DESCRIPTION:
Male sex hormones (androgens) affect the development of sexual organs and determine the development of male secondary sexual characteristics. The main androgenic hormones are: testosterone, epitestosterone, androstenedione, androstane, and dehydroepiandrosterone. Androgenic hormones are produced in the testes, adrenal glands in men and women, and in the ovaries in small amounts. In women, testosterone is converted to estradiol. The most biologically active androgenic hormone is testosterone. Hormone activity is determined by the OH group located on the C-17 atom in the b position. Testosterone (C19H28O2) is chemically an androstane with a molecular mass of 288.4 daltons. Men produce 5-10 mg of testosterone daily. Concentration increases during puberty and reaches its maximum around age 25. After age 50, testosterone production decreases by approximately 1% annually. In blood, approximately 98% in men and 99% in women of testosterone is bound to albumins and globulins. Only free testosterone is biologically active. With aging, there is a clear increase in SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin), which binds approximately 40-60% of total testosterone, leading to a decrease in biologically active testosterone, which consists of free and albumin-bound testosterone.
TESTING:
Testing method: ECLIA. Sample for analysis is serum or plasma (heparin, EDTA). Sample is stable for 7 days at 2-8°C, 6 months at -20°C.
RESULT:
The reference interval depends on sex, age, and the method of determination. The reference interval is displayed on each validated result.
18.00€