Androgen Effects on the Reproductive Neuroendocrine Axis, 2025 Version

Summary

This research study investigates whether male-level exogenous androgens inhibit the reproductive neuroendocrine axis in otherwise healthy (non-PCOS) females.

Timeline

Start

2025-12-05

Primary completion

2028-11-15

Completion

2028-11-30

Publications

• Background Coleman E, Radix AE, Bouman WP, Brown GR, de Vries ALC, Deutsch MB, Ettner R, Fraser L, Goodman M, Green J, Hancock AB, Johnson TW, Karasic DH, Knudson GA, Leibowitz SF, Meyer-Bahlburg HFL, Monstrey SJ, Motmans J, Nahata L, Nieder TO, Reisner SL, Richards C, Schechter LS, Tangpricha V, Tishelman AC, Van Trotsenburg MAA, Winter S, Ducheny K, Adams NJ, Adrian TM, Allen LR, Azul D, Bagga H, Basar K, Bathory DS, Belinky JJ, Berg DR, Berli JU, Bluebond-Langner RO, Bouman MB, Bowers ML, Brassard PJ, Byrne J, Capitan L, Cargill CJ, Carswell JM, Chang SC, Chelvakumar G, Corneil T, Dalke KB, De Cuypere G, de Vries E, Den Heijer M, Devor AH, Dhejne C, D'Marco A, Edmiston EK, Edwards-Leeper L, Ehrbar R, Ehrensaft D, Eisfeld J, Elaut E, Erickson-Schroth L, Feldman JL, Fisher AD, Garcia MM, Gijs L, Green SE, Hall BP, Hardy TLD, Irwig MS, Jacobs LA, Janssen AC, Johnson K, Klink DT, Kreukels BPC, Kuper LE, Kvach EJ, Malouf MA, Massey R, Mazur T, McLachlan C, Morrison SD, Mosser SW, Neira PM, Nygren U, Oates JM, Obedin-Maliver J, Pagkalos G, Patton J, Phanuphak N, Rachlin K, Reed T, Rider GN, Ristori J, Robbins-Cherry S, Roberts SA, Rodriguez-Wallberg KA, Rosenthal SM, Sabir K, Safer JD, Scheim AI, Seal LJ, Sehoole TJ, Spencer K, St Amand C, Steensma TD, Strang JF, Taylor GB, Tilleman K, T'Sjoen GG, Vala LN, Van Mello NM, Veale JF, Vencill JA, Vincent B, Wesp LM, West MA, Arcelus J. Standards of Care for the Health of Transgender and Gender Diverse People, Version 8. Int J Transgend Health. 2022 Sep 6;23(Suppl 1):S1-S259. doi: 10.1080/26895269.2022.2100644. eCollection 2022.
• Background Hembree WC, Cohen-Kettenis PT, Gooren L, Hannema SE, Meyer WJ, Murad MH, Rosenthal SM, Safer JD, Tangpricha V, T'Sjoen GG. Endocrine Treatment of Gender-Dysphoric/Gender-Incongruent Persons: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Nov 1;102(11):3869-3903. doi: 10.1210/jc.2017-01658.
• Background Deutsch MB, Bhakri V, Kubicek K. Effects of cross-sex hormone treatment on transgender women and men. Obstet Gynecol. 2015 Mar;125(3):605-610. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000000692.
• Background McFarland J, Craig W, Clarke NJ, Spratt DI. Serum Testosterone Concentrations Remain Stable Between Injections in Patients Receiving Subcutaneous Testosterone. J Endocr Soc. 2017 Jul 21;1(8):1095-1103. doi: 10.1210/js.2017-00148. eCollection 2017 Aug 1.
• Background Nakamura A, Watanabe M, Sugimoto M, Sako T, Mahmood S, Kaku H, Nasu Y, Ishii K, Nagai A, Kumon H. Dose-response analysis of testosterone replacement therapy in patients with female to male gender identity disorder. Endocr J. 2013;60(3):275-81. doi: 10.1507/endocrj.ej12-0319. Epub 2012 Oct 27.
• Background Conron KJ, Scott G, Stowell GS, Landers SJ. Transgender health in Massachusetts: results from a household probability sample of adults. Am J Public Health. 2012 Jan;102(1):118-22. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300315. Epub 2011 Nov 28.
• Background Clark TC, Lucassen MF, Bullen P, Denny SJ, Fleming TM, Robinson EM, Rossen FV. The health and well-being of transgender high school students: results from the New Zealand adolescent health survey (Youth'12). J Adolesc Health. 2014 Jul;55(1):93-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.11.008. Epub 2014 Jan 14.
• Background Kuyper L, Wijsen C. Gender identities and gender dysphoria in the Netherlands. Arch Sex Behav. 2014 Feb;43(2):377-85. doi: 10.1007/s10508-013-0140-y. Epub 2013 Jul 16.
• Background Van Caenegem E, Wierckx K, Elaut E, Buysse A, Dewaele A, Van Nieuwerburgh F, De Cuypere G, T'Sjoen G. Prevalence of Gender Nonconformity in Flanders, Belgium. Arch Sex Behav. 2015 Jul;44(5):1281-7. doi: 10.1007/s10508-014-0452-6. Epub 2015 Jan 15.
• Background Meerwijk EL, Sevelius JM. Transgender Population Size in the United States: a Meta-Regression of Population-Based Probability Samples. Am J Public Health. 2017 Feb;107(2):e1-e8. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303578.
• Background Meyer IH, Brown TN, Herman JL, Reisner SL, Bockting WO. Demographic Characteristics and Health Status of Transgender Adults in Select US Regions: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014. Am J Public Health. 2017 Apr;107(4):582-589. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303648. Epub 2017 Feb 16.
• Background De Cuypere G, Van Hemelrijck M, Michel A, Carael B, Heylens G, Rubens R, Hoebeke P, Monstrey S. Prevalence and demography of transsexualism in Belgium. Eur Psychiatry. 2007 Apr;22(3):137-41. doi: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2006.10.002. Epub 2006 Dec 26.
• Background Zucker KJ, Lawrence AA. Epidemiology of Gender Identity Disorder: Recommendations for the Standards of Care of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. Int J Transgenderism. 2009;11(1):8-18. doi:10.1080/15532730902799946
• Background Coleman E, Bockting W, Botzer M, et al. Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender, and Gender-Nonconforming People, Version 7. Int J Transgenderism. 2012;13(4):165-232. doi:10.1080/15532739.2011.700873
• Background Spinder T, Spijkstra JJ, van den Tweel JG, Burger CW, van Kessel H, Hompes PG, Gooren LJ. The effects of long term testosterone administration on pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion and on ovarian histology in eugonadal female to male transsexual subjects. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1989 Jul;69(1):151-7. doi: 10.1210/jcem-69-1-151.
• Background Pelusi C, Costantino A, Martelli V, Lambertini M, Bazzocchi A, Ponti F, Battista G, Venturoli S, Meriggiola MC. Effects of three different testosterone formulations in female-to-male transsexual persons. J Sex Med. 2014 Dec;11(12):3002-11. doi: 10.1111/jsm.12698. Epub 2014 Sep 24.
• Background Mueller A, Kiesewetter F, Binder H, Beckmann MW, Dittrich R. Long-term administration of testosterone undecanoate every 3 months for testosterone supplementation in female-to-male transsexuals. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Sep;92(9):3470-5. doi: 10.1210/jc.2007-0746. Epub 2007 Jun 19.
• Background Moravek MB, Kinnear HM, George J, Batchelor J, Shikanov A, Padmanabhan V, Randolph JF. Impact of Exogenous Testosterone on Reproduction in Transgender Men. Endocrinology. 2020 Mar 1;161(3):bqaa014. doi: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa014.
• Background Wierckx K, Van Caenegem E, Pennings G, Elaut E, Dedecker D, Van de Peer F, Weyers S, De Sutter P, T'Sjoen G. Reproductive wish in transsexual men. Hum Reprod. 2012 Feb;27(2):483-7. doi: 10.1093/humrep/der406. Epub 2011 Nov 28.
• Background Cipres D, Seidman D, Cloniger C 3rd, Nova C, O'Shea A, Obedin-Maliver J. Contraceptive use and pregnancy intentions among transgender men presenting to a clinic for sex workers and their families in San Francisco. Contraception. 2017 Feb;95(2):186-189. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2016.09.005. Epub 2016 Sep 9.
• Background Moseson H, Fix L, Hastings J, Stoeffler A, Lunn MR, Flentje A, Lubensky ME, Capriotti MR, Ragosta S, Forsberg H, Obedin-Maliver J. Pregnancy intentions and outcomes among transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people assigned female or intersex at birth in the United States: Results from a national, quantitative survey. Int J Transgend Health. 2021 Nov 17;22(1-2):30-41. doi: 10.1080/26895269.2020.1841058. eCollection 2021.
• Background Kerman HM, Pham A, Crouch JM, Albertson K, Salehi P, Inwards-Breland DJ, Ahrens KR. Gender Diverse Youth on Fertility and Future Family: A Qualitative Analysis. J Adolesc Health. 2021 Jun;68(6):1112-1120. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.01.002. Epub 2021 Mar 10.
• Background Rafferty J; COMMITTEE ON PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF CHILD AND FAMILY HEALTH; COMMITTEE ON ADOLESCENCE; SECTION ON LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER HEALTH AND WELLNESS. Ensuring Comprehensive Care and Support for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Adolescents. Pediatrics. 2018 Oct;142(4):e20182162. doi: 10.1542/peds.2018-2162. Epub 2018 Sep 17.
• Background Light A, Wang LF, Zeymo A, Gomez-Lobo V. Family planning and contraception use in transgender men. Contraception. 2018 Oct;98(4):266-269. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2018.06.006. Epub 2018 Jun 23.
• Background Light AD, Obedin-Maliver J, Sevelius JM, Kerns JL. Transgender men who experienced pregnancy after female-to-male gender transitioning. Obstet Gynecol. 2014 Dec;124(6):1120-1127. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000000540.
• Background Taub RL, Ellis SA, Neal-Perry G, Magaret AS, Prager SW, Micks EA. The effect of testosterone on ovulatory function in transmasculine individuals. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2020 Aug;223(2):229.e1-229.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.01.059. Epub 2020 Feb 8.
• Background Dewis P, Newman M, Ratcliffe WA, Anderson DC. Does testosterone affect the normal menstrual cycle? Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1986 May;24(5):515-21. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1986.tb03280.x.
• Background Scheele F, Hompes PG, Gooren LJ, Spijkstra JJ, Spinder T. The effect of 6 weeks of testosterone treatment on pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion in eugonadal female-to-male transsexuals. Fertil Steril. 1991 Mar;55(3):608-11. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)54194-6.
• Background Ropelato MG, Rudaz MC, Escobar ME, Bengolea SV, Calcagno ML, Veldhuis JD, Barontini M. Acute effects of testosterone infusion on the serum luteinizing hormone profile in eumenorrheic and polycystic ovary syndrome adolescents. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009 Sep;94(9):3602-10. doi: 10.1210/jc.2009-0402. Epub 2009 Jun 30.
• Background Spinder T, Spijkstra JJ, Gooren LJ, Hompes PG, van Kessel H. Effects of long-term testosterone administration on gonadotropin secretion in agonadal female to male transsexuals compared with hypogonadal and normal women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1989 Jan;68(1):200-7. doi: 10.1210/jcem-68-1-200.
• Background T'Sjoen G, Arcelus J, Gooren L, Klink DT, Tangpricha V. Endocrinology of Transgender Medicine. Endocr Rev. 2019 Feb 1;40(1):97-117. doi: 10.1210/er.2018-00011.
• Background Mwamba RN, Ekwonu A, Guimaraes PVB, Raheem OA. The efficacy, safety, and outcomes of testosterone use among transgender men patients: A review of the literature. Neurourol Urodyn. 2023 Jun;42(5):921-930. doi: 10.1002/nau.25094. Epub 2022 Nov 20.
• Background Kassam A, Overstreet JW, Snow-Harter C, De Souza MJ, Gold EB, Lasley BL. Identification of anovulation and transient luteal function using a urinary pregnanediol-3-glucuronide ratio algorithm. Environ Health Perspect. 1996 Apr;104(4):408-13. doi: 10.1289/ehp.96104408.
• Background Santoro N, Crawford SL, Allsworth JE, Gold EB, Greendale GA, Korenman S, Lasley BL, McConnell D, McGaffigan P, Midgely R, Schocken M, Sowers M, Weiss G. Assessing menstrual cycles with urinary hormone assays. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Mar;284(3):E521-30. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00381.2002. Epub 2002 Nov 19.
• Background Pfizer Inc. Depo®-Testosterone (testosterone cypionate injection, USP0 [package insert]. U.S. Food and Drug Administration website. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2014/085635s029lbl.pdf. Accessed May 30, 2022.

Drugs

Indications