Measurement of androgens.

Testosterone is the major androgen measured in clinical and research investigations of both men and women. Nevertheless, many other androgens have an important role in the investigation of andrenal and gonadal physiology and pathology. Commercial assays are generally used in clinical laboratories but these have poor precision at low concentrations and poor sensitivity. Extraction assays, described in this chapter, can be much more sensitive and precise. There is interest in measuring free steriods and a steady-state gel filtration method used in the author's laboratory is described. Methods are also provided for the measurement of steroids in saliva and hair.