Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (31)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Sowers, MF.
Right arrow Articles by Jannausch, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Sowers, MF.
Right arrow Articles by Jannausch, M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 153, No. 3 : 256-264
Copyright © 2001 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health

ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Testosterone Concentrations in Women Aged 25–50 Years: Associations with Lifestyle, Body Composition, and Ovarian Status

MF. Sowers, J. L. Beebe, D. McConnell, John Randolph and M. Jannausch

From the Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.

While there is substantial evidence of the importance of endogenous and exogenous estrogen in reproductive health and chronic disease, there is little consideration of androgens in women's health. In the Michigan Bone Health Study (1992–1995), the authors examined the correlates of testosterone concentrations in pre- and perimenopausal women (i.e., age, menopausal status, body composition, and lifestyle behaviors) in a population-based longitudinal study including three annual examinations among 611 women aged 25–50 years identified through a census in a midwestern community. Current smokers had the highest testosterone concentrations with decreasing values in former and nonsmokers (p = 0.0001). Body composition measures (body mass index, body fat (%), weight (kg), lean body mass (kg), and fat mass (kg)) were significantly and positively associated with total testosterone concentrations in a dose-response manner. Hysterectomy with oophorectomy was associated with significantly lower testosterone concentrations. Alcohol consumption, physical activity, and dietary macronutrient intake were not associated with testosterone concentrations. This is one of the first studies to examine correlates of serum testosterone concentrations in anticipation of the growing interest in the role of androgens in women's health. The greater circulating levels of testosterone in obese women and smokers suggest that testosterone concentrations should be considered in the natural history of disease conditions where obesity and smoking are risk factors, including cardiovascular disease.

alcohol drinking; body composition; body mass index; hysterectomy; ovariectomy; smoking; testosterone

Abbreviations: DEXA, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry; MET, metabolic equivalent.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
M.F.R. Sowers, H. Zheng, D. McConnell, B. Nan, C.A. Karvonen-Gutierrez, and J.F. Randolph Jr
Testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin and free androgen index among adult women: chronological and ovarian aging
Hum. Reprod., September 1, 2009; 24(9): 2276 - 2285.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 AJPHHome page
M. Polkki and M. J. Rantala
SMOKING AFFECTS WOMENS' SEX HORMONE-REGULATED BODY FORM
Am J Public Health, August 1, 2009; 99(8): 1350 - 1350.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Vet PatholHome page
H. Kawaguchi, Y. Umekita, K. Fukuzaki, H. Maeda, H. Miyajima, R. Nagata, and H. Yoshida
Expression of Androgen Receptor in Mammary Glands in Ovariectomized Cynomolgus Monkeys
Vet. Pathol., May 1, 2009; 46(3): 526 - 530.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am J EpidemiolHome page
E. R. Bertone-Johnson, S. E. Hankinson, S. R. Johnson, and J. E. Manson
Cigarette Smoking and the Development of Premenstrual Syndrome
Am. J. Epidemiol., October 15, 2008; 168(8): 938 - 945.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Exp. Biol. Med.Home page
C. L. Frankenfeld, C. Atkinson, W. K. Thomas, E. L. Goode, A. Gonzalez, T. Jokela, K. Wahala, S. M. Schwartz, S. S. Li, and J. W. Lampe
Familial Correlations, Segregation Analysis, and Nongenetic Correlates of Soy Isoflavone-Metabolizing Phenotypes
Experimental Biology and Medicine, October 1, 2004; 229(9): 902 - 913.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.