Androgens

It is not uncommon for a particularly high degree of importance to be attached to the male sexual characteristics. A development of the male sexual characteristics would not be possible without the help of special hormones. Hence the Androgens extremely valuable in terms of human development. The hormone testosterone is one of the best-known androgens.

What are androgens?

In modern medicine, the group includes the Androgens both the synthetic hormones and the natural hormones. The group of androgens is fundamentally involved in the development of male sexual characteristics.

According to a recent study, however, not only men have access to the male sex hormones. Various androgens can be detected more and more frequently in the blood of women. For the female organism, androgens represent a preliminary stage of female sex hormones. In men, androgens are produced both in the adrenal cortex and in the scrotum.

In the female body, the production of male sex hormones takes place in the adrenal cortex and in the ovary. In order for the androgens to develop their full potential, a regular check of the androgen level is essential.

Measure & examine androgens (healthy values)

The Androgens can be detected in both blood and saliva of a person. However, since the consumption of certain foods can falsify the androgen level, the corresponding examinations are usually started early in the morning (on an empty stomach, before breakfast).

If a blood draw is considered, up to three different blood samples will be taken. This is the only way to reliably determine a person's androgen level. In principle, the values determined are strongly dependent on the gender and age of the respective person. For adult men, a value between 3.5 and 8.6 micrograms per milliliter is considered normal.

Before puberty actually begins, the male blood should only contain a concentration of up to 1.2 micrograms per milliliter. According to medical recommendations, sexually mature women should not exceed a value of 0.6 micrograms per milliliter. For women going through menopause, a maximum value of 0.8 micrograms per milliliter is considered normal. The possible effects of androgens were examined in more detail in a long-term study.

Function, effect & tasks

For the human body, the Androgens androgens are primarily involved in the development of male sexual characteristics. In addition, low androgen levels can lead to infertility, especially in men.

A relatively high concentration of male sex hormones has an inhibitory effect on the storage of fats in the fat cells. For this reason, men in particular have less pronounced adipose tissue than women. At the same time, a high concentration of sex hormones has an anabolic effect on the growth of muscles. However, the androgens are not only involved in the development of the human body. Recent studies have shown that a person's androgen levels have a major impact on their personality.

Above all, a high percentage of steroids can often contribute to aggressive behavior. In modern medicine, androgens are used in the field of breast cancer treatment. The main aim is to suppress the effects of the female hormone estrogen. The hormone is largely responsible for the rapid growth of tumors in the breast area.

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Diseases

Since the Androgens usually have a high impact on a person's development, it is not uncommon for serious side effects to occur.

Resistance to male sex hormones is particularly often diagnosed as part of an extensive examination. In the context of resistance, the affected patients do not respond to the androgens in the body. This can lead to infertility or a pronounced state of intersexuality, for example.

If a therapy with the male sex hormones is considered, it can lead to dangerous complications. For this reason, androgens should not be used as doping agents in sports.