How to Treat Hyperandrogenism
Hyperandrogenism is a condition in which the androgen or testosterone hormone levels in a woman's body are too high. The androgen hormone or testosterone is indeed produced in the body of men and women. It's just that, the amount of this hormone is normally more in men and women only have small amounts. If the amount of androgen hormone in a woman's body is excessive or have hyperandrogenism, it can cause various health problems. Then how to treat hyperandrogenism? Read, the explanation here.
Androgens hormones in women are produced by the adrenal glands and ovaries. Androgen hormones along with other hormones are responsible for maintaining and regulating the various functions of the body's organs, including the reproductive organs and bones. Therefore, if the androgen hormone levels in a woman's body exceed normal limits, it can cause serious health problems.
Symptoms of Hyperandrogenism
There are several symptoms that can arise due to androgen levels that are too high (hyperandrogenism).
The symptoms that arise are as follows:
- Muscle mass increases
- Enlarged clitoris
- Shrinking breast size
- Libido decreased
- Menstruation is not smooth
- Growing thick hair on the face and various parts of the body
- Severe acne
- Hair loss or baldness
- The sound becomes heavier
Some of these symptoms can make women feel less confident. In addition, hyperandrogenism are also at risk of causing fertility problems in women. However, women who have hyperandrogenism still have the possibility of getting pregnant if they regularly have intercourse with their partner without contraception.
In addition, several studies have also revealed that women who have hyperandrogenism are more at risk of experiencing psychological disorders, such as anxiety disorders, volatile moods, and depression.
Causes of Hyperandrogenism
What causes elevated androgens (hyperandrogenism)? The various causes of hyperandrogenism include the following:
- There are disorders of the adrenal glands, such as tumors of the adrenal glands and congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
- Have diseases of the ovaries, such as ovarian cancer and polycystic ovarian syndrome.
- There are diseases that affect the pituitary gland in the brain, such as prolactinoma, acromegaly, and Cushing's syndrome.
- There are side effects from the use of certain medications, such as anabolic steroids, insulin injections, and testosterone hormone therapy.
- Insulin resistance.
Apart from the conditions above, there are several factors that can increase the risk of a woman having hyperandrogenism, including obesity and having a family history of hyperandrogenism.
How to Treat Hyperandrogenism
How to deal with hyperandrogenism must be adapted to its causes. Therefore, women who have hyperandrogenismneed to see a doctor to undergo an examination.
How to diagnose hyperandrogenism? To confirm the diagnosis and determine the cause of the patient's hyperandrogenism, a thorough examination will be carried out by the doctor, including a blood test to determine androgen hormone levels.
After a patient is declared to be suffering from hyperandrogenism, the doctor will usually advise the patient to change his lifestyle, for example by undergoing regular exercise and a healthy diet to achieve ideal body weight.
In addition, hyperandrogenism can also be treated with medications, such as:
Antiandrogens
How to reduce hyperandrogenism can use antiandrogen medicine is a type of medicine that can help lower levels of androgen hormones in the body. There are several types of antiandrogenic drugs, namely cyproterone acetate (CPA), flutamide, and spironolactone.
Contraceptive pills that contain antiandrogens
For women who have hyperandrogenism and don't plan to get pregnant, using hormonal contraception can be an option to reduce androgen levels in the body.
There are several types of hormonal contraception that can be used. One of them is the contraceptive pill that contains a combination of progesterone and estrogen. Apart from that, there are also hormonal contraceptives that contain Levonorgestrel progesterone, Cyproterone acetate (CPA), Drospirenone, Desogestrel, and Norgestimate.
The recommended type of hormonal contraception To treat hyperandrogenism is a hormonal contraceptive containing a combination of Cyproterone acetate (CPA) and Ethiniletstradiol.
As an anti-androgen, Cyproteron acetate works by reducing levels of free androgen hormones, reducing the amount of oil production on the skin, preventing the appearance of acne, preventing the growth of dense hair in the face area and in several other areas of the body. So how to treat hyperandrogenism at home can be with contraceptive pills that contain antiandrogens. However, you should first consult with a doctor.
That's an explanation of how to treat hyperandrogenism. If hyperandrogenism is not handled properly, it can cause more serious disorders such as diabetes, obesity and difficulty getting pregnant. In addition, women who are menopausal and have hyperandrogenism are more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease. Therefore, if you experience symptoms of hyperandrogenism, you should immediately consult a doctor.
