Hyperandrogenism in women develops against the background of disturbed hormonal balance. Particularly because of one hormone. However, it is not enough to know its name. It is much more important to understand what it is - DHEA-S hormone? Let's try to figure it out. Simply put, it is a male sex hormone that can provoke both internal and external changes. However, this can be combated, and there are certain signs of an increase in the DHEA-S hormone in women.
Dehydroepiandrosterone in the beautiful half
Substance from a number of steroids, most of which is produced by the adrenal glands, and the rest is taken over by the ovaries. A serious excess of the concentration of this androgen in human blood may indicate that inflammatory processes are occurring in the adrenal glands. As a rule, the tumor is gaining momentum in the endocrine glands.
DHEA-S hormone, what is it? Sulfate is a chemical reaction intermediate. For the norm of the hormone DHEA and its formation, cholesterol is needed in sufficient quantities. During the transition from the steroid form,estrogens, in particular estradiol.
Depending on the rate of DHEA-S hormone, the basis for the release of the regulator changes. That is, at a reduced level, it is produced in the ovaries, and at an increased level in the adrenal cortex. Just like that.
When the DHEA-S hormone is elevated in a girl, it negatively affects the course of physiological processes. And also on adrenal work, general fertility, stability of the total mass and the condition of the epidermis. When visible signs appear, the woman should immediately look for the reasons for the increase in the hormone DHEA-S.
Important to perform an urgent scan of the adrenal gland area in order to detect the presence of a tumor or other processes, if any.
DHEA Synthesis
Because Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a multifunctional steroid-type hormone, it acts on androgen receptors. Its international commercial name is prasterone.
DHEA-S hormone, what is it? Its synthesis in our body is carried out with the participation of the enzyme 17-alpha-hydroxylase. Pregnenolone, which comes first from cholesterol, is converted by this enzyme to 17-hydroxypregnenolone, which is converted to DHEA by the same enzyme.
The latter is influenced by other enzymes - steroidogens, and becomes androstenediol, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate.
Value in the body
The norm of DHEA-S hormone affects many processes, including:
- strengthening the immune system;
- creating favorable conditions for the normal accumulation of estrogen;
- decrease bad cholesterol buildup;
- prevent obesity;
- libido regulation;
- maintaining the normal cycle of menstruation;
- optimization of the functions of the sebaceous glands;
- reducing the risk of depression;
- maintaining the elasticity of the epidermis.
Women often assume that the release of male hormones is so insignificant that the increase in testosterone concentration has almost no effect on anything. Although in reality, an excess of steroid hormones leads to increased androgenism. And with all the negative consequences.
The norm of the hormone DHEA
From nine to fifteen, the lower limit is 1, and the upper one is 9.7. Further, the limits increase, and from fifteen to thirty, the lower limit is 2.4, and the upper limit is 14.5. When a woman reaches the age at thirty, androgen production begins to decrease, and from thirty to forty, the values are as follows: 1.8 to 9.7. And from forty to fifty: from 0.6 to 7.2.
In the future, the content of the substance decreases more and more and from fifty to sixty, the norm varies from 0.9 to 3.3. All values of the norms were shown in µmol / l. For more details, it is better to check with your doctor.
During pregnancy, the rate of DHEA-S hormones in women is higher. During the first trimester, it ranges from 3.12 to 12.48, and in the second - from 1.7 to 7. Inthe period of approaching childbirth the level goes down: 0, 09 and 3, 7.
Causes and symptoms
When women have elevated DHEA-S hormone, the causes are usually found out in the office of a gynecologist and an endocrinologist. Typically, increased concentration occurs for the following reasons:
- Lack of enzymes that inhibit the normal secretion of hormones, including steroid hormones.
-
Syndrome and Cushing's disease. Tumor formation.
- From the twelfth to fifteenth week of pregnancy, the placenta functions poorly.
- Amenorrhoea and Galactorrhea Syndromes.
- Polycystic ovaries
- Development of a hormonally active tumor in the adrenal cortex, which produces the male hormone.
- Addison's disease.
- Cancers affecting hormone balance.
- Osteoporosis in progressing stage.
- Pathology in the pituitary gland.
Changes are usually seen with an increase in the hormone DHEA in women. What it is is already clear. But it is worth clarifying that when it is elevated, excessive irritability occurs and the nerves "play pranks", physical strength and endurance increase, body hair grows where it should not be, antennae also appear above the upper lip, acne and rashes occur due to worsened condition of the epidermis, the secretion of the sebaceous glands increases, the disordered course of pregnancy, miscarriages or premature births are likely, optimal menstrual periods are violated, maydevelop infertility.
Detection of deviations
After the patient talks with the doctor and the latter reveals signs of increased androgenism, there comes a time of problems with the DHEA-S hormone, when it is already necessary to take tests. The individual should also be sure to undergo studies, including ultrasound and MRI.
The most important step for the doctor will be to find out the lifestyle, whether there are chronic diseases, an analysis of the time period during which the girl complains of increased oiliness of her skin, menstrual irregularities, hirsutism, severe irritability and panic attacks, and also fertility problems.
For an accurate assessment of the latter, it is necessary to clarify the concentration of various hormones, that is: progesterone, dihydrotestosterone, thyroxine, free testosterone, FSH, LH, TSH and triiodothyronine.
Prepare for all this as follows: blood is taken from a vein from the fifth to the seventh day of the menstrual cycle, on an empty stomach, it is necessary, you should not drink water for a more accurate analysis. Other procedures cannot be performed before analysis.
Sexual contact, visiting the gym should be stopped a couple of days before visiting the laboratory. Nervousness must be prevented. Before the blood test procedure for DHEA-S hormone, smoked and fried foods, spicy and fatty foods, alcohol and strong coffee should be removed from the diet.
In case of tumor
Normalization of androgen levels is now not possible without removing the causewhat caused the hormonal imbalance. Using the results of tests for Dhea-so4, the endocrinologist selects the most appropriate treatment regimen.
With the development of the brain tumor process, the intervention of a neurosurgeon is necessary. Intervention with the removal of tumors in the brain and adrenal glands in an advanced neoplasm is a must, because the release of DHEA-S will not return to normal when the tumor is present in the body, as it produces additional steroid production.
Very high levels of DHEA sulfate (over 800 mcg/dl) can indicate the presence of such a growth. In the event that the process is malignant, the patient undergoes a course of preventive chemotherapy in order to prevent metastases from forming. All this, of course, only after the neoplasm is removed.
Hormone Therapy
This treatment is suitable for older women who do not wish to have a child. Hormonal drugs are prescribed if the patient has contraindications to the treatment of the disease with the help of radial therapy.
After a full course of hormone therapy, the concentration of steroid hormones returns to normal for a while, however, after a while it may start to rise again.
Diana has demonstrated the greatest effectiveness in terms of hormonal therapy, as it contains the optimal concentration of antiandrogens. However, a more pronounced effect is seen withcombination of "Androkura" with oral contraceptives.
Methods of struggle
In women after fifty years, the release of dehydroepiandrosterone goes down, and after a certain amount of time, a natural decrease in the concentration of DHEA-S is likely. In the case of a process of a benign or malignant tumor, in no case should you delay with an operation to remove the formation or hormonal treatment, especially when the process is malignant.
If the adrenal form of the disease of hyperandrogenism was detected, then the use of glucocorticoids ("Dexamethasone", "Prednisolone") in small doses will bring a fairly good result. This will help stabilize hormone production. In the case of hirsutism in women, doctors detect adrenogenital syndrome in 2-4% of cases.
In order to normalize the level of hormones, the endocrinologist will advise the patient to stop eating fatty and fried foods in large quantities, as well as reduce the level of smoked, red meat, green leaves, pickles and seafood in the diet.
Sports and hormones
Reducing the number of stressful situations and finding time for quality rest and proper sleep at night, as well as the rejection of serious physical exertion on the body and the abolition of anabolic steroids during sports - all this is mandatory when undergoing treatment for increased androgenism.
Optimizing your exercise routine isanother important factor that will certainly have an impact on androgenic performance. Too much attention paid to muscle mass growth can lead to an increase in the level of testosterone in the blood, and this is the most active male androgen.
Too much thinning of the fat layer to the minimum allowable level can also lead to a lack of estrogen and infertility at the hormonal level. Even in the case of the correct functioning of the adrenal system, androgenital syndrome can appear, with increased release of steroids.
Hormone in the US
A bill in the US Senate, which was introduced in March 2009, attempted to classify the hormone DHEA as a controlled substance belonging to the category of anabolic-type steroids.
The customer was the Senator from the Republican Party from the state of Iowa - Grassley Charles. In turn, the co-customers then were the Senator from the Democratic Party of Illinois and another Republican Senator of the State of Arizona - Richard Durbin and John McCain, respectively. This bill has been submitted to the Senate Legislative Committee.
In 2007, in December, Grassley Charles introduced his Bill S. 2470, the DHEA Abuse Reduction Act of 2007, which was intended to amend the Controlled Substances List. This would lead to the fact that products containing dihydroepiandrosterone could not, by law, be sold knowingly or create conditions for the sale of thisproducts to persons under the age of 18, all this includes sale via the Internet.
However, according to the recipe, such products, of course, would be dispensed. As a punishment, an exclusively non-criminal (civil) system of fines would be provided. This bill was read twice and was also mentioned in the Senate Legislative Committee.
But it was never adopted, and today the sale of products containing dihydroepiandrosterone is legal, while such products are prohibited for use by participants in various athletic disciplines. However, in Canada you will still need a prescription to purchase DHEA products.
In other species
DHEA-S hormone, what is it? It is worth noting another curious fact. It is that both the hormone and sulfate are produced by the adrenal glands only in representatives of the order of primates, that is, in lower and higher monkeys, as well as in humans. The order of this production is as follows: Cholesterol, pregnenolone, 17-hydroxypregnenolone and DHEA.
The adrenal glands of other animal species, including mice and rats, are unable to synthesize this hormone. At the same time, some brain structures of not only lower and higher monkeys, as well as humans, but also other animals are capable of de novo synthesis of DHEA and its precursors, which are defined as neurosteroids.
Purkinje cells, which play a critical role in memory formation and learning, have been proven to be the most important production site for mammalian and other vertebrate neurosteroids.
ForIn order to find out the age-related dynamics of circulating dihydroepiandrosterone, as well as other steroids in humans, studies of its concentration were carried out in various periods of post-natal formation. It was deduced that the peak of its concentration is the age of twenty-five to thirty years. After it goes down.
Cortisol levels in the blood do not change with age, and this leads to an imbalance in the ratio of Dhea / cortisol. The most important role of the hormone as a precursor of bioactive sex steroids such as testosterone, estrone and estradiol in peripheral tissues has been proven.
