High Testosterone Levels in Women

Testosterone is an androgenic hormone, that is mainly responsible for the development of male secondary sex characteristics such as muscle, bone mass, etc. It is also required for the development of the testes and the prostate gland. However, in women, the ovaries happen to be the place where the testosterone gets manufactured. The adrenal glands are also responsible for producing it, but in small amounts. Unlike in men, the testosterone production should be low in women, which otherwise, can give rise to a number of complications.

What Indicates High Testosterone in Women?

Hair Overgrowth
High testosterone in women causes increased facial growth that is visible on areas such that of the upper lip and face. The overgrowth also develops in the chest, nipples, lower abdominal area and other parts of the body. The condition can get so severe in some women that their facial hair turn course and darken, eventually looking like a beard.

Voice changes
The overgrowth of hair may somehow be managed. But if the voice deepens, then it may be highly depressing for the affected person. The development of high vocal pitches could also be one of the symptoms of increased testosterone activity in women.

Abnormal Changes in the Body
If the condition is left untreated for a long time, a condition known as virilization may occur. This causes changes such as increase in muscle mass and redistribution in body fat. In some cases, experts have also come across patients who experienced enlargement of the clitoris.

Baldness
Another classic symptom is what is known as androgenic alopecia. Here, patients experience thinning of their scalp hair.

Other symptoms may include skin disorders and depression. Complications of the condition may include heart diseases, diabetes, breast cancer and cancer of the uterine lining.

Causes

The main offender for increasing testosterone levels in females is a hormonal imbalance. Although, this can occur at any age, most incidents occur in the thirties. Now this imbalance can also give rise to certain disorders related with the adrenal gland and the ovaries, which may also increase the production of testosterone. Medical disorders which are also known to be the causes include Conn's syndrome, Cushing's syndrome, ovarian tumor, thyroid problems, etc. Improper usage of steroid drugs may also result in causing the testosterone levels to go up.

Treatment

The treatment may consist of certain lifestyle changes, approaches for alternative medications and testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Lifestyle changes may include taking up stress reduction practices such as yoga, meditation, and regular exercises. A diet that includes plenty of fruits, salads, fish, nuts and seed also help in dealing with the condition naturally.

Use of acupuncture, biofeedback, or massage, along with certain herbs are included in the alternative treatment procedure. And as far as that testosterone replacement therapy is concerned, it is opted when all other options have exhausted without providing any positive results. The risk with this kind of treatment is high and so is the cost. The TRT is known to be an aggressive form of a treatment which helps in stabilizing the hormonal imbalance. However, its side effects could be severe.

It is an obvious fact that the symptoms that high testosterone cause in women may be disheartening. However, by following the doctor's recommendation diligently and going with a healthy lifestyle, one can cope with such disorders in an easier way.