High testosterone in women ups risk for cancer, diabetes, and metabolic disease High testosterone in women ups risk for cancer, diabetes, and metabolic disease But it’s important to see your provider right away if you have sudden symptoms of hyperandrogenism. Exercise can improve insulin resistance and fertility in people with PCOS. Moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming is recommended for a total of 150 minutes weekly. Lifting weights and performing other resistance exercises are also encouraged. People with PCOS should consult a nutritionist on how to check testosterone levels at home to design their diet to support weight loss and overall health and naturally lower testosterone levels. If you have high levels of testosterone, you may experience heavy, irregular periods or even missed periods. This is because testosterone can disrupt the delicate balance between estrogen and progesterone. If this is a recurring problem, it’s important that you seek medical advice. Regular exercise and strength training can help support your muscles, but testosterone is just as important. Some men and women experience immediate side effects of testosterone treatment, such as acne, disturbed breathing while sleeping, breast swelling or tenderness, or swelling in the ankles. Doctors also watch out for high red blood cell counts, which could increase the risk of clotting. However, many men with normal testosterone levels have similar symptoms, so a direct connection between testosterone levels and symptoms is not always clear. As a result, there is some controversy about which men should be treated with supplemental testosterone. Some men who have a testosterone deficiency have symptoms or conditions related to their low testosterone that will improve when they take testosterone replacement. For example, a man with osteoporosis and low testosterone can increase bone strength and reduce his fracture risk with testosterone replacement. All of this reduces the active (free) form of testosterone in the body. You can consume it as a tea or supplement, but use it cautiously due to potential side effects like high blood pressure. Spironolactone is an anti-androgen medication that blocks the effects of testosterone. It’s often used to treat conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and hirsutism. This is because the hormone can affect the neurotransmitters in your brain, leading to sudden changes in mood, which can be difficult to manage. Plus, as we get older, our bones naturally lose density, leaving us at risk for fractures and other bone-related injuries. Most women with hirsutism use physical methods of hair removal and may take the birth control pill. Some women have more activity of the enzyme 5-reductase within their sebaceous glands. This leads to more male hormone dihydrotestosterone within the cell, which can explain acne and hirsutism. Premenopausal women are more likely to have PCOS or non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NCCAH). The top diagnoses would shift to ovarian hyperthecosis and androgen producing tumors in post-menopausal women. If the woman is pregnant, gestational hyperandrogenism would be the likely culprit. However, people with hyperandrogenism typically seek medical care for the treatment