Hyperandrogenemia is a health condition that means that the body (ovaries or adrenal glands) is producing too many androgen hormones. Androgens are a group of sex hormones which LEVY Health tests for including testosterone, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA sulfate). Free Androgen Index, something else LEVY Health looks for, is a ratio of testosterone to sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and is used to determine if you have abnormal androgen levels.
This article has been verified by a medical professional
Hyperandrogenemia is the most common hormonal imbalance in women struggling to conceive, so you’re not alone! If you have severe hyperandrogenemia, it means that your levels of androgen hormones are very high.
Impact of hyperandrogenemia on fertility
Having excess androgens in the body can impact ovulation. Some women with this condition may have a shorter menstrual cycle or a luteal phase defect. Others will have a longer cycle, infrequent ovulation, or may not ovulate at all. Without ovulation, it’s not possible to conceive because there is no egg waiting to be fertilized by sperm.
Potential causes of hyperandrogenemia
Hyperandrogenemia is often associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). But PCOS is rarely the cause of severe hyperandrogenemia. Other possible reasons for elevated androgen hormone levels in the body include:
- Tumors on the ovaries, adrenal or pituitary glands
- Severe hyperprolactinemia
- Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
- Nonclassic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (genetic conditions affecting the adrenal glands)
- Cushing’s syndrome (a disorder where the adrenal glands produce too much of the stress hormone cortisol)
- Anabolic steroids
Insulin resistance may also play a key role in the development of hyperandrogenemia.
Symptoms of hyperandrogenemia
Physical signs of hyperandrogenemia can start showing up in puberty. Symptoms include:
- Acne
- Hair loss
- Obesity
- Ovarian tumors
- Deeper voice
- Increased muscle mass
- Abnormal uterine bleeding
- Extra hair growth (hirsutism) on the face, neck, upper back, arms, legs, and chest
- Period disturbances, including amenorrhea (missed periods) or irregular periods
There’s a close connection between hyperandrogenemia and weight gain.
Diagnosis of hyperandrogenemia
Doctors diagnose hyperandrogenemia based on your symptoms and blood tests that measure levels of androgen hormones. You may also have a vaginal ultrasound to check for cysts on the ovaries, a symptom of PCOS, or ovarian tumors.
The ACTH test is another blood test used to diagnose adrenal gland disorders. It measures the level of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in the blood (a hormone produced by the pituitary gland which regulates cortisol) and can help to find the cause of hormonal imbalances.
When androgen levels are severely elevated, doctors may order additional imaging tests to make a diagnosis, including an MRI scan or CT scan of the abdomen.
If the cause for your high androgen levels can’t be found using these tests, you may be referred to a radiologist for an advanced blood test. During the test, blood is drawn from the arm and the adrenal and ovarian veins simultaneously to find the source of excess androgens.
Treatment to improve fertility
The treatment of hyperandrogenemia depends on what’s causing it. If it’s because of PCOS, doctors usually prescribe a combination estrogen-progestin birth control pill to restore balance to sex hormone levels, regulate the period, and help with symptoms. Usually, symptoms improve pretty quickly – within 3-4 months of starting the pill. Get another blood test after taking the pill for a few months to see if your reproductive hormones are back in balance. If so, you can stop taking the pill and start trying to conceive again. But keep in mind that the cycle can become irregular again and symptoms can return after stopping the pill.
Other treatment options include various medications and hormones that trigger ovulation. These include clomiphene or letrozole, which make the body produce the hormones FSH and LH. This often helps women conceive.
If severe hyperandrogenemia is due to insulin resistance, metformin is an effective medication that can improve the body’s response to insulin and reduce androgen levels. Additionally, a low dose of glucocorticoids (such as cortisone) can decrease the adrenal glands’ production of androgens, normalize the menstrual cycle, and help with fertility.
Certain lifestyle changes can also help. For women who are obese (BMI > 30) and have hyperandrogenemia, weight loss has been proven to decrease levels of androgens and reduce excess hair growth. A well-balanced diet can help regulate your hormone levels and menstrual cycle and improve your fertility.
This article has been verified by a medical professional
- Rizzo L et al. Low-dose glucocorticoids in hyperandrogenism. Medicine (B Aires). 2007;67(3):247-252.
- Androgens. Cleveland Clinic. Accessed 26 May 2022.
- William T MD et al.: Diagnosis and Treatment of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Am Fa Physician. 2016 Jul 15;94(2):106-113.
- Screening and Management of the Hyperandrogenic Adolescent. Committee Opinion, 2019 Oct, no. 789. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
- The Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine: The evaluation and treatment of androgen excess. Fert Stert. 2006;86(5):S241-S247.
- Al K et al.: Validity of serum testosterone, free androgen index, and calculated free testosterone in women with suspected hyperandrogenism. Oman medical journal. 2012;27(6):471.
- Alpanes M et al.:Management of postmenopausal virilization. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2012;97(8), pp.2584-2588.
- Altchek, A., Deligdisch, L. and Kase, N. eds., 2003. Diagnosis and management of ovarian disorders. Elsevier.
- Ashraf S et al: Hyperandrogenism in polycystic ovarian syndrome and role of CYP gene variants: a review. Egypt J Med Hum Genet. 2019;20(25).
- Dahlgren E et al.: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome wedge resected in 1956 to 1965: a long-term follow-up focusing on natural history and circulating hormones. Fertil Steril 1992;57:505–13.
- Diamanti-Kandarakis E et al.: Hyperandrogenemia: pathophysiology and its role in ovulatory dysfunction in PCOS. Pediatric endocrinology reviews: PER. 2016;3:198-204.
- DENIS A. MAGOFFIN, in The Ovary (Second Edition), 2004.
- Farhi DC et al.: Endometrial adenocarcinoma in women under 25 years of age. Obstet Gynecol 1986;68:741–5.
- Gui, T et al.: A clinicopathological analysis of 40 cases of ovarian Sertoli–Leydig cell tumors. Gynecologic oncology. 2012;127(2), pp.384-389.
- Kane, J et al.: Measurement of serum testosterone in women; what should we do? Annals of clinical biochemistry, 2011;44(1):5-15.
- Knochenhauer ES et al.: Prevalence of the polycystic ovary syndrome in unselected black and white women of the southeastern United States: a prospective study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1998;83:3078-82.
- Meldrum DR & Abraham GE: Peripheral and ovarian venous concentrations of various steroid
hormones in virilizing ovarian tumors. Obstet Gynecol. 1979;53:36 – 43. - Ng, L. and Libertino, J.M., 2003. Adrenocortical carcinoma: diagnosis, evaluation and treatment. The Journal of urology. 2003;169(1):5-11.
- Olt, G. and Mortel, R., 1997. Hormone-producing tumors of the ovary. Endocrine-related cancer. 1997;4(4):447-457.
- Ozdemir S et al.: Specific dermatologic features of the polycystic ovary syndrome and its association with biochemical markers of the metabolic syndrome and hyperandrogenism. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2010;89:199–204.
- Quirk, J.T. & Natarajan, N.:Ovarian cancer incidence in the United States, 1992-1999. Gynecologic oncology. 2005;97(2), pp.519-523.
- Rittmaster RS & Loriaux DL: Hirsutism. Ann Intern Med. 1987;106: 95–107.
- Rosner W et al.: Sex hormone- binding globulin: anatomy and physiology of a new regulatory system. The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology. 1991;40(4-6), pp.813-820.
- Rothman MS & Wierman ME: How should postmenopausal androgen excess be evaluated?. Clinical endocrinology. 2011;75(2):160-164.
- Sekkate S et al.: Ovarian granulosa cell tumors: a retrospective study of 27 cases and a review of the literature. World journal of surgical oncology. 2013;11(1):1-6.
- Sigismondi C et al.: Ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors. A retrospective MITO study. Gynecologic oncology. 2012;125(3):673-676.
- Taieb J et al.: Testosterone measured by 10 immunoassays and by isotope-dilution gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in sera from 116 men, women, and children. Clinical chemistry. 2003;49(8):1381-1395.
- Wild RA et al.: Lipoprotein lipid concentrations and cardiovascular risk in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1985;61:946 –51.
- Screening and Management of the Hyperandrogenic Adolescent. Committee Opinion, Number 789. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
- Neraud B and Dewailly D. Drug-Induced Hyperandrogenism. In Azziz R, Nestler JE and Dewailly D (eds) Androgen Excess Disorders in Women. Contemporary Endocrinology. Humana Press. 2006.
You might also like...
Excess vitamin B12 and pregnancy
Excess vitamin B12 during pregnancy can increase the risk of health complications for the baby. Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin that...
Macrocytic hyperchromic anemia
Macrocytic hyperchromic anemia means that your bone marrow produces unusually large and dark red blood cells. These cells don’t have the nutrients...
Leukopenia
Leukopenia means that you have a low white blood cell count. White blood cells, or leukocytes, are vital to your immune system....
Excess folic acid and pregnancy
Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate (vitamin B9). Folate is an essential vitamin that your body needs for cell and...
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue like your uterine lining grows outside the womb: on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, pelvic tissues, or...
Microcytic hypochromic anemia
Microcytic hypochromic anemia means that your body has too few red blood cells and these cells are smaller and paler than usual....
Subclinical hyperthyroidism
Subclinical hyperthyroidism is a form of thyroid dysfunction characterized by low or undetectable levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and normal levels of...
Insulin resistance
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates your body’s blood sugar levels. If you have resistance to insulin, this...