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1: Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2006 Aug;31(7):895-9. Epub 2006 May 3.Click here to read Links

Seasonality, waist-to-hip ratio, and salivary testosterone.

van Anders SM, Hampson E, Watson NV.

Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, RCB 5246, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6.

Patterns of seasonal variation in testosterone (T) and T-dependent measures are poorly understood in humans and particularly in women, despite their importance in other animals. We examined seasonal fluctuations in salivary T in women and men, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in women. Participants were 220 women and 127 men from central and West Coast North America. Results showed that T was significantly highest in autumn for both women and men, and that WHR in women closely matched the seasonal variation in T, with high values in the fall and summer. This suggests that T does show a reliable fluctuation over the seasons, which may result in meaningful fluctuations in behavioral, cognitive, and somatic variables associated with T.

PMID: 16675146 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]