Higher testosterone levels were found to increase the risks of breast and endometrial cancers in women, and prostate cancer in men, revealed research.
High Testosterone Level In Women | Hyperandrogenism - Causes, Symptoms, Complications, Diagnosis and Treatment
High levels of testosterone in women, also known as hyperandrogenism is an endocrine disorder characterized by acne, increased facial and body hair and menstrual abnormalities. The symptoms can be treated by antiandrogens.
High levels of testosterone in women, also known as hyperandrogenism is an endocrine disorder characterized by acne, increased facial and body hair and menstrual abnormalities. The symptoms can be treated by antiandrogens.
‘In women, genetically higher testosterone increases the risks of type 2 diabetes by 37 per cent, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by 51 per cent. However, scientists also found that having higher testosterone levels reduces T2D risk in men by 14 per cent.’
The team used genome wide association studies (GWAS) in 425,097 UK Biobank participants to identify 2,571 genetic variations associated with differences in the levels of the sex hormone testosterone and its binding protein sex-hormone binding globulin (SHGB). The researchers verified their genetic analyses in additional studies, including the EPIC-Norfolk study and Twins UK, and found a high level of agreement with their results in UK Biobank.
The team next used an approach called Mendelian randomisation, which uses naturally occurring genetic differences to understand whether known associations between testosterone levels and disease are causal rather than correlative. Additionally, they found that genetically higher testosterone levels increased the risks of breast and endometrial cancers in women, and prostate cancer in men.
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Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women. It is often said that a woman who breast-feeds is at a lower risk of developing cancer compared to another who does not .Are these mere old wives tales or is there some truth in it? This quiz on breast cancer has all the details.
"Our findings that genetically higher testosterone levels increase the risk of PCOS in women is important in understanding the role of testosterone in the origin of this common disorder, rather than simply being a consequence of this condition."
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Dr Katherine Ruth, of the University of Exeter, one of the lead authors of the paper, added: "Our findings provide unique insights into the disease impacts of testosterone. In particular they emphasise the importance of considering men and women separately in studies, as we saw opposite effects for testosterone on diabetes.
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Source-Eurekalert
