Have you ever thought about the mysterious hormones that build our bodies and impact our health? Androgens refer to a group of hormones that play a crucial role in developing and maintaining various characteristics. Excessive levels of these hormones can significantly affect both men and women. Discover the secrets of these powerful hormones and their life-changing effects. Join us as we explore androgens and their surprising effects on our bodies and minds.

What are Androgens?

Androgens are a group of steroid hormones mainly associated with developing and maintaining male sexual traits. These hormones are crucial in different biological processes in both males and females. Testosterone is often recognized as the most prominent androgen. However, multiple androgens exist, such as dihydrotestosterone (DHT), androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).

  • Testosterone, the most powerful androgen in the human body, is primarily synthesized in the testes of men and smaller quantities in the ovaries of females. In males, it is responsible for the growth of secondary sexual traits like facial hair, a deeper voice, greater body mass, and the development of the male reproductive organs during puberty. Additionally, it plays a vital role in maintaining bone density, regulating mood, and stimulating red blood cell synthesis.
  • DHT is enzymatically generated from testosterone inside certain tissues, including the skin and the prostate gland. It causes male pattern baldness and facial and body hair growth and is stronger than testosterone. The prostate gland enlarges due to DHT, which can cause benign prostatic hyperplasia.
  • Androstenedione is an androgen hormone synthesized in both the adrenal glands and gonads. It functions as a precursor to both testosterone and estrogen.

DHEA is another precursor hormone made by the adrenal glands. It can be changed into testosterone and estrogen depending on the body’s needs. DHEA levels often reach their highest point in the late teenage years or early adulthood and decrease with age.

Androgens, although mostly associated with male sexual development, are also found in females but in fewer amounts. They play a role in the growth of pubic and axillary hair, which are signs of a female’s sexual characteristics.

What if you Have Excessive Androgens?

Men and women can have different reactions to excessive levels of androgen. The following are the major reactions:

High Androgens in Men:

Elevated androgens in men can lead to:

  • Acne: High amounts of androgen can cause more sebum to be produced, which can lead to acne.
  • Baldness: Androgenetic alopecia, another name for male pattern baldness, is linked to high amounts of DHT.
  • Prostate Problems: Excessive levels of androgens can cause the prostate gland to get bigger, which can cause bladder problems.
  • Mood Changes: When androgen levels are too high, it can sometimes cause mood swings, anger, and violence.
  • Reduced Fertility: Androgens are needed in small amounts for sperm development, but too much may adversely impact fertility.

High Androgens Women:

Elevated androgens in women can lead to:

  • Hirsutism: When a woman’s androgen levels are high, thick, dark hair can grow in places where men generally grow hair, like the face, chest, and back.
  • Acne: Similar to males, an excess of androgens in females may result in heightened sebum production and the development of acne.
  • Menstrual Irregularities: Elevated androgen levels have the potential to interfere with the normal menstrual cycle, resulting in irregularities in periods or amenorrhea.
  • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): PCOS is a common hormonal disorder in women marked by elevated androgen levels, irregular periods, ovarian cysts, and other signs like hirsutism and acne.
  • Deepening of Voice: In rare cases, excessive androgens can cause a woman’s voice to get deeper.

Vitamin D supplementation can lower androgen levels, lower anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels, normalize the metabolic profile and regularize periods in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) It’s important to remember that androgen levels can be affected by many things, such as genes, hormonal problems, medications, and lifestyle choices like food and exercise. Depending on the cause and symptoms, lifestyle changes, cure, or hormone therapy may treat excessive androgen levels in men and women.

What happens when the levels of androgen hormones are insufficient in both men and women?

Low levels of androgen hormones in both males and females may give rise to various health complications and symptoms.

In Males:

Hypogonadism

In men, vitamin D status has been associated with androgen levels and hypogonadism. Low androgen levels in men can cause hypogonadism, which is caused by a lack of testosterone. This may result from several symptoms, which may include:

  • Erectile dysfunction.
  • Fatigue and a decline in energy levels.
  • Muscular weakness and degeneration
  • Mood changes, like depression and frustration.
  • Reduced bone density (osteoporosis)
  • A rise in adipose tissue characterizes alterations in body composition.
  • Infertility may be caused by low levels of androgens, which have been linked to an effect on the production of sperm and overall fertility in males.

In Women:

The following are the symptoms raise from low level of astrogens:

  • Irregular menstrual cycles: Low levels can cause irregular or absent periods.
  • Body Composition: Low-androgen women may gain abdominal fat.
  • Bone Health: Sufficient androgen levels are important for maintaining bone density in both men and women. Insufficient levels of androgens may increase the susceptibility of women to osteoporosis.
  • Mood and Well-Being: Some studies show that low levels of androgens may be linked to mood problems in women, such as signs of depression and stress.

How Androgen Levels Change with Aging

As people get older, there are significant variations in their levels of androgen hormones, especially testosterone in men and testosterone and DHEA in women. Men’s testosterone levels slowly decrease as they age, usually starting in their late 20s or early 30s.

This 1% annual decline lowers androgen levels in older men. This drop in testosterone can cause several symptoms, such as less muscle mass, decreased bone structure, and fatigue. However, it’s essential to understand that the rate and degree of this decline may differ among individuals.

In women, androgen levels also fluctuate with age, but the pattern is more complex because of hormonal changes associated with menopause. DHEA and testosterone levels are stable before menopause but may decline with age.

During and after menopause, these androgens can drop even more, which can cause symptoms like a loss of libido, changes in mood, and changes in the body’s appearance. Androgen levels decline with age in both men and women, but lifestyle factors, genetics, and medical conditions can affect the extent and impact of these fluctuations. Hormone therapy by taking androgen boosters may alleviate symptoms of low androgen levels.