Smoking Tied to Elevated Androgen Levels in Women

Current cigarette smoking is associated with higher circulating levels of testosterone and androstenedione in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women, according to a cross-sectional analysis of participants in the EPIC Florence cohort. The study compared active smoking status with hormone concentrations and found that women who currently smoked had higher androgen levels than those who had never smoked, with a dose-response pattern evident among postmenopausal women.

The research set out to examine whether smoking habits were linked to circulating androgen levels across different reproductive stages. Tobacco use is already known to contribute to major health problems, including cardiovascular disease, respiratory illness, adverse reproductive outcomes, and a higher risk of several cancers, breast cancer included. While estrogen has long been recognized as important in breast cancer development, more recent evidence points to a role for androgens, and the influence of lifestyle factors on these hormones has been less clear.

To explore the issue, researchers carried out a cross-sectional study of 867 women randomly selected from the EPIC Florence cohort. The participants had been enrolled between 1993 and 1998 and provided detailed information on diet, lifestyle, body measurements, and reproductive history. Blood samples collected at baseline were divided into aliquots and stored in liquid nitrogen for later endocrine testing.

The team applied multivariable linear regression models to examine the relationship between active smoking and circulating androgen concentrations, analyzing premenopausal and postmenopausal women separately. The models adjusted for age, body mass index, waist circumference, education, physical activity, alcohol intake, total calorie consumption, and reproductive history to reduce the impact of confounding factors.

After adjustment, current smokers had higher androgen levels than never smokers in both menopausal groups. For testosterone, current smoking was associated with an exp(β) of 1.13 (95% CI 1.01-1.26) in premenopausal women and 1.13 (95% CI 1.00-0.26) in postmenopausal women. For androstenedione, the corresponding values were 1.14 (95% CI 1.04-1.26) in premenopausal women and 1.14 (95% CI 1.02-1.28) in postmenopausal women.

The analysis also looked at cumulative smoking exposure and found a significant trend toward higher androstenedione levels with increasing pack-years among postmenopausal women. The authors said the direct link between smoking and circulating testosterone and androstenedione, along with the dose-response pattern for androstenedione, may help clarify biological pathways connecting cigarette smoking with breast cancer risk.

Subject of Research: Association between cigarette smoking and circulating androgen levels in women

Article Title: Cigarette smoking and circulating androgens in women from the Epic Florence cohort

Article References: Doccioli, C., Bendinelli, B., Assedi, M., Danza, G., Caini, S., Saieva, C., Zanna, I., Villanelli, F., Facchini, L., Vagnoni, G., Pastore, E., Vignozzi, L., & Masala, G. (2026). Cigarette smoking and circulating androgens in women from the Epic Florence cohort. Cancer Causes & Control, 37(11), Article 186. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-026-02264-8

Image Credits: AI Generated

Keywords: cigarette smoking, androgens, testosterone, androstenedione, EPIC Florence, breast cancer risk, postmenopausal women, premenopausal women, Cigarette, smoking, circulating, women

Cite Scienmag News

Nathaniel Bowman. (November 7, 2026). Cigarette Smoking Linked to Higher Circulating Androgen Levels in Women. Scienmag. https://scienmag.com/cigarette-smoking-linked-to-higher-circulating-androgen-levels-in-women/

Nathaniel Bowman. "Cigarette Smoking Linked to Higher Circulating Androgen Levels in Women." Scienmag, 7 November 2026, https://scienmag.com/cigarette-smoking-linked-to-higher-circulating-androgen-levels-in-women/. Accessed 7 November 2026.