Menstrual cycle-related changes in circulating androgens in healthy women with self-reported normal sexual function.
BACKGROUND
There is currently neither a clinically useful, reliable and inexpensive assay to measure circulating levels of free testosterone (T) in the range observed in women, nor is there agreement on the serum free T threshold defining hypoandrogenism that is associated with female-impaired sexual function.


OBJECTIVE
Following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines, we generated clinically applicable ranges for circulating androgens during specific phases of the menstrual cycle in a convenience sample of 120 reproductive-aged, regularly cycling healthy European Caucasian women with self-reported normal sexual function.


METHODS
All participants were asked to complete a semistructured interview and fill out a set of validated questionnaires, including the Female Sexual Function Index, the Female Sexual Distress Scale, and the 21-item Beck's Inventory for Depression. Between 8 am and 10 am, a venous blood sample was drawn from each participant during the midfollicular (day 5 to 8), the ovulatory (day 13 to 15), and the midluteal phase (day 19 to 22) of the same menstrual cycle.


METHODS
Serum levels of total and free testosterone, Delta(4)-androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate and sex hormone-binding globulin during the midfollicular, ovulatory and midluteal phase of the same menstrual cycle.


RESULTS
Total and free T levels showed significant fluctuations, peaking during the ovulatory phase. No significant variation during the menstrual cycle were observed for Delta(4)-androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate. Despite the careful selection of participants that yielded an homogeneous group of women without sexual disorders, we observed a wide range of distribution for each of the circulating androgens measured in this study.


CONCLUSIONS
This report provides clinically applicable ranges for androgens throughout the menstrual cycle in reproductive-aged, regularly cycling, young healthy Caucasian European women with self-reported normal sexual function.
Salonia
Andrea
A
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele-Urology, Milan, Italy;. Electronic address: saloniaandrea@yahoo.com.
Pontillo
Marina
M
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele-Biochemical Chemistry, Milan, Italy.
Nappi
Rossella E
RE
University of Pavia-Dept of Ob/Gyn, Pavia, Italy.
Zanni
Giuseppe
G
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele-Urology, Milan, Italy.
Fabbri
Fabio
F
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele-Urology, Milan, Italy.
Scavini
Marina
M
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele-Internal Medicine, Milan, Italy.
Daverio
Rita
R
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele-Biochemical Chemistry, Milan, Italy.
Gallina
Andrea
A
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele-Urology, Milan, Italy.
Rigatti
Patrizio
P
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele-Urology, Milan, Italy.
Bosi
Emanuele
E
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele-Internal Medicine, Milan, Italy.
Bonini
Pier Angelo
PA
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele-Biochemical Chemistry, Milan, Italy.
Montorsi
Francesco
F
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele-Urology, Milan, Italy.
D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007989:Libido / Q000502:physiology*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D045165:Testosterone Congeners / Q000097:blood*; D016387:Women's Health
D000728:Androgens; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D045165:Testosterone Congeners; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone