Androgenic status in cyclic and postmenopausal women: a comparison between smokers and nonsmokers

Serum total testosterone (T), free testosterone (fT) sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), androstenedione (A) and 3 alpha androstanediol glucuronide (3 alpha-diol G) levels as well as serum free androgen index (FAI), fT/T and 3 alpha-diol G/T ratios were measured in premenopausal and cyclic women, grouped according to sexual status and smoking status. Our results showed that serum T, fT, SHBG, A and 3 alpha-diol G levels were lower in cyclic women in the follicular than in the luteal phase of the ovarian cycle, although the differences between these values were not significant. Postmenopausal women had significantly lower values of T, fT, A 3 alpha-diol G, FAI and 3 alpha diolG/T but not SHBG and fT/T than cyclic women. When we compared women smokers and nonsmokers, women smokers had serum levels of T, fT, SHBG, 3 alpha-diol G, and values of FAI, fT/T and 3 alpha-diol G/T, similar to those in nonsmokers. Serum A levels were higher in women smokers than in nonsmokers, although the difference was significant only in postmenopausal women.