One of the most sexually dimorphic aspects of metabolic regulation is the bidirectional modulation of glucose and energy homeostasis by testosterone in males and females. Testosterone deficiency predisposes men to metabolic dysfunction, with excess adiposity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes, whereas androgen excess predisposes women to insulin resistance, adiposity, and type 2 diabetes....

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common form of chronic anovulation associated with androgen excess. Large scale studies have observed a prevalence rate of PCOS 5% to 10% among reproductive-age women.1,2 Currently, there are 3 widely accepted sets of criteria for diagnosis of PCOS.3,4 After excluding other causes of hyperandrogenism, National Institute of Health (NIH) criteria (19...

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia consists of a heterogenous group of inherited disorders due to enzymatic defects in the biosynthetic pathway of cortisol and/or aldosterone. This results in glucocorticoid deficiency, mineralocorticoid deficiency, and androgen excess. 95% of CAH cases are due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Clinical forms range from the severe, classical CAH associated with complete...

Several effects of androgens on LNCaP-FGC prostate tumor cells showed a biphasic pattern. Stimulation of growth and inhibition of secretion of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) was observed at low androgen concentrations (below 1 nM of the synthetic androgen R1881), and inhibition of growth and stimulation of PAP secretion was observed at higher concentrations. In contrast, prostate specific ant...

discussion: establishing the etiology, using the evidence–based strategies to improve hirsutism, and treating the underlying disorder, are essential for proper management of women with hirsutism. case presentation: the case was a 17-year-old female with severe hirsutism, oligomenorrhea, and obesity. she was evaluated to identify the etiology and diagnosed as a case of polycystic ovarian syndrom...

Endometrial cancer is a disease of the affluent, developed world, where epidemiological studies have shown that > or =40% of its incidence can be attributed to excess body weight. An additional proportion may be because of lack of physical activity. Alterations in endogenous hormone metabolism may provide the main links between endometrial cancer risk, and excess body weight and physical inacti...

Context Androgen excess is a defining feature of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but the exact origin of hyperandrogenemia remains a matter of debate. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of the 11-oxygenated C19 steroid pathway to androgen metabolism in humans. In this study, we analyzed the contribution of 11-oxygenated androgens to androgen excess in women with PCOS. Methods On...