Large divergence in testosterone concentrations between men and women: Frame of reference for elite athletes in sex‐specific competition in sports, a narrative review

Abstract

Existing studies strongly support a bimodal distribution of serum testosterone levels in females compared to males. These data should be considered in the discussion of female competition eligibility in individuals with possible DSD or hyperandrogenism.

Association of serum testosterone with different classes of glucose metabolism and the mediation effect of obesity: The Henan Rural Cohort Study

“…The proportion of the effect (PE) of WC that is explained by the mediator was defined as PE = indirect effect/total effect . The above analyses were performed both in males and females due to large divergence in testosterone concentrations between males and females . All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software, version 21.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago).…”

“…Our findings strengthen these hypotheses only in males instead of females. That might be due to a significant difference in testosterone levels between healthy males and females . Our data indicate that, among female patients, the serum testosterone levels were negatively associated with T2DM and insulin resistance, while obesity played a role in this relationship.…”

“…In addition, the relationship of testosterone with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is not clear. There is a clear bimodal distribution of testosterone levels in the healthy males and females as well as few reports on the relevance of altered testosterone levels in female; whether this association applies to females remains unclear …”

Sex, gender, and sports

“…However, serum concentrations of testosterone vary naturally in men and women, and across athletic states. In non-athletes, serum testosterone values range bimodally from 8.8 to 30.9 nmol/L in men and boys and from 0.4 to 2.0 nmol/L in girls and women 3. But there is greater overlap among elite track and field athletes after competition, with mean (standard deviation) values 12.8 (7.9) nmol/L in men and 4.1 (4.9) nmol/L in women 4.…”

Erratum

“…In the published article by Clark et al included in the January 2019 issue of Clinical Endocrinology , ‘Large divergence in testosterone concentrations between men and women: Frame of reference for elite athletes in sex‐specific competition in sports, a narrative review’, it has been brought to the authors’ attention there were some anomalies that required further clarification within Table 2, Figure and the References. The authors have investigated these issues and have made the following revisions:…”