Female salivary testosterone: measurement, challenges and applications

Testosterone (T) is one of the most important naturally circulating steroid hormones. Exerting both androgenic and anabolic activities it is secreted into the blood and in men is produced primarily by the testes. In women, by contrast, production occurs in the ovaries and particularly from peripheral conversion of the T precursors androstenedione, DHEA and DHEA-S (Burger, 2002). T is no longer regarded as a male only hormone, and similarly estradiol is no longer a female only hormone (Fausto-Sterling, 2000). While it is true that men generally have higher levels of T and lower concentrations of oestrogen and progesterone than women, all these sex steroid hormones play essential roles in both sexes (Ullis et al., 1999).