What PSA Levels
are Normal?
When most men turn 50, they are encouraged
to visit a doctor to check if their PSA levels are normal. Although
there is some debate among researchers on what PSA levels are
normal, typically it is a result at or below a four reading. That
is, unless it is a younger man. Younger men have a smaller prostate,
which means that if their reading is above a 2.5 then there is
some room for concern.
Your doctor will test if your prostate
PSA levels are normal by taking blood from your arm. The results
can take several days to come back. Ideally, your PSA levels will
be below a four reading although there is some argument that the
number should decrease to three. That’s because if your
PSA levels are less than four you still have a 15 percent chance
of having prostate cancer. If your levels range between 4 to 10
then you have a 25 percent chance, and if your levels are above
10 your odds increase to 67 percent.
If you are a man who is 50 years old or older, it is best to get
your PSA levels read to see if they’re normal. Men who have
a history of prostate cancer in their families, or African-American
males, are encouraged to have their levels tested earlier, preferably
once they’re 40 years old.
It is good to remember that your PSA levels may not be normal
for other conditions aside from prostate cancer. It can also indicate
that you have an enlarged prostate or prostatitis. Also, your
PSA levels tend to increase slowly as you age, regardless of the
condition of your prostate. It is important to let your physician
know if you are taking any finasteride or dutasteride medications
before testing your PSA levels since these drugs tend to decrease
your number by half the actual amount.
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