Tumors of the ovaries and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can both cause too much androgen production. Cushing disease is a problem with the pituitary gland that leads to excess amounts of corticosteroids. Corticosteroids may cause masculine body changes in women.
Exercise – Regular physical activity helps with weight management, cardiovascular health, mood, and more. Exercise may be particularly beneficial for women with PCOS. While cardio helps improve insulin resistance, strength training and yoga may help lower androgen levels.
High levels of androgens in females, or hyperandrogenism , can result in health conditions caused by these sex hormone levels. Symptoms of high androgens in females include acne, excessive hair growth, and irregular or absent periods.
Androgens in the female are secreted by the adrenal and the ovary and are formed peripherally, particularly from DHEAS.
Consuming a lot of food promotes androgen release in the body. Animal foods and saturated fats tend to get the biggest response. Lower fat, higher fiber diets can increase levels of sex hormone binding proteins, thus lowering free levels of circulating androgens.
Therefore zinc both lowers androgens and supports optimal androgen metabolism therefore not only reducing symptoms of PCOS but also supporting the root drivers of PCOS too.
Research shows low-glycemic or low-carb diets can lower insulin, androgens, and improve ovulation and symptoms like acne and excess hair growth. Focus on whole, minimally processed carbs from vegetables, fruits, legumes, and nuts to blunt blood sugar spikes, rather than eliminating carbs.
Testosterone is the most common androgen. The testicles in the male reproductive system and the ovaries in the female reproductive system make androgens. Your adrenal glands that sit on top of each kidney also produce these hormones.
Red reishi, commonly known as LingZhi in Chinese, is a mushroom thought to have many health benefits. In a research study exploring the anti-androgenic effects of 20 species of mushrooms, reishi mushrooms had the strongest action in inhibiting testosterone (3).
Testosterone and androstenedione concentrations were significantly higher during the menstrual cycle mid- and luteal phases than in the early follicular phase, with median values across the cycle of 0.34 nmol/L (range, 0.04 to 1.01) and 1.97 nmol/L (range, 0.53 to 7.89), respectively.
Women with tumors that make androgens (male hormones) may notice excessive facial and body hair growth, a receding hairline, irregular menstrual periods, and voice deepening.
Androgen excess in women typically presents clinically with hirsutism, acne or androgenic alopecia. In the vast majority of cases, the underlying aetiology is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common chronic condition that affects up to 10% of all women.
A few clinical studies in adults have shown that Vitamin D supplementation can lower androgen levels, lower anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels, normalize the metabolic profile and regularize periods in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) whereas others have failed to show any effect on these parameters.
Resistance or strength training may improve androgen levels, though additional studies are warranted. Studies with yoga are limited but suggest improvements in androgens. Limited information is available on the impact of exercise on adipokines and anti-Müllerian hormone, warranting further investigation.
Strength Training. Strength training significantly changes body composition, which lowers high levels of androgens in females [3]. For a general prescription, strength train 2 to 3 times a week with a rest day or two in between sessions to allow for all the beneficial adaptations to take place.
But, for PCOS, vitamin D also plays an important role. One study reviewing six trials found that for women with PCOS, supplementing with vitamin D lowered testosterone levels significantly (11).
Nuts – especially walnuts can help boost SHBG and thus helps reduce androgen levels, you will need about 30 grams of nuts daily to see a benefit! (Kalgaonkar, et al., 2010). Vitamin D – supplementing with Vitamin D to ensure adequate vitamin D levels (always check with a blood test before considering supplementation!
Symptoms of high SHBG are similar to those of low oestrogen and testosterone and may include: decreased libido, irregular or missed periods, fatigue, vaginal dryness, decreased muscle and bone mass, depression, and mood disorders.
This can be observed after both resistance and endurance acute exercises. For chronic exercise/training, the picture is definitely less clear and there are even circumstances where exercise leads to a decrease of circulating androgens.
Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists (also called LHRH analogs or GnRH agonists) are drugs that lower the amount of testosterone made by the testicles. Treatment with these drugs is sometimes called medical castration because they lower androgen levels just as well as orchiectomy.
Here, we provide evidence that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major polyphenol in green tea, is a direct antagonist of androgen action.