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Book Review

Androgens and Reproductive Aging

edited by Togas Tulandi and Morrie Gelfand, 179 pp, London and New York: Taylor Francis Group; 2006. ISBN: 1-84214-312-3. Cost: $129.95.

Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.

Grading Key =outstanding; =excellent; =good; =fair; =poor.

Type of Book: A multiauthored edited volume.

Scope of Book: The book is intended primarily to be an up-to-date review of the role of androgens in women from perimenopause and beyond. There is a small portion of the book dealing with androgens in aging men.

Contents: The book is relatively small, reflecting the current limited knowledge about androgens in aging women. There is a multinational array of authors, and many are truly leaders in their respective areas. The book is divided into 14 chapters. The first 5 chapters give background information about androgen physiology, androgen receptor expression in women, changes in androgens with aging, and possible effects of these changes on endocrinology and psychosexual function. The next 3 chapters present data on various androgen replacement modalities that have been used in women. Then there are 4 chapters dealing with the clinical experience of androgen therapy for premenopausal women, for osteoporosis, for hypoactive sexual desire, and in women with breast cancer. The penultimate chapter deals with side effects of androgens in women, while the last chapter is a brief overview of androgen decline in aging men and data on androgen replacement in older men.

Strengths: This book brings together much of what is known about androgens in middle-aged and older women. As such, it fills a much needed void in the current literature. In general the chapters are easy to read, the data are very current and presented in an unbiased manner, the typeset is easy to read and well edited, and the tables and figures clear and easy to interpret. Many of the chapters are excellent.

Weaknesses: The book title is a little misleading, because almost the entire book deals with androgens in aging women. The brief information about androgens in aging men seems a little out of place and detracts from more than adds to the overall text. As with any multiauthored book, the quality of the chapters is highly variable; a few are very superficial. Also, there is some redundancy within the background chapters.

Recommended Readership: Practicing physicians (primary care, gynecology, endocrinology), students, residents, fellows, and clinical researchers.

Overall Grading:

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