Androgen Androgen An androgen (from Greek "andr-", the stem of the word meaning "man") is any natural or synthetic steroid hormone which regulates the development and maintenance of male characteristics in vertebrates by binding to androgen receptors. This includes the embryological development of the primary male sex organs, and the development of male secondary sex characteristics at puberty. Androgens are synthesized in the testes, the ovaries, and the adrenal glands. Androgens increase in both boys and girls during puberty. The major androgen in males is testosterone. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and androstenedione are of equal importance in male development. DHT "in utero" causes
Body odour and sexual attraction psychological studies that women’s preferences for various male traits change throughout the menstrual cycle. Hormonal fluctuation across the menstrual cycle explains temporal variation in women’s judgment of the attractiveness of members of the opposite sex. This is due to the psychological processes that shape the formation and maintenance of human romantic relationships are influenced by variation in hormonal levels. Due to their high hormone content, oral contraceptives have the potential to alter women’s partner preference for a range of male traits, which could have important consequences on sexual relationships, as it alters women’s attraction to their partner and, potentially, to