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Cited by 122Hormonal and reproductive studiesSexual Differentiation and DisordersSperm and Testicular Function

Estimating age-specific trends in circulating testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin in males and females across the lifespan

Handelsman, David J, Sikaris, Ken, Ly, Lam P·2016·Annals of Clinical Biochemistry: International Journal of Laboratory Medicine
DOI 10.1177/0004563215610589
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Abstract

Background: Age-specific trends of serum testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin across the full lifespan have not been reported. Methods: We deduced age-specific trends in serum testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin in males and females between ages 10 and 90 from a large sample of consecutive results from a single large pathology laboratory. Coded results of 110,712 consecutive blood samples requesting serum testosterone over seven years (2007–2013) comprising blood testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin and calculated free testosterone together with gender and age were analysed create smoothed age-specific centiles (2.5%, 5%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 95%, 97.5%) for males and females. Results: These identified the pubertal increases in serum testosterone in males peaking at 20 years of age and remaining stable thereafter until the eighth decade. In females, circulating testosterone peaked in late adolescence and declined gradually over the next two decades but remained stable across menopause and beyond. After early childhood, serum sex hormone-binding globulin declines to a nadir in males at the age of 20 years and remains stable till the sixth decade with a gradual, progressive rise thereafter. In females, the sex hormone-binding globulin nadir is reached earlier with levels rising gradually and progressively with age thereafter and accelerating after the age of 70 years. Females also exhibit a second sex hormone-binding globulin peak during reproductive ages reflected only in upper centiles due to effects of pregnancy and oral contraceptive use in a significant minority of females. Conclusions: This large sample of clinical data provides a comprehensive profile of androgen status across the lifespan from early adolescence to late old age.

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Crossref · 10.1177/0004563215610589

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  • Male puberty results in circulating testosterone concentrations rising from the prepubertal and female postpubertal range (<2 nmol/L) to adult male circulating testosterone concentrations.

    “Male puberty results in circulating testosterone concentrations rising from the prepubertal and female postpubertal range (<2 nmol/L) to adult male circulating testosterone concentrations (18).”

    From Circulating Testosterone as the Hormonal Basis of Sex Differences in Athletic Performance (2018) · cites this paper as [18]

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Authors
Handelsman, D. J., Sikaris, K., & Ly, L. P.
Affiliations
  • The University of Sydney (AU)
  • Melbourne Pathology, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia
  • Concord Repatriation General Hospital (AU)
Corresponding author
Handelsman, David J
ORCID
Venue
Annals of Clinical Biochemistry: International Journal of Laboratory Medicine
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2015-10-05
Volume
53
Issue
3
Pages
377-384
ISSN
  • 0004-5632 (ISSN-L)
  • 1758-1001
DOI
10.1177/0004563215610589
OpenAlex
W2192883521
Semantic Scholar
05790eca0009b04f5e1ac0cb608c83b07098528e
Cited by
122
References
48
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 6
FWCI
6.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • Annals of Clinical Biochemistry International Journal of Laboratory Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Hormonal and reproductive studies
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Sexual Differentiation and Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Sperm and Testicular Function
Keywords
serum testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, free testosterone, lifespan, puberty, menopause, androgen status, sex differences, oral contraceptive use
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Child, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin, Testosterone, Young Adult

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