Collaborative Research - Discordant Models of Testosterone Function

Stanford University, Stanford CA

Investigators

Abstract

Discordant Models of Testosterone Function The project will study two opposing models of the nature and function of testosterone from two scientific fields (endocrinology and human performance physiology). According to the first, testosterone is thought to drop in response to training, differ sharply in levels between men and women, and to be the chief ingredient in performance; in the other, testosterone is thought to sharply rise in response to interventions, to produce highly variable effects, and to be an inadequate predictor of performance. New 'hyperandrogenism' rules draw on the first model only, though that model might not be the most relevant for the scientific questions involved. The research is likely to contribute not only to academic debates but also influence how the public thinks about these issues, as well as help to shape organizational policies. In addition, two graduate students will be trained in qualitative data analysis.