NONFICTION - Aug. 23, 1987

HORMONES, THE WOMAN’S ANSWER BOOK by Lois Jovanovic MD and Genell J. Subak-Sharpe (Atheneum: $21.95; 443 pp.). An assertion by an unnamed “well known physician and presidential adviser” that “women were unfit to hold high political office or other positions of authority because their natural hormonal surges made them unreliable” is cited by authors Lois Jovanovic MD and Genell J. Subak-Sharpe in “Hormones: The Woman’s Answer Book” as an example of a myth related to hormonal activity.

Debunking such myths and empowering women to make informed self-care decisions are goals that Jovanovic and Subak-Sharpe set for their book, but don’t always achieve.

Aiming at lay readers, the authors map the endocrine system, linking hormones with the body systems they regulate, and tracking their influence on growth and development throughout the female life span. They also describe possible interventions when hormones misfire.

The book succeeds in clarifying facts about hormone-related problems ranging from acne to osteoporosis, and focuses helpful attention on the reproductive system, particularly regarding fertility. It gives sane advice about weight control and skin care.

The authors’ exemplary goals would be better served if explanations were as precise as they are concise. Their intermittent glibness leads sometimes to confusion and sometimes to outright misinformation. The result: Credibility is compromised.

There is plenty of accurate, valuable and interesting information in this book, and it is well worth the attention of the adventurous reader with access to a good medical dictionary. But readers who take the printed word as gospel will be misled by portions of this volume.