The hormonal substance produced by the testicles, the adrenal cortex and the ovary – stimulates the development and functions of the male genital glands. In urine it is mostly eliminated as 17-ketosteroids. Testosterone is the most active androgen, present at a 20-fold higher level in the male than in the female. Its excess secretion by the adrenal glands or by the ovaries leads to a woman’s hirsute (excessive development of the hairy system) or other manifestations of virilism. In boys, excessive production of these hormones can lead to early puberty.
The Therapeutic use:
Synthetic androgens are used to treat testicular insufficiency, severe dandruff states, aplasia: medullar (disappearance of blood-forming cells in the spinal cord), inoperable breast cancers, etc. Virilization synthesis androgens may be distinguished from non-virilizing agents. The first are contraindicated in men with prostate cancer and women of childbearing age. In fact, they can cause undesirable effects such as virilism and cycle disorders in women, preterm puberty in children, edema, acne to the fetus, masculinization of a female fetus. Syndrome androgen can be administered orally, percutaneously or parenterally.
Androstenedione is an important precursor in androgen and estrogen hormone biosynthesis. The hormone is primarily secreted by the adrenal gland (a production that is controlled, at least partially, by ACTH) and also by testicles and ovaries (independent of ACTH) from DHEA-S of adrenal origin.
Increased concentrations of adrenergic androgenic hormones are caused by the excessive production of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and androstenedione, which are converted to testosterone in extragranular tissues, responsible for most virilizing effects. Increased levels of androstenedione cause symptoms and/or signs of hyperandrogenism in women, men were usually asymptomatic, occasionally having gynecomastia due to peripheral conversion of androgen into estrogen. The clinical manifestations of androgenic excess are: hirsute (the development of an excessive hair loss in women with male pilosity), oligomenorrhea, acne and other signs of virilization (masculine form of the body, muscular development, voice thickening, alopecia, clitoromalgia).
Excess androgenic anabolic hormones:
It may be associated with the variable secretion of other adrenal hormones and may, therefore, appear as a “pure” virilizing syndrome or a “mixed” syndrome associated with increased glucocorticoid production and Cushing’s syndrome.
Androstenedione is increased in cases of hirsutism, Stein-Leventhal syndrome, congenital adrenal hyperplasia (adrenogenital syndrome), Cushing’s syndrome, ACTH-producing ectopic tumors, suprarenal adenomas or carcinomas, ovarian hyperplasia, osteoporosis in women. Elevations in androstenedione characterize about 60% of cases of female hirsutism.
For better health, you should start taking DHEA supplements.
