Androgen Excess in Women and the Respiratory System

Numerous epidemiological studies have shown explicit sex and gender differences in the respiratory system under both physiological and pathological conditions. Here, we review the impact of sex steroids, with emphasis on androgens, upon the respiratory system in two endocrine hyperandrogenemic clinical scenarios: polycystic ovary syndrome and postmenopausal women. The primary sex hormones are testosterone in men and estrogens in women. Interestingly, in women, the plasma concentration of testosterone is much higher than estradiol; however, whether and how the excess of androgens may affect the respiratory system in women remain unclear. Hence, here we review some of the evidence that highlights the crucial role of androgens modulating respiratory physiology in these hyperandrogenemic endocrine conditions.