Low Testosterone Symptom Checker (ADAM Questionnaire)
Ten explicit yes-or-no ADAM screening questions, with published scoring, evidence limits and blood-test next steps. Answers stay in your browser.
Answer all ten questions from the Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Male (ADAM) questionnaire. This is a screening pattern, not a diagnosis, hormone measurement, personal probability, or recommendation for testosterone therapy.
Privacy: Your answers are processed in this browser. This checker code does not store or transmit responses. The page itself may use analytics; see the privacy policy.
Answer all 10 questions
Choose Yes or No for every question, then select “Check result.”
How the ADAM screen is scored
The published rule is binary. A screen is positive if question 1 is Yes, question 7 is Yes, or at least three of questions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 are Yes. Questions 1 and 7 are not counted toward the “three other questions” branch. This checker does not calculate a severity score or the chance that you have low testosterone.
What the evidence can and cannot tell you
In the original 2000 validation study, the participants were 316 Canadian physicians aged 40–62, and the biochemical endpoint was low bioavailable testosterone. Sensitivity was 88% and specificity was 60% in that study only. Put another way, 40% of participants without that study’s biochemical endpoint screened positive; that is not the same as saying 40% of all positive results are false positives.
Performance did not transfer cleanly to other groups. A later comparison study by Morley and colleagues in 148 men aged 23–80 reported 97% sensitivity and 30% specificity against bioavailable testosterone. In a 2004 study of 5,028 men aged 50–70, Tancredi and colleagues reported 81% sensitivity and 21.6% specificity for identifying free testosterone below 70 ng/L. They concluded that ADAM could not replace serum free-testosterone testing. That cutoff was the study’s definition, not a diagnostic threshold recommended by this checker. Differences in population, prevalence and biochemical definitions mean these figures cannot produce your personal probability.
Symptoms overlap with other conditions. The Canadian Urological Association advises assessing depression, hypothyroidism and sleep disorders when similar symptoms occur despite testosterone results in the normal range. Obesity, some sleep disorders, systemic illness and medication effects can also contribute to low testosterone; they are not diagnoses this questionnaire can distinguish. A negative screen cannot rule out hypogonadism, and a positive screen cannot establish it. The ADAM instrument was developed as an aging-male screen; the original cohort was 40–62. It is not presented here as validated for minors or as a substitute for fertility, delayed-puberty, gender-affirming-care or acute-illness assessment.
What testing involves
Diagnosis requires compatible symptoms or signs plus consistently low testosterone, not questionnaire answers alone. The American Urological Association (AUA) calls for two total-testosterone measurements on separate early mornings. The AUA does not currently recommend validated questionnaires to decide candidacy for testosterone therapy or to monitor symptom response to treatment.
The Endocrine Society and European Association of Urology (EAU) specify fasting morning samples. The EAU uses 07:00–10:00 and advises night-shift workers to test after adequate sleep rather than applying the clock window mechanically. Follow your clinician’s and laboratory’s preparation instructions. Our testosterone blood-test guide explains timing, repeats and interpretation.
When to seek care
Discuss persistent or concerning symptoms with a qualified clinician whether this screen is positive or negative. Seek emergency care immediately for sudden, severe testicular pain, with or without swelling. A sudden severe headache with a new visual change also needs immediate emergency assessment; do not wait for a questionnaire result. Ask for an urgent clinical appointment for testicular swelling, a lump or a change in shape or feel. Arrange clinical review for breast or nipple changes, fertility concerns or concerns about delayed puberty. This questionnaire cannot identify their cause.
Frequently asked questions
Can the ADAM questionnaire diagnose low testosterone?
No. It identifies an answer pattern and cannot measure testosterone. Diagnosis requires compatible symptoms or signs and consistently low blood-test results.
What does a positive ADAM screen mean?
It means your answers meet the questionnaire’s published positive rule. It does not estimate your probability, establish a diagnosis or show that testosterone therapy is appropriate. Later studies found low specificity, so many people without the biochemical endpoint can screen positive.
Can a negative result rule out low testosterone?
No. A negative screen does not rule out hypogonadism. Speak with a clinician if symptoms persist, concern you or include physical changes.
Do testosterone blood tests need to be fasting?
Guidelines differ in wording. The AUA specifies two separate early-morning total-testosterone tests but does not include fasting in that core diagnostic statement. The Endocrine Society and EAU specify fasting morning samples; the EAU uses 07:00–10:00 and advises shift workers to test after adequate sleep. Follow your clinician’s and laboratory’s instructions.
Are my checker answers private?
Your answers are processed in your browser. This checker code does not store or transmit responses. The page itself may use analytics as described in the privacy policy.
Method: This tool uses the ten ADAM questions and published binary scoring rule. The study findings and testing guidance cited above were checked on 14 September 2026. This is an educational screening aid, not a clinical assessment, diagnosis or treatment recommendation.