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Early Morning Testosterone

Meaning

Early morning testosterone refers specifically to the serum or salivary concentration of total or free testosterone measured in a sample collected within the standardized window shortly after waking, typically between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM. This precise timing is of critical clinical significance because testosterone, much like the stress hormone cortisol, exhibits a pronounced and distinct diurnal rhythm, with its highest peak occurring in the early morning hours. Accurate measurement during this established peak window is absolutely essential for reliable clinical assessment of gonadal function and for the definitive diagnosis of conditions such as hypogonadism.