A meta-analysis study in 2017 showed that bariatric surgery in women with severe obesity and PCOS decreased levels of total and free testosterone and helped correct hirsutism and menstrual dysfunction.Insulin resistance in women with PCOS is typically treated with insulin-sensitizer drugs such as metformin. Metformin can help to decrease weight and androgen levels. When combined with lifestyle modifications (changes in diet and exercise), it has been linked with lower body mass index and a reduction in menstrual problems. However, the use of metformin in women with PCOS should only be considered in patients with impaired glucose tolerance. Society and culture
Because androgen excess is manifested in noticeable physical features (such as hirsutism), social stigma may be associated with it. Sports
Current evidence-based studies show that unusually high levels of circulating testosterone are associated with increased athletic performance in women, unless they lack androgen sensitivity. However, controversy has emerged in the form of the claim that testosterone is not unlike any other physical parameter with reference to bestowing advantages or disadvantages on female athletes. Existing regulations throughout competitive sports are currently being refined to specifically address this particular claim. Following the case of South African athlete Caster Semenya, an athlete with a difference in sex development (DSD), the International Association of Athletics Federations introduced its hyperandrogenism regulations, which restricted women with high testosterone levels, whether the hormones were produced by ovaries, adrenals, or testes.
Adenoma of the adrenal gland
Adrenal adenomas are benign tumors of the adrenal gland. In most cases, the tumors display no symptoms and require no treatment. In rare cases, however, some adrenal adenomas may become activated. When activated, the adenoma begins to produce hormones in much larger quantities than what the adrenal glands would normally produce, leading to health complications including primary aldosteronism and hyperandrogenism. Arrhenoblastoma
Arrhenoblastoma is an uncommon tumor of the ovary. It is composed of sterol cells, Leydig cells, or some combination of the two. The tumor can produce male or female hormones and may cause masculinization. In a prepubescent child, a tumor may cause precocious puberty. Malignant arrhenoblastoma accounts for 30% of cases of arrhenoblastoma, the other 70% being largely benign and curable with surgery. Hilar cell tumor
A hilar cell tumor is an androgen-producing ovarian tumor that is most commonly found in older women and often leads to the development of male sex characteristics. The tumor tends to occur around the region of the ovary where the blood vessels enter the organ, known as the hilum. This type of tumor tends to be small in size and in most cases can be entirely removed and its symptoms reversed through surgery. Krukenberg tumor
A Krukenberg tumor is a quickly developing malignant tumor found in one or both ovaries. In most cases, the tumor primarily originates from tissues in the stomach, pancreas, gallbladder, colon, or breast. It colonized the ovary by spreading through the peritoneal cavity. These tumors cause virilization.