For women, regular signs of aging are some hair loss from the scalp along with more body hair. In some cases, these changes may be from a little-known condition that sends testosterone levels sky-rocketing.
In an entry from New England Journal of Medicine, doctors describe a case of a 57-year-old woman who came to them with body-hair growth, balding, an increasingly male-sounding voice, and other signs of excessive testosterone levels. After careful examination, they were able to rule out some of the usual culprit, including tumors of the adrenal glands and ovaries. Her doctors finally came to a conclusion her condition of a complicated diagnosis known as ovarian hyperthecosis.
Health News found out that not many doctors are aware of this condition. In fact, even endocrinologist which specializes in hormonal disorders meet people with this condition once in a blue moon. Dr. Graham McMahon, an endocrinologist was at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston when he co-authored this finding.
Ovarian hyperthecosis happens when specific cells in the ovaries overproduce the male hormones such as testosterone. Dr. Margaret Wierman, a spokesperson for the Endocrine Society said that they still don't know how common this condition is. Dr. Weirman was not involved in the case, but has treated and written about the said condition.
There have never been studies on the condition so far that it remains to be unclear. In fact, Wierman said, there has only been little research and case reports about this. She said, experts are still unsure what causes ovarian hyperthecosis. They are still trying to find out what the risk factors might be. One of the risk factor they think might cause this condition is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This medical condition is mostly a common disorder affecting women of childbearing age. Compared to hyperthecosis, PCOS involves an overproduction of androgens in the ovaries. Symptoms may include irregular menstrual periods and fertility problems, acne and weight gain. One theory Dr. Weirman is looking at is that ovarian hyperthecosis could be a more-severe form of PCOS.
"Some women develop this condition after menopause may have suffered milder PCOS that was never caught, maybe because it was just causing irregular periods," Dr. Wierman said.
