Androgen Excess

Question: Should a blood test for hormone imbalances pick up on excess androgen production? Thanks.

Answer: depends on the type of blood test

Question: Does excess androgen or excess estrogen cause acne? I read it was androgens, and now recently I am reading that it is estrogen. So which is it? Any sources that will clear this up for me.

Answer: Androgen, it is not necessarily excess. It is a result of hormonal imbalances, usually while going through puberty. As you grow your body keeps trying to compensate for too much, or too little, this can result in acne. Once your body reaches a medium, the acne will go away. In males especially, it also has to do with hair follicles.

Question: what are the symptoms of androgen excess?

Answer: Hisutism ... masculinity and thus hairiness from the gonadocorticoid hormones secreting in excess...possiblt acme too from clogged pores after sebum accumulaates. As a more severe condition, virilism (male-like balding)

Question: What side effects do pills that decrease androgen and testosterone levels in females have? I am a 21 year old female and think I have excess body hair. I didn't have this problem when I was 16 or so, but have during the past few years and it bothers me. I am tired of doing hair removal and am planning on getting my androgen and testosterone levels checked...but am not sure if taking medicine to lower such levels has bad side effects or actually work. Does anybody have related experience, or know of a medicine theyd recommend?

Answer: Hey babe, It is quite natural stuff. This might be due to hormones. And if you take any medicine to decrease it you should be ready to face lot and lot of side effects. This effects will not start immediately. But it increase when you grow. So just leave it alone dear. There are lot of ways to remove your body hair and some indian medicine externally to stop growing your hair. If you don't mind of having some discussion regarding this to help you out you can ping me i am online karthikeyan_mhn@yahoo.com

Question: How to reduce high androgen (testosterone) levels in women? And if that is not possible, how to reduce the effects of the excess of the hormone like being overweight, hairiness, acne or deep voice?

Answer: If you know yoga, then you have to do pranayam to achieve this :-).

Question: What could be a cause of an irregular period? DISCLAIMER: I already have an appointment with my gynecologist, so I am GOING to the doctor. I know she will be able to find out what is wrong with me, but since the appointment is next month, I figured if I could see if other people have had this problem and what it is to them. Okay, I am 18 and I got my period when I was 12, so it isn't because I just got it. I know it takes a couple of years to become regular. I also know that I am not pregnant.. At first that was my concern but trust me, every time I miss a period and if I were pregnant, I would have a ton of kids by now! I am not overweight, or underweight. I was looking up possible causes and it is not due to an excess of androgen, because I have NONE of the other symptoms of that, and there are a lot. Has anyone else had this? I mean it is probably nothing but I just wanted to see if anyone else had this too, and what was going on with them. Thank you! Oh and also, I am not on birth control. I know a lot of times gynecologists put women on birth control to regulate their periods. Is this common/did they do this for you? Thanks again! I though stress too, but it's been like this for years. I haven't really been stressed out for years. I have been really stressed here or there, but definitely not much. I am pretty stress free. And I also eat healthy too. Thanks for the reply =)

Answer: It's good your going to your doc for a check-up. You probably need some blood work done, to find out what's going on with you. Some teens may develop irregular periods - or stop having periods altogether - as a result of a hormone imbalance. Disorders of the thyroid gland can cause menstrual irregularities if the levels of thyroid hormone in the blood become too low or too high.

Question: Is being gay a genetic condition, or is it due to social and psychological factors? The genetic argument is bolstered by gay activists who don't really have any solid proof and present many flawed studies. Are extremely shy and artistic young boys, for instance, who are not affirmed in their masculinity by a caring father, at risk for homosexuality? Another good example would be a girl who develops before and into puberty with a “masculinized habitus� (the result of excess maternal intrauterine androgen stimulated by a genetic condition in the fetus)—a stocky physique, facial hair, powerful muscles, a square jaw and long fingers— she may suffer so much teasing and rejection by family and peers that she comes to think of herself as “not feminine� and so will seek solace in the arms of women. Sorry this is so long winded, it just bothers me that everyone seems to thing that being gay is genetic when it seems obvious that is not the case.

Answer: I was always taught that it was developmental factors. At a certain point in human development the brain is flooded with testosterone in order to make it more male-like. If this doesn't happen, then the brain becomes more like that of a female. The problem arises when, at these critical periods, that the brain doesn't recieve enough testosterone to change it to that of a male. Once this critical period has passed, then the child's brain is irreversibly female or male. This has an affect on their behavior. However, you can still develop as a male physically (i.e. having testicles and a penis) even after your brain missed it's testosterone bath. In the laboratory, male rats who missed this critical period and didn't have an injection of testosterone but were instead injected with progesterone displayed female-like sexual behavior. This might help explain homosexual behavior as a matter of hormones and not social or genetic influences.

Question: Could peri- or menopause be making me feel masculine? This is a repeat. I got one good answer the last time, but I wanted to post this during a higher traffic time to see if anyone else had suggestions. 'm a 41yo woman. Lately, much to my chagrin, I've been feeling a sort of hypermasculinity. I also have acne along my jawline, which I've read can indicate an excess of androgens. Could both of these things be indicative of menopause? Are there any natural, vegan, non-hormonal remedies?

Answer: "Hypermasculinity" could mean many different things, so I can't address whether perimenopause can make you feel masculine. It can certainly make you aggressive and irritable due to hormone imbalances. Many women in perimenopause, due to testoserone imbalances, can experience acne. Just like being an adolescent again. It sounds as if you've educated yourself well on perimenopause and menopause. (Perimenopause is the years leading into menopause, which is defined as having gone one year without menstruation). It's always interesting when women want "treatment" for menopause, since it's a natural transition. However, the hot flashes, insomnia, weight gain, acne, irritability, mood swings, libido changes, and skin/hair changes can be disturbing. All these signs/symptoms certainly don't feel natural. Some women find that the herb black cohosh (marketed as Estroven and Remifemin) helps these signs and symptoms. You may want to visit the websites for these; sometimes they offer free samples. After almost 8 years of perimenopause misery, including dozens of daily hot flashes, palpitations, and weight gain, I am now on hormone replacement therapy. Most of my signs/symptoms have improved. HRT does have its dangers, though, so my physician and I are monitoring my health very carefully. If you decide to check out black cohosh, be sure that it doesn't affect any medical conditions you may have or any other drugs you may be taking. Herbs may be all-natural, but they still can have adverse effects.

Question: Does anyone know a natural alternative to spironolactone for pcos? I have elevated androgens, acne, mild hair loss, excess body hair. My weight is perfect though. I also have mild hypoglycemia due to insulin issues. I HATE DRUGS. Has anyone found an alternative to spiro? One of my holistic docs (the endocrinolist one) is suggesting spiro and metformin. Yes, drugs have plants in them. But they also have toxic man made ingredients.

Answer: You are very, very wise to try to avoid pharmaceutical drugs if at all possible. Yes, there are alternatives to spironolactone and metformin in the treatment of PCOS. Natural treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome is multifactorial. You should see a qualified naturopath for specific herbal remedies and diet recommendations, but the basics are below. Lifestyle. Exercise and weight reduction have been shown to be highly beneficial in the treatment of PCOS and its symptoms. Exercise can helps reduce weight, regulate menstrual cycles, and reduce risk factors for diabetes and heart disease which are associated with PCOS. PCOS Diet. Women with PCOS respond well to a low glycemic index, low simple carbohydrate, low animal product, high fiber diet which helps reduce weight, regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, and reduce inflammatory prostaglandins. Nutritional Therapy. Depending on your specific presentation of PCOS, there are a variety of nutritional therapies which will be considered. Nutritional therapies can help to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, reduce circulating androgens, improve ovarian function, improve fertility, reduce risk of heart disease, and support liver detoxification of estrogens. Herbal Therapy. Depending on your symptoms of PCOS, a variety of herbal therapies may be considered. The goal of herbal medicine might include: reducing circulating androgens, optimizing ovarian function, and supporting optimal endocrine function. By the way, just to let you know why you are so wise to avoid spirolactone: Even though the drug that your endicrinoligist is suggesting has been shown to be effective in hormone-induced acne it has various unpleasant side effects. Spironolactone is a diuretic [it causes you to pee a lot]. The side effects in low-dose spirolactone are: irregular menstrual cycle [most common] breast tenderness [most common] thirst, dry mouth stomach cramps, vomiting, and/or diarrhea headache dizziness increased blood potassium levels low blood pressure Both blood potassium levels and blood pressure should be checked periodically while you're taking this medication. Also, you shouldn't get pregnant while using spironolactone. And spironolactone isn't a good choice for you if you have kidney problems, or a history (or family history) of breast cancer, uterine cancer, or ovarian cancer. According to the National Institutes of Health, spironolactone is known to have caused tumors in lab animals. Metformin is also much less desirable than the low Glycemic Index diet that is recommended for PCOS patients. Its side effects include: MALAISE. GI DISTURBANCE. VITAMIN B12 MALABSORPTION. ELEVATED HOMOCYSTEINE PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS. ANEMIA.LIVER OR KIDNEY PROBLEMS. MULTIPLE MEDICATIONS. You may be at risk for health problems or symptoms if you take metformin in addition to other medications. HAIR LOSS. LACTIC ACIDOSIS. BILE ABNORMALITIES.

Question: Natural herbs(or medicine) that could stop or reduce excess body/facial hair? I am a female, I have excess body hair on my abdomen, back, chest pretty much every where,and I also have excess hair on my face as well. I got my first period when I was 11 and had to use Yasmin for about 3 years because the pain was unbearable, I started having excess hair after 1 year of Yasmin but my Doctor said it had nothing to do with it so I continued. Im 20 now, and I have tried every possible solution you could think of, bleaching,laser,waxing,plucking,shaving.… Aside from excess body/facial hair, I also have excess sweating (but I surprisingly have a very dry skin),having many mood swings, my period is never in a regular basis, and I'm feeling weak and tired all the time. I just cant seem to focus on anything and it started to affect my relationships severely with others. And these symptoms all came way after the excess hair. I've heard about Spironolactone but, some people actually say it thickens your body hair, and some say it reduces androgen so it works.Any one had an experience with this one before? I cant wear a bikini, I cant make put with my boyfriend unless the room is dark, I cant go waxing outside because of that excess hair in case they'd see my back or abdomen by accident. Please if there s anyone anyone out there who had a similar case and found a solution just tell me please! -Ive seen many doctors already and all they did was to prescribe another birth control pill which had actually worsened my case, so, no thx! for"go see a doc" advises

Answer: Have you been tested for pcos? I have it and I take Spironolactone. My main symptom is acne, but it has also greatly reduced my body hair, and worked well on my acne too. Herbs to try would be agnus castus vitex. I used this and it worked well for acne, although didn't improve body hair. It helps body hair for some people though. Another herb you could try is saw palmetto. I haven't tried it but it's supposed to lower androgens and is meant to be effective for hirsutism. You might also want to google spearmint tea.