Normal Testosterone Levels - Free Testosterone

The human body is one of the most complex machines in nature. In fact, for some scientists, there is no machine that can rival the human body in terms of complexity and functionality. The body is made up of various systems, and one of the most important of these is the endocrine system. The endocrine system incorporates the production and mechanisms of action of hormones in various parts of the body. One of the most notable of these hormones is testosterone, which is often regarded, for good reasons, as the ideal male hormone. The portion of this hormone that is usable and any given time is the free testosterone.

The main sites of production of this hormone are testes located in the scrotal sac as part of the male genital organs. Apart from the testes, there are some other sites in the body where testosterone is produced even though the quantity is considerably lower than what is produced in the testes. According to the Basic & Clinical Pharmacology by Bertram G. Katzung, the production of testosterone per day is estimated to be around 8 g. Once the production of the hormone is within the normal range, there is a flawless manifestation and expression of the secondary male characteristics such as the development of chest and pubic hair.

As expected, there are some other instances in which the level of the hormone cannot be regarded to be normal. The level of testosterone in the blood fluctuates for different reasons and with these abnormal levels of testosterone in the blood; there are so many deleterious effects on the man affected. Normal testosterone levels can be altered by drugs, surgery, stress, anxiety, personality disorders and so many other conditions. Foods rich in zinc like seafood are said to help promote the production of the hormone.