Understanding androgen deficiency: Associated symptoms, and more

UNDERSTANDING ANDROGEN DEFICIENCY: ASSOCIATED SYMPTOMS, AND MORE

ANDROGENS AID IN THE ONSET OF PUBERTY AND SUBSEQUENT PHYSICAL MATURATION. SEVERAL PROBLEMS, INCLUDING ACNE AND BODY HAIR, HAVE BEEN SIGNS OF LOW TESTOSTERONE LEVELS IN WOMEN. MALES WITH INADEQUATE LEVELS OF ANDROGEN MAY LACK LIBIDINAL DRIVE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF BREAST TISSUE (GYNECOMASTIA). LOW ANDROGEN LEVELS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO ADRENAL GLAND TUMOURS AND OTHER CONDITIONS.

WHAT ARE ANDROGENS?

SEX HORMONES FALL UNDER THE CATEGORY OF ANDROGENS. THEY ARE ESSENTIAL IN KICKING OFF PUBERTY AND ENSURING A HEALTHY REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM.

WHILE BOTH SEXES PRODUCE ANDROGENS, MEN TYPICALLY HAVE HIGHER ANDROGEN PRODUCTION. TESTOSTERONE IS THE MOST COMMON ANDROGEN. THE LOW TESTOSTERONE IN WOMEN AND MEN ARE ALSO MADE BY THE ADRENAL GLANDS, WHICH ARE LOCATED ON TOP OF EACH KIDNEY.

WHAT ARE SOME TYPES OF ANDROGENS?

• IN BOTH SEXES, TESTOSTERONE IS THE PRIMARY ANDROGEN PRODUCED. EXCLUDING

TESTOSTERONE, OTHER ANDROGENS INCLUDE:

• ANDROSTENEDIONE.

• DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE (DHEA).

• DHEA SULPHATE (DHEA-S).

• DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE (DHT).

WHAT ARE ANDROGENS USED FOR?

• ANDROGENS ARE BENEFICIAL FOR BOTH SEXES BECAUSE THEY AID IN THE FOLLOWING:

• BONE DENSITY.

• MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT.

• PUBERTY.

• RED BLOOD CELL PRODUCTION.

• SEXUAL DESIRE AND FUNCTION.

WHAT DO ANDROGENS DO IN A MAN?

• ANDROGENS CONTRIBUTE TO THE FOLLOWING IN INDIVIDUALS WHOSE CHROMOSOMES WERE DESTINED TO BE MALE AT BIRTH (AMAB):

• DEEP VOICE (VOCAL CORD LENGTHENING).

• HAIR GROWTH ON THE BODY.

• SPERM DEVELOPMENT.

WHAT DO ANDROGENS DO IN A WOMAN?

• ESTRADIOL, A FEMALE HORMONE OESTROGEN, IS SYNTHESIZED FROM ANDROGEN BY THE BODY'S OTHER CHEMICALS IN THOSE DESTINED TO BE FEMALE AT BIRTH (AFAB). HORMONE, WHICH:

• REGULATES MENSTRUATION.

• AIDS CONCEPTION AND PREGNANCY.

• STIMULATES PUBIC AND UNDERARM HAIR GROWTH.

MEN'S SYMPTOMS OF A LACK OF ANDROGEN

WHEN THE TESTES FAIL TO PRODUCE ENOUGH ANDROGEN, A CONDITION KNOWN AS MALE HYPOGONADISM DEVELOPS, AND SYMPTOMS OF LOW TESTOSTERONE SYMPTOMS IN MEN CAN RANGE WIDELY. MALES MAY ALSO EXPERIENCE CHANGES IN THEIR BODY COMPOSITION AND FATIGUE, IN ADDITION TO THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOM, WHICH IS A LOSS OF LIBIDO. A TEST FOR TESTOSTERONE LEVELS IS TYPICALLY NECESSARY FOR A CORRECT DIAGNOSIS OF ANDROGEN DEFICIENCY.

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE MOST COMMON SIGNS TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR:

• LESS OF A FEELING OF WELL-BEING

• REDUCED ENERGY LEVELS

• PROBLEMS WITH ERECTION

• CHANGES IN MOOD AND BEING IRRITABLE

• REDUCTION OF SEXUAL DRIVE

• SWEATING AND HOT FLASHES

SYMPTOMS OF LOW ANDROGEN IN WOMEN

ANDROGEN DEFICIENCY AFFECTS BOTH PREMENOPAUSAL AND POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN. WHEN FEMALES DON'T GET ENOUGH OF THE HORMONE ANDROGEN, THEY MAY EXPERIENCE THE FOLLOWING SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

• FEELING EXHAUSTED OR DEPLETED OF STRENGTH

• MOTIVATIONAL ISSUES

• LACK OF CONFIDENCE

• A LACK OF LIBIDO (LIBIDO)

• BONE DENSITY LOSS

• HEADACHES

WHEN TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL HELP

IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF ANDROGEN DEFICIENCY, YOU SHOULD SEE A DOCTOR, SEXOLOGIST IN HARIDWAR. GETTING THE CORRECT DIAGNOSIS IS CRUCIAL BECAUSE SOME SYMPTOMS CAN BE SIGNS OF OTHER DISEASES OR CONDITIONS. THE BEST SEXOLOGIST IN DEHRADUN CAN HELP YOU.