Abnormal secretion of androgens not only causes symptoms such as hairiness and acne, but also affects women’s menstruation, fertility, cardiovascular health, etc.
Why do some women fail to fight acne after puberty? In addition, in addition to the never-ending acne, the upper lip and limbs, the armpits of the hair more and more long, but also often menstrual irregularities, what is the reason? All these “conditions” may be caused by high androgens in the body. The abnormal secretion of androgens in women’s bodies will definitely affect the secretion of estrogen and progesterone, which not only affects the appearance of symptoms such as hairiness and acne, but may also cause a series of hazards, including affecting women’s menstruation, fertility and other aspects of health.
A, the battle “acne” repeatedly failed and high androgen related
The first 20 years of age, A Wen (a pseudonym) is full of acne, hard and red. In order to fight “acne”, she used creams externally, took Chinese medicine internally, and even asked around and tried various “secret” and “prescriptions”, but it seems to have little effect, and the pores on her face The pores on your face are also getting bigger and bigger.
Every time he stood in front of the mirror and stared at his face, Ah Wen would get very upset. Sometimes when you walk into a crowd, others seem to be staring at her face full of acne with a different look, making her feel particularly uncomfortable. In addition to the never-ending acne on the face, the hair on the upper lip, limbs and armpits is also more than others, the more hair removal cream the longer. But what makes her more upset is that her menstruation is often irregular, and she suspects that the acne on her face may also be related to this.
When she went to the hospital not long ago, a test revealed that androgen levels were too high. The doctor confirmed her suspicions: it was the high androgens that caused her irregular menstruation, which manifested itself in her skin and her face was full of acne and hairy symptoms.
High Androgen Levels in Women
A woman’s development, beauty and beautiful figure depend on the normal secretion of estrogen and progesterone in her body, especially during normal pregnancy, which requires the cooperation and coordination of these hormones. In addition to estrogen, women also have androgens in their bodies, but the amount is relatively small, only about 10% of that of men. Androgens also play a pivotal role in women’s bodies, as they promote the development of the female vulva, the growth of armpit hair and pubic hair, stimulate the growth of red blood cells, and are also the raw material for the synthesis of estrogen and progesterone.
But what happens if androgens are produced in excess? Yes! It can indeed cause some masculine features in women. For example, a typical skin feature is hairiness, not only on the limbs, pubic area and armpits, but also on the upper lip, nipples and abdomen, which can be embarrassing. Some women with high androgen levels even have a low voice tone, prominent laryngeal nodes, enlarged clitoris, temporal baldness, and shrunken mammary glands, making them look like a “feminine man”.
When the level of androgens in a woman’s blood is too high and their activity is increased, it is called hyperandrogenemia. Androgens mainly originate from the ovaries and adrenal glands, so the causes of hyperandrogenemia can also be traced back to these two sources. According to relevant reports, 70% to 80% of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome have high androgen levels; while patients with congenital adrenal cortical hyperplasia or cortisolism not only have hyperandrogenism, but also have symptoms such as “full moon face and buffalo back”.
Besides appearance, high androgens also affect menstruation and fertility
The abnormal secretion of androgens in women’s body will definitely affect the secretion of estrogen and progesterone, which will not only cause symptoms such as hairiness and acne, but also cause a series of harm, including affecting women’s menstruation and fertility.
1. Affecting menstruation and fertility: High androgens can interfere with the growth and development of female follicles, leading to ovulation disorders and luteal insufficiency, which can cause menstrual disorders, scanty menstruation and even amenorrhea and infertility in women. High androgens can also lead to pre-eclampsia, premature rupture of membranes, gestational diabetes and premature birth.
2. Increase the risk of cardiovascular disease: Long-term high androgens can cause metabolic disorders in women’s bodies, making them prone to obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia and coronary heart disease, increasing the incidence of cardiovascular disease and mortality.
3. Increase the risk of obesity and diabetes: obesity, especially abdominal obesity, is associated with hyperandrogenemia, which can increase the risk of metabolic abnormalities. It is also reported that the incidence of type 2 diabetes in hyperandrogenic patients is 5 to 10 times higher than that of normal people.
4. Increase the risk of endometrial lesions: Since hyperandrogenism interferes with female ovulation, long-term non-ovulation can lead to continuous endometrial hyperplasia and even increase the risk of endometrial cancer.
5. Increased risk of psychological diseases: Long-term hyperandrogenism can lead to infertility, abnormal menstruation, masculine features, and miscarriage even when pregnant. The psychological burden caused by all these problems makes these patients have a higher risk of psychological diseases than normal people and are more likely to have negative emotions such as depression.
4. Define the cause of the disease before individualized treatment
The causes of hyperandrogenism vary, so doctors will treat each patient individually to reduce the excessive production of androgens in their bodies and the resulting adverse effects.
For example, for patients with hyperandrogenism caused by tumors in the ovaries or adrenal glands, surgery to remove the tumor may be considered after the cause is clearly identified. The most common cause of hyperandrogenism in women is polycystic ovary syndrome, which usually requires pharmacological treatment to reduce hyperandrogenism, as well as the use of glucose-lowering drugs in patients with disorders of glucose metabolism. It is important to note that polycystic ovary syndrome is often a lifelong disease, so patients need to monitor their androgens and blood glucose repeatedly, even after having children, so as not to ignore the possible adverse health effects of high androgens.
In addition to identifying and treating the original disease, women with high androgens should also pay attention to strengthening physical exercise and developing good eating habits. Obese women can lose weight scientifically and control their weight under the guidance of doctors.