Editing Androgen (section)

=== Female ovarian and adrenal androgens ===

The ovaries and adrenal glands also produce androgens, but at much lower levels than the testes. Regarding the relative contributions of ovaries and adrenal glands to female androgen levels, in a study with six menstruating women the following observations have been made:<ref name="1974 Abraham Ovarian Adrenal Androgens">{{cite journal | vauthors = Abraham GE | title = Ovarian and adrenal contribution to peripheral androgens during the menstrual cycle | journal = The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism | volume = 39 | issue = 2 | pages = 340–346 | date = August 1974 | pmid = 4278727 | doi = 10.1210/jcem-39-2-340 }}</ref>
* Adrenal contribution to peripheral T, DHT, A, DHEA and DHEA-S is relatively constant throughout the [[menstrual cycle]].
* Ovarian contribution of peripheral T, A and DHEA-S reaches maximum levels at mid-cycle, whereas ovarian contribution to peripheral DHT and DHEA does not seem to be influenced by the menstrual cycle.
* Ovary and adrenal cortex contribute equally to peripheral T, DHT and A, with the exception that at mid-cycle ovarian contribution of peripheral A is twice that of the adrenal.
* Peripheral DHEA and DHEA-S are produced mainly in the adrenal cortex which provides 80% of DHEA and over 90% of DHEA-S.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Ovarian and adrenal contribution to peripheral androgens during the menstrual cycle<ref name="1974 Abraham Ovarian Adrenal Androgens"/>
! Androgen || '''Ovarian (%) (F, M, L)''' || '''Adrenal (%)'''
|-
| DHEA || 20 || 80
|-
| DHEA-S || 4, 10, 4 || 90–96
|-
| Androstenedione || 45, 70, 60 || 30–55
|-
| Testosterone || 33, 60, 33 || 40–66
|-
| DHT || 50 || 50
|-
| colspan="3" | F = early follicular, M = midcycle, L = late luteal phase.
|}