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What the ADAM questionnaire is
ADAM stands for Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Male. It is a ten-question yes-or-no screening questionnaire developed by researchers at Saint Louis University and published in 2000. Clinicians have used it for more than two decades as a quick way to decide whether a man's symptoms are worth following up with blood testing.
The ten questions
- Do you have a decrease in libido (sex drive)?
- Do you have a lack of energy?
- Do you have a decrease in strength and/or endurance?
- Have you lost height?
- Have you noticed a decreased enjoyment of life?
- Are you sad and/or grumpy?
- Are your erections less strong?
- Have you noticed a recent deterioration in your ability to play sports?
- Are you falling asleep after dinner?
- Has there been a recent deterioration in your work performance?
How scoring works
The screen is positive if you answer yes to question 1 (libido) or question 7 (erection strength), or yes to any three or more of the other eight questions. Otherwise it is negative. The score shown above is simply the number of yes answers out of ten; the positive or negative result follows the rule in this paragraph, not the total.
What a positive screen means, and what it doesn't
ADAM was designed to be sensitive, so it catches most men who do have low testosterone. The trade-off is that it is not very specific: many men who screen positive turn out to have normal testosterone levels. Poor sleep, stress, depression, thyroid problems, weight gain, alcohol, and some medications can all produce the same symptoms.
So a positive screen does not diagnose low testosterone, and it does not mean you need treatment. It means your symptoms are worth a proper evaluation. A negative screen doesn't rule anything out either; if something feels off, it is still reasonable to get checked.
How low testosterone is actually diagnosed
Diagnosis requires both symptoms and lab confirmation. Clinical guidelines call for total testosterone measured on blood drawn in the morning, when levels are highest, on at least two separate days. A full evaluation also looks at related hormones and blood counts, reviews your history and medications, and considers the other causes listed above.
The next step
If your result was positive, or you have symptoms that concern you regardless of the score, you can request an evaluation with Cody Tompkins, APRN, FNP-BC, at our Bentonville office. The visit covers your history, a physical exam, and a lab plan. Any treatment is decided only after that evaluation and lab review, and only if it is clinically appropriate. Completing this questionnaire or an evaluation does not guarantee a prescription.
Request an evaluation or call (479) 446-6972.
Source: Morley JE, et al. Validation of a screening questionnaire for androgen deficiency in aging males. Metabolism. 2000;49(9):1239–1242. This page is for general education and is not medical advice. If you are having a medical emergency, call 911.
Last updated: September 30, 2026