schedule (for example, same day and time after an injection or gel application).
Fasting is not usually required for total testosterone alone. However, if your order includes other labs that do require fasting (such as lipids or glucose/insulin markers), follow the instructions for the full panel.
Free testosterone can be helpful when symptoms do not match your total testosterone, or when SHBG is likely abnormal (for example with thyroid changes, aging, liver disease, or estrogen exposure). Many clinicians start with total testosterone and SHBG, then use those to calculate free testosterone or order a direct free testosterone test depending on the lab and clinical scenario.
Often, yes. Testosterone can vary day to day and is affected by sleep, illness, and timing of the draw. Many clinicians confirm a low result with a repeat morning test and add LH/FSH (and sometimes prolactin) to help determine whether the issue is primarily gonadal or related to pituitary signaling.
Yes. Testosterone therapy, anabolic steroids, and some “hormone support” products can raise levels, while opioids and glucocorticoids can lower them. Biotin can interfere with some immunoassays, although MS-based methods are generally less affected; still, it is smart to tell your clinician and the lab what you take.
Common companion tests include SHBG, free testosterone (measured or calculated), LH, FSH, estradiol, prolactin, and sometimes DHEA-S. If you are on testosterone therapy, clinicians often monitor hematocrit/hemoglobin and may also follow lipids and liver enzymes depending on your plan.
Purchase online through Vitals Vault. A licensed clinician reviews and approves your order, then you receive a digital requisition for a Quest Diagnostics blood draw.
Samples are collected in person at Quest Diagnostics locations nationwide. After checkout you can schedule your visit at a convenient site.
Most results in 3–5 business days. You can view them securely in your Vitals Vault account.
No separate referral appointment is required. Clinician review is included in the online order flow.
Yes. Eligible HSA/FSA cards can be used at checkout for qualifying lab orders.
Results are available in your secure Vitals Vault account. You control who you share them with, subject to applicable law.
Blood glucose shows the amount of sugar in your blood at a single moment. A1c (hemoglobin A1c) estimates your average blood sugar over roughly the past 8–12 weeks. Comparing them helps explain whether your long-term average lines up with your fasting glucose on draw day.
It helps you understand how this marker fits into your broader metabolic picture, with results tracked in your Vitals Vault account.
Elevated values can signal higher metabolic risk. Many people start with nutrition, activity, sleep, and weight management, then retest and review results with a clinician. This test is educational and does not replace medical advice or diagnosis.
Your sample is processed at CLIA-certified Quest Diagnostics laboratories. Results should still be interpreted with a qualified clinician alongside your history, symptoms, and other labs.
Consumer-initiated testing through Vitals Vault is limited to adults 18+ so ordering and interpretation stay aligned with clinical best practices for this channel.
