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Average vocal pitch decrease linked to testosterone dosing
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Dose- and concentration-dependent decrease in average vocal pitch was found among women with higher levels of testosterone administration over 24 weeks, according to recent study findings published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Grace Huang, MD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Brookline, Massachusetts, and colleagues evaluated 71 women who underwent hysterectomy with or without oophorectomy with total testosterone less than 31 ng/dL and/or free testosterone less than 3.5 pg/mL to determine the dose-dependent effects of testosterone administration on voice changes in this population.
During a 12-week run-in phase, all participants were administered a regimen of transdermal Alora (estradiol, Watson Pharmaceuticals) twice a week to deliver 50-ug of estradiol daily. Following the run-in, participants were randomized to weekly intramuscular injections of placebo or 3 mg, 6.25 mg, 12.5 mg or 25 mg testosterone enanthate (Endo Pharmaceuticals) for 24 weeks. The placebo group had mean on-treatment nadir total testosterone levels of 13 ng/dL and free testosterone concentrations of 2.4 pg/mL, whereas the 3-mg dose group had levels of 83 ng/dL and 14 pg/mL, 6.25-mg dose group had levels of 106 ng/dL and 15 pg/mL, 12.5-mg dose group had levels of 122 ng/dL and 22 pg/mL, and the 25-mg dose group had levels of 250 ng/dL and 48 pg/mL, respectively.
When compared with placebo, the 12.5-mg and 25-mg dose groups had significant decreases in average vocal pitch during the “Ah” test (P < .05). Increases in serum free testosterone concentrations were significantly related to the changes in pitch. When compared with placebo, the 25-mg group had a significant decrease in average pitch during the sentence test (P < .05).
At baseline all participants were below the range for healthy women for mean total testosterone concentration (16 ng/mL) and free testosterone concentration (1 pg/mL). One week after the previous injection, serum nadir total and free testosterone levels, which were measured during week 24, were increased from baseline in a dose-dependent fashion.
“In conclusion, short-term testosterone administration over a wide range of doses for 24-weeks in hysterectomized women was associated with dose- and concentration-dependent changes in lowering of vocal pitch even in the absence of subjective voice changes,” the researchers wrote. “Based on the findings of this trial, referral for functional voice assessment may be useful for early detection of any potential changes in voice characteristics in women receiving similar doses of testosterone.” – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: Huang reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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