Further Evidence for the Usefulness of the Salivary Testosterone Radioimmunoassay in the Assessment of Androgenicity in Man in Basal and Stimulated Conditions

Abstract

Since correct assessment of testicular function and androgenic status in humans requires multiple sampling, a sensitive and accurate radioimmunoassay (RIA) of testosterone (T) was established for male and female saliva samples. This easily collected biological fluid, which contains nonprotein-bound T, may represent an attractive alternative or a complement to total plasma T assays. In saliva samples from 5 normal males, a clear circadian rhythm was observed, and morning concentrations (135 ± 31 pg/ml) were significantly higher (p < 0.02) than evening samples (85 ± 23 pg/ml). In 11 normal females, morning saliva levels were 12.8 ± 1.8 pg/ml. The levels of T in male saliva, in response to both exogenous T administration (100 mg i.m.) and HCG stimulation (2 × 2,000 IU i.m.), accurately reflected the changes observed in plasma T, and the magnitude of increase in T levels was clearly greater in saliva than in plasma samples during the intramuscular administration of the long-acting T preparation. In males, significant correlations were observed between salivary and plasma T concentrations in morning samples (r = 0.61, p < 0.01), following HCG stimulation (r = 0.89, p < 0.05) and during T administration (r = 0.87, p < 0.05). In women, the correlation at 8 a.m. was also significant (r = 0.82, p < 0.05).

Salivary testosterone and creative musical behavior in adolescent males and females

“…This result is in accord with Butler et al (1989) who assessed adolescent boys and with Magrini et al (1986) who measured salivary testosterone in adults. Significant differences in salivary testosterone between the follicular and the luteal phases of the menstrual cycle in the older girls fit the outcome in adult females (Khan-Dawood et al, 1984).…”

“…Couwenbergs, Knussmann, and Christiansen (1986) found evidence for the assumption that the share of free testosterone in the total testosterone is higher the lower the overall amount of total testosterone. Because salivary testosterone correlates well with the free fraction in serum (Khan-Dawood et al, 1984;Magrini et al, 1986;Schür-meyer & Nieschlag, 1984;Wang et al, 1981), further studies will have to ascertain whether, in girls, the percentage of free testosterone is higher than in boys. In general, 1% to 397b of the circulating testosterone is free and can exert its biological activity (Schürmeyer & Nieschlag, 1984).…”

Steroid concentrations in antepartum and postpartum saliva: normative values in women and correlations with serum

“…In men, salivary testosterone closely mirrors the free fraction of testosterone in the serum (r = 0.80 to 0.97 [11,42,43]) but in women, the adequacy of salivary testosterone measures has been more difficult to establish and correlations reported are often only moderate in size (e.g., r = 0.55 to 0.85 [11,44-49]). Inadequate antibody specificity or analytical sensitivities in some studies may potentially explain the lower correlations, but failure to take availability of binding proteins into account may also contribute; many validation studies have included not just healthy controls but also women with hirsutism, polycystic ovarian disease, or obesity, conditions that alter levels of SHBG.…”

The effect of heavy resistance exercise on the circadian rhythm of salivary testosterone in men

“…Previous studies have shown that salivary testosterone levels are reliable in re¯ecting gonadal function and the circadian rhythms of the hormone (Dabbs 1990;Johnson et al 1987), particularly when frequent sampling occurs (Leymarie et al 1974;Rose et al 1972;Spratt et al 1988). Similar to serum concentrations, salivary testosterone has shown a circadian rhythm, with concentrations being signi®cantly higher in the morning than in the evening (Baxendale et al 1980;Gooren et al 1984;Magrini et al 1986). Thus, we theorized that salivary testosterone would provide a useful and reliable means for studying the eect of heavy resistance exercise on the waking circadian rhythm of testosterone secretion.…”