Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Smoking as a determinant for plasma levels of testosterone, androstenedione, and DHEAs in postmenopausal women

  • Endocrine Epidemiology
  • Published:
European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether current smoking, ex-smoking, or amount of current smoking among postmenopausal women was associated with plasma levels of testosterone, and rostenedione, and DHEAs. About 65,000 women in Sweden have participated in two population-based prospective cohort studies where blood samples were collected at baseline, and information on life-style, reproductive history and anthropometrical measurements were available. The present study was based on 407 control subjects from a previous nested case–control study on the relation between steroid hormone levels and risk of breast cancer. A multivariate logistic regression analysis, adjusted for potential confounders, was used in order to obtain odds ratios (OR) with 95 confidence intervals. There was a high risk of high testosterone levels (above the median) in current vs. never smokers, OR1.85 (1.06–3.23). Risk of high testosterone levels increased by amount of daily smoking (increments of 10 cigarettes/day), OR 1.55 (1.02–2.37). Ex-smoking was associated with high testosterone levels, OR: 1.56 (0.98–2.47). Current smoking and increasing amount of current smoking were weakly associated with high androstenedione levels. However, these associations did not reach statistical significance. No association was seen between smoking habits and DHEAs levels. We conclude that current smoking, and increasing amount of daily smoking, is associated with high testosterone levels.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

BMI:

body mass index

CI:

confidence interval

DHEAs:

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate

DL:

detection limit

HRT:

hormonal replacement therapy

MDCS:

The Malmö Diet and Cancer Study

MSP:

The Mammary Screening Project

NSHDS:

The Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study

OC:

oral contraceptives

OR:

odds ratio

VIP:

The Västerbotten Intervention Project

References

  1. J Manjer R Johansson G Berglund et al. (2003) ArticleTitlePostmenopausal breast cancer risk in relation to sex steroid hormones, prolactin and SHBG Cancer Causes Control 14 599–607 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1025671317220 Occurrence Handle14575357

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. MA Maturana PM. Spritzer (2002) ArticleTitleAssociation between hyperinsulinemia and endogenous androgen levels in Pre- and postmenopausal women Metabolism 51 238–243 Occurrence Handle10.1053/meta.2002.29997 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38Xht1Wgtbo%3D Occurrence Handle11833055

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. B Andersson P Marin L Lissner A Vermeulen P. Bjorntorp (1994) ArticleTitleTestosterone concentrations in women and men with NIDDM Diabetes Care 17 405–411 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2czktFSjtA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle8062607

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. I Zofkova R Bahbouh M. Hill (2000) ArticleTitleThe pathophysiological implications of circulating androgens on bone mineral density in a normal female population Steroids 65 857–861 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0039-128X(00)00136-7 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXotVCrsbc%3D Occurrence Handle11077083

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. SH Golden A Maguire J Ding et al. (2002) ArticleTitleEndogenous postmenopausal hormones and carotid atherosclerosis: a case–control study of the atherosclerosis risk in communities cohort Am J Epidemiol 155 437–445 Occurrence Handle10.1093/aje/155.5.437 Occurrence Handle11867355

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. AJ Friedman VA Ravnikar RL. Barbieri (1987) ArticleTitleSerum steroid hormone profiles in postmenopausal smokers and nonsmokers Fertil Steril 47 398–401 Occurrence Handle2951278 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL2sXitV2hurk%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. KT Khaw S Tazuke E. Barrett-Connor (1988) ArticleTitleCigarette smoking and levels of adrenal androgens in postmenopausal women N Engl J Med 318 1705–1709 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL1cXks1ylsLY%3D Occurrence Handle2967432 Occurrence Handle10.1056/NEJM198806303182601

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. C Longcope CC. Johnston SuffixJr (1988) ArticleTitleAndrogen and estrogen dynamics in pre- and postmenopausal women: a comparison between smokers and nonsmokers J Clin Endocrinol Metab 67 379–383 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL1cXlsVCntro%3D Occurrence Handle3392163 Occurrence Handle10.1210/jcem-67-2-379

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. JA Cauley JP Gutai LH Kuller D LeDonne JG. Powell (1989) ArticleTitleThe epidemiology of serum sex hormones in postmenopausal women Am J Epidemiol 129 1120–1131 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaL1M3ntVCgsw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle2729251

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. CW Slemenda SL Hui C Longcope CC. Johnston SuffixJr (1989) ArticleTitleCigarette smoking, obesity, and bone mass J Bone Miner Res 4 737–741 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK3c%2Flt1Onug%3D%3D Occurrence Handle2816518 Occurrence Handle10.1002/jbmr.5650040513

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. A Schlemmer J Jensen BJ Riis C. Christiansen (1990) ArticleTitleSmoking induces increased androgen levels in early post-menopausal women Maturitas 12 99–104 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3MXisValsbc%3D Occurrence Handle2123959

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. TJ Key MC Pike JA Baron et al. (1991) ArticleTitleCigarette smoking and steroid hormones in women J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 39 529–534 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3MXmsFSitLk%3D Occurrence Handle1832941

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. DL Cassidenti MC Pike AG Vijod FZ Stanczyk RA. Lobo (1992) ArticleTitleA reevaluation of estrogen status in postmenopausal women who smoke Am J Obstet Gynecol 166 1444–1448 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK38XksVamt7o%3D Occurrence Handle1534446

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. H Austin C Drews EE. Partridge (1993) ArticleTitleA case–control study of endometrial cancer in relation to cigarette smoking, serum estrogen levels, and alcohol use Am J Obstet Gynecol 169 1086–1091 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2c%2Fls1Gltg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle8238164

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. JA Baron RJ Comi V Cryns T Brinck-Johnsen NG. Mercer (1995) ArticleTitleThe effect of cigarette smoking on adrenal cortical hormones J Pharmacol Exp Ther 272 151–155 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXjtFSqtrw%3D Occurrence Handle7815328

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. J Bancroft EH. Cawood (1996) ArticleTitleAndrogens and the menopause; a study of 40–60-year-old women Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 45 577–587 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXjt1Sgsg%3D%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. MR Law R Cheng AK Hackshaw S Allaway AK. Hale (1997) ArticleTitleCigarette smoking, sex hormones and bone density in women Eur J Epidemiol 13 553–558 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2svgtlWquw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9258568

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. MF Sowers JL Beebe D McConnell J Randolph M. Jannausch (2001) ArticleTitleTestosterone concentrations in women aged 25–50  years: associations with lifestyle, body composition, and ovarian status Am J Epidemiol 153 256–264 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3MzmslKjtA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle11157413

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. A Trichopoulou C Bamia V Kalapothaki E Spanos A Naska D. Trichopoulos (2003) ArticleTitleDehydroepiandrosterone relations to dietary and lifestyle variables in a general population sample Ann Nutr Metab 47 158–164 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXjslanu7o%3D Occurrence Handle12743468

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. J Manjer S Carlsson S Elmstahl et al. (2001) ArticleTitleThe Malmö Diet and Cancer Study: representativity, cancer incidence and mortality in participants and non-participants Eur J Cancer Prev 10 489–499 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD387ot1Gisw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle11916347

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. V Chajes K Hulten AL Van Kappel et al. (1999) ArticleTitleFatty-acid composition in serum phospholipids and risk of breast cancer: An incident case–control study in Sweden Int J Cancer 83 585–590 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXns1als7o%3D Occurrence Handle10521790

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. The National Board of Health and Welfare. [Public Health Report 1997] (in Swedish). Stockholm, Sweden: The National Board of Health and Welfare, 1998

  23. J Manjer S Elmståhl L Janzon G. Berglund (2002) ArticleTitleInvitation to a population-based cohort study: differences between subjects recruited using various strategies Scand J Public Health 30 103–112 Occurrence Handle12028859

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. RW Pero A Olsson G Berglund L Janzon SA Larsson S. Elmståhl (1993) ArticleTitleThe Malmö biological bank J Intern Med 233 63–67 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK3s7lsFKgsg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle8429289 Occurrence Handle10.1111/j.1365-2796.1993.tb00650.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. J Thorell SM. Larson (1978) Radioimmunoassay and Related Techniques. Methodology and Clinical Applications CV Mosby Company St Louis, USA

    Google Scholar 

  26. PE Lonning M Dowsett S Jacobs B Schem J Hardy TJ. Powles (1989) ArticleTitleLack of diurnal variation in plasma levels of androstenedione, testosterone, estrone and estradiol in postmenopausal women J Steroid Biochem 34 551–553 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK3c7ntlagtA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle2626050

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. A Micheli P Muti P Pisani et al. (1991) ArticleTitleRepeated serum and urinary androgen measurements in premenopausal and postmenopausal women J Clin Epidemiol 44 1055–1061 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK38%2FksVKntQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle1940998

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. SE Hankinson JE Manson D Spiegelman WC Willett C Longcope FE. Speizer (1995) ArticleTitleReproducibility of plasma hormone levels in postmenopausal women over a 2–3-year period Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 4 649–654 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXoslKitrY%3D Occurrence Handle8547832

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. L Janzon S-E Lindell E Trell P. Larme (1981) ArticleTitleSmoking habits and carboxyhaemoglobin: A cross-sectional study of an urban population of middle-aged men J Epidemiol Community Health 35 271–273 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaL387mvFajtw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle7200119 Occurrence Handle10.1136/jech.35.4.271

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Medicine, Unit of Epidemiology, Malmö University Hospital, Lund University, SE-205 02, Malmö, Sweden

    Jonas Manjer

  2. Department of Surgery, Malmö University Hospital, Malmö

    Jonas Manjer

  3. Oncological Centre, Umeå, Sweden

    Robert Johansson

  4. Department of Radiation Sciences, Oncology, Norrland University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden

    Per Lenner

Authors
  1. Jonas Manjer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert Johansson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Per Lenner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jonas Manjer.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Manjer, J., Johansson, R. & Lenner, P. Smoking as a determinant for plasma levels of testosterone, androstenedione, and DHEAs in postmenopausal women. Eur J Epidemiol 20, 331–337 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-005-0385-4

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-005-0385-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation