Testosterone production in women is thought to systematically shift across the menstrual cycle, peaking during the mid-cycle ovulatory window, and potentially influencing women's behavior. Testosterone is a molecular intermediary to the production of estradiol, which is necessary for ovulation to occur, but the amount of testosterone escape and exposure to the peripheral tissues is not fully understood. Salivary testosterone is a common biomarker in behavioral neuroendocrinological studies and is thought to reflect the bioactive portions in serum. In N = 339 women with confirmed ovulation via luteinizing hormone tests, salivary testosterone, assayed with LC-MS/MS, was sampled four times across the mid-cycle ovulatory window the luteal phase. Within-subject analysis revealed a significant but small pattern of a mid-cycle peak and a luteal decrease at the aggregate level. However, at the individual level, there was substantial variability in the direction and magnitude of the testosterone-cycle pattern. We discuss the relevant underlying physiology, background research, issues with assay methodolody, and considerations for researchers studying testosterone levels in women.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105608 | DOI Listing |
J Endocr Soc
November 2024
Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
"Pseudo-endocrine disorders" refer to proposed conditions that have never been scientifically proven to exist but, due to widespread misinformation available on the internet and other media, are relatively commonly diagnosed and treated with equally unproven and sometimes dangerous treatments. Adrenal fatigue is a nonexistent condition that supposedly results from adrenal exhaustion and atrophy due to chronic stress and has been promoted as a potential explanation for a variety of symptoms. Testing consists of nonvalidated online surveys and salivary cortisol profiles while treatment is not evidence-based at best and can be dangerous.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhysiol Rep
December 2024
SHAPE Research Centre, Department of Sport Science, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.
Overreaching, a consequence of intensified training, is used by athletes to enhance performance. A blunted hormonal response to a 30-min interval exercise stress test (55/80) has been shown in males after intensified training, highlighting cortisol and testosterone as potential biomarkers of overreaching. Despite accounting for ~50% of the population, studies into hormonal responses to exercise in females are lacking.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEmotion
December 2024
Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University.
Infant faces have been shown to be particularly motivating stimuli for women. No studies, however, have compared mothers and nonmothers in whether parity modulates approach motivation toward emotional infant faces. We studied 54 Finnish first-time mothers and 42 nonmothers in a pay-per-view key-press task where the participants were shown 20 infant faces with smiling and crying expressions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNutrients
November 2024
Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-752 Katowice, Poland.
Background/objectives: Minipuberty is thought to play an important role in the sexual maturation of infants. Maternal disorders during pregnancy were found to have an impact on the activity of the reproductive axis in the first year of life. This prospective, matched, cohort study was aimed at investigating whether the course of minipuberty in boys is affected by maternal gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Psychotraumatol
December 2024
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.
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