Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between endogenous testosterone concentrations and lean mass and handgrip strength in healthy, pre-menopausal females. Testosterone has been positively associated with lean mass and strength in young and older males. Whether this relationship exists in pre-menopausal females is unknown. Secondary data from the 2013–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used to test this relationship. Females were aged 18–40 (n = 716, age 30 ± 6 years, mean ± SD) and pre-menopausal. Multivariate linear regression models were used to examine associations between total testosterone, lean mass index (LMI) and handgrip strength. Mean ± SD testosterone concentration was 1.0 ± 0.6 nmol L−1 and mean free androgen index (FAI) was 0.02 ± 0.02. In pre-menopausal females, testosterone was not associated with LMI (β = 0.05; 95%CI − 0.04, 0.15; p = 0.237) or handgrip strength (β = 0.01; 95%CI − 0.11, 0.12; p = 0.926) in a statistically significant manner. Conversely, FAI was associated with LMI (β = − 0.03; 95%CI − 0.05, − 0.02; p = 0.000) in a quadratic manner, meaning LMI increases with increasing FAI levels. Handgrip strength was not associated with FAI (β = 0.06; 95%CI − 0.02, 0.15; p = 0.137). These findings indicate that FAI, but not total testosterone, is associated with LMI in pre-menopausal females. Neither FAI nor total testosterone are associated with handgrip strength in pre-menopausal females when testosterone concentrations are not altered pharmacologically.
Highlights
The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between endogenous testosterone concentrations and lean mass and handgrip strength in healthy, pre-menopausal females
There was no evidence of quadratic effects of total testosterone on total lean mass index (LMI), Upper body lean mass index (UBLMI), Lower body lean mass index (LBLMI) or handgrip strength
Despite the essential role of skeletal muscle for whole-body movement and metabolism, our understanding of the role of testosterone in muscle mass and strength has been mostly gained from male-only cohorts, warranting female-specific investigations
Summary
The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between endogenous testosterone concentrations and lean mass and handgrip strength in healthy, pre-menopausal females. Testosterone has been positively associated with lean mass and strength in young and older males Whether this relationship exists in pre-menopausal females is unknown. In response to resistance training, females display greater fatigue resistance and a greater capacity for neural adaptations when compared to males[6] These differences are driven, in part, by varying concentrations of the major sex hormones, oestrogen and testosterone[4,5]. A moderate-to-strong positive relationship exists between testosterone concentrations, lean body mass and muscle strength, when expressed relative to body mass[14,15]. The relationship between endogenous testosterone and muscle-related outcomes has not been investigated using large cohorts of healthy, pre-menopausal females using appropriately adjusted models
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