Androgen - what is it? Androgen, a hormone

Androgens are male sex hormones, which play a crucial role both in the body of a man and in the body of a woman. It is important that the level of these hormones is normal. Any deviation from normal values threatens with serious consequences for the body. Androgen - what is it? Let's try to answer this question in the article.

Androgens

This is a general name for steroid hormones, which are produced by the adrenal cortex and the sex glands (in men - in the testicles, in women - in the ovaries). Their main property - to cause in certain concentrations, virilization, androgenization of the body, that is, to promote the development in both sexes of secondary sexual characteristics.

Functions of androgens

• They have antibacterial and anabolic effects, increase the synthesis of proteins and prevent their decay.

• Increase the activity of glycolytic enzymes (in particular, hexokinase), so that cells quickly utilize glucose.

• Lower blood glucose. Increase strength and muscle mass.

• Reduce the total amount of subcutaneous fat and reduce fat mass in relation to muscle mass. However, under their influence, fat can be deposited in the male type (on the abdomen) and a simultaneous decrease in the fatty layer in typical female places - on the hips, buttocks, chest.

• Androgen - a hormone, which increases the excitability of the psychosexual center of the central nervous system, sexual desire (libido) in both sexes, the strength and frequency of erections of the penis in men, the power of erection of the clitoris in women.

• Androgens reduce the content of lipids and cholesterol in the blood, prevent the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular ailments.

• Due to androgens, secondary sexual characteristics appear or develop: the voice coarsens and falls, on the body and face the hair grows in the male type, the hair becomes terminal, the secretion of sweat intensifies and its odor changes, the penis and testicles in men increase to genetically maximum sizes, Developing pigmentation of the scrotum and nipples, forming a male type of skeleton and face, increasing the size of the prostate and the amount of secretion in it.

• Androgen - a hormone, which, with a certain genetic predisposition can cause hair loss of the head on a male type.

What effect do androgens have on the female body?

So, androgen - what it is and what functions it performs in the human body, we found out. Now let's analyze how the excessive content of these hormones affects the female body. For women, these hormones are vital. Androgens regulate the work of sweat glands and hair bulbs, promote the formation of proteins in muscle fibers. The distribution of the hair cover on the body depends on them. All this is typical for a healthy female body.

If the level of androgens is raised - the picture changes significantly. Hair begins to grow on the chest, face, bottom of the abdomen, but on the head, on the contrary, there is hair loss. With the excess content of these hormones, the sebaceous glands begin to produce a large amount of fat, it remains in the epithelium, not having time to reach the surface of the skin, resulting in the formation of acne. Changing sweat smells. The upper part of the body develops. The amount of fat in the lower part decreases, the woman's physique begins to resemble the male. Noticeably decrease the mammary glands. Menstrual cycle is broken. A more rough voice becomes.

Influence of androgens on the course of pregnancy

Excess androgens in the body provokes such a disease as hyperandrogenia. This condition is characterized by various changes in the endocrine system, which can be very dangerous. The presence of such a malaise during pregnancy becomes the cause of miscarriage, that is, leads to a miscarriage that occurs in the early stages.

What contributes to the development of hyperandrogenism during the bearing of the child?

The reasons can be different. Such a state of the thyroid gland diseases, inflammatory processes, cancers and others cause such a condition. Symptoms of hyperandrogenism are diverse: acne, obesity, premature discharge of amniotic fluid, weak labor activity and so on.

It is quite easy to detect a disease. A pregnant woman is given an ultrasound scan of the genitals. Also, tomography, ultrasound of the adrenal glands, urine and blood tests will be required. Treatment of this condition is determined individually. How to reduce androgens in women, will be described below.

How do androgens affect the condition of the skin?

During puberty , the production of hormones in the body increases, which can lead to the appearance of a large number of acne. The work of the fat glands directly depends on the functioning of the endocrine system. The glands can be "lazy" or, conversely, work in an intensive mode. The skin, depending on it, becomes more oily or dry.

Acne can be formed as a result of ailments of the endocrine system, for example, with ovarian dysfunction. In addition, the development of androgens depends on the emotional state of a person. In people who are often in a strong neuropsychic stress or depression, the level of these hormones is far from normal.

Lack of androgens in the male body

The condition in which androgens are produced in insufficient quantities is called hypogonadism. As a rule, this phenomenon is diagnosed after fifty years, but cases when this disease develops by the age of thirty are not uncommon. If the androgens in men are lowered, there may be deviations in the work of various body systems. The following phenomena can occur:

• Weak erection, decreased sexual desire, anorgasmia, impaired sperm motility, frequent urge to go to the toilet;

• Sudden recessions and rises in blood pressure, disruption of the heart, a feeling of suffocation, dizziness, migraine;

• Weakness, nervousness, decreased concentration, sleep disturbance, apathy, depression;

• The bones become more fragile, the muscle mass is replaced by fat, the hair falls in the lower abdomen, the skin condition worsens.

Prostatitis

Most often, men turn to the doctor with this particular ailment. Prostatitis worsens not only the physical, but also the emotional state of a man. Every year, the disease is increasingly diagnosed in young people. Conducted therapeutic measures do not always guarantee recovery. Quite often, the disease becomes chronic, which threatens infertility. Prostatitis is accompanied by a dysbacteriosis of the genitourinary system, which can be the cause of problems with conception.

Androgens are a kind of antibiotics, but to date the mechanism of this property of hormones has been little studied. However, during medical experiments it was found that pathogenic microflora becomes less active when exposed to testosterone. This indicates that androgens are able to normalize the microflora of the urino-genital organs.

Medications containing androgens

Preparations made on the basis of male sex hormones, in particular - on the basis of testosterone, are called anabolic steroids. The products are given in the form of tablets (the drug "Methandrostenolone") and injections (medicine "Winstrol"). Medicines have a pronounced androgenic effect due to the presence in the composition of a huge amount of testosterone. These medications can be used to increase the level of androgens, but this should be really necessary.

Androgenic drugs have a good therapeutic effect in treating menopause in women. Hormonal restructuring during this period can cause nervous breakdowns and hysterics. Medications containing androgens help normalize the emotional state of a woman. In some diseases, it is undesirable to use only female sex hormones (for example, problems with the mammary glands or pelvic organs), in this case, patients are prescribed medications containing androgens.

It should be known that anabolic steroids can not only increase the amount of androgens. They also participate in the normalization of the functions of many organs and systems of the human body: accelerate the metabolism, stimulate protein and mineral metabolism, and others.

How to reduce androgens in the body?

Of course, these hormones play an important role in both male and female body. However, many health problems can provoke androgen. What is it, we found out, now we learn ways to reduce the level of this hormone in the body.

1. First of all, you need to undergo a medical examination to determine the number of male sex hormones. By results of analyzes the doctor-endocrinologist will appoint or nominate corresponding or meeting treatment.

2. To reduce the level of androgens take drugs-antiandrogens. The action of such drugs is aimed at reducing the synthesis of hormones and preventing their concentration in certain areas of the body. One of them is the "Finasteride" medication, it is used with pronounced hirsutism (male-type haemorrhage). Also, anti-androgens include the drug "Flutamide", it helps reduce testosterone in the blood. However, you should be aware that this product can have toxic effects.

3. More effective and safe are progestogen medicines. The drug "Cyproterone" has the activity of androgens. Due to progestagenic properties, the drug suppresses ovulation, thus preventing the synthesis of hormones in the ovaries.

4. The contraceptive "Diane-35" helps to eliminate the signs of androgenation. The drug is used for complex therapy of mild to moderate hirsutism. Long-term use of the drug helps to normalize the menstrual cycle, reduce the size of the ovaries, reduce the amount of acne.

Treatment should be carried out only under the supervision of a specialist. To prevent the occurrence of side effects, always carefully read the instructions to the drug. After completing the full course of taking medications, it is recommended to repeat the examination. You may need a second course of treatment.

From this article, you learned more about the hormone androgen - what it is, what functions these hormones perform in the human body and how to normalize their level.