Magno
Sex Hormones
Free Testosterone on TRT
What the number means, why it moves on a protocol, and how it sits with related markers.
What it is
Free testosterone is the small fraction, about two percent, not bound to SHBG or albumin. It is the part that acts on tissue, so it often tracks how you feel better than the total does.
The range
How to read the lab range
Lab ranges vary by method. Above the lab range is common on TRT and is not a flag on its own. Low free testosterone with a normal total often goes with high SHBG.
Why it moves on a protocol
- SHBG up or down changes the free share without the total changing.
- Dose and draw timing, same as total testosterone.
- Assay: calculated free testosterone and direct assays disagree; results compare best within one lab.
How Magno reads it
Magno keeps every test on one line, against your lab's range, with the change since last time. Pro explains it in plain words. Get Magno for iPhone.
Read yours
Drop your lab PDF or a photo and get every marker explained in plain words. Free, no account, your file never leaves your browser. Track it in the iPhone app to see the change since your last test.
Questions people ask
Why is my free testosterone high when my total is normal?
Usually low SHBG. Less binding protein means a bigger free share of the same total. It is common with higher body fat and on some protocols.
Is free testosterone a target?
It is mostly used to help explain symptoms next to the total and SHBG. What it means for your protocol is a question for your doctor.
Related markers
Not medical advice
This explains what the number is and why it moves. It is not medical advice; decisions belong to you and your clinician.