3 Causes of High Testosterone Levels in Women with PCOS
Hyperandrogenism, a super fancy word for; Having too much testosterone in your system - Is one of the hallmarks of PCOS. Excess testosterone in the female body is responsible for symptoms such as:
👉 Acne
👉 Hair growth (beard, tummy, lower back, chest)
👉 Hair loss (scalp)
👉 Menstrual cycle irregularities
I'm always searching for solutions with my clients, not band-aids. So, with excess testosterone, once you understand the root cause(s) for what is causing your body to produce too many of these hormones, then you can start to counteract these 'triggers'.
There are 3 root causes of high testosterone levels In women with PCOS.
Related: Tips For Women With PCOS
1. High Insulin Triggering The Ovaries
Trigger: Insulin ResistanceChronically high insulin levels in the blood created by insulin
resistance triggers the ovaries to overproduce testosterone.
Solution: Increase insulin sensitivity through diet, exercise, and supplementation.
2. Too Much Stress Triggering The Adrenals
Trigger: Too Much StressIf the female metabolism / endocrine system becomes too stressed then the adrenal glands start to produce too much testosterone, namely DHEA.
Solution: Reduce stress levels through exercise, supplementation, and lifestyle behaviors like walking, stretching, meditating, relaxing.
3. Excess Body Fat Triggering Fat Tissue
Trigger: Too Much Body Fat
Excess body fat (adipose tissue) will produce ever-increasing amounts of androgen hormones, also not to mention, excess amounts of estrogen as well.
Solution: Reduce body fat% by taking the PCOS approach to diet, exercise, sleep, stress reduction, and smart supplementation.
Related: PCOS Approach
Summary: Causes of High Testosterone Levels
- High Insulin Triggering The Ovaries
- Too Much Stress Triggering The Adrenals
- Excess Body Fat Triggering Fat Tissue