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Androgen and diabetes: a common PCOS link?

Androstenedione and testosterone—both ‘male’ hormones —are generally higher in both men and those with PCOS. Women without PCOS have these hormones, but at lower levels. Hormones—your body’s innate messengers—are amazing molecules. However, too much or too little can produce massive changes to your body.

But what else, exactly, do these extra helpings of androstenedione and testosterone do to those suffering with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome—besides affecting fertility, causing benign ovarian cysts, and allowing hair to grow rampant across your face and body?

Understanding Hormones and Diabetes Risk in Women with PCOS

Researchers at the University of Birmingham recently studied how certain hormones might affect the chances of developing Type 2 diabetes in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

The Study Setup

The team compared 86 women who had PCOS with 43 women who didn’t have the syndrome. Both groups were similar in age and weight. The researchers measured levels of two hormones called androstenedione and testosterone—both are types of “androgens,” or hormones that are typically higher in people with PCOS.

Based on their hormone levels, the women with PCOS were divided into three groups:

• Those with high levels of both hormones
• Those with high androstenedione but normal testosterone
• Those with normal levels of both hormones

Testing for Diabetes Risk

To measure how well each woman’s body processed sugar (a key indicator of diabetes risk), researchers used several standard medical tests that measure insulin resistance—essentially, how effectively the body responds to insulin.

The Findings

The results showed a clear pattern:

• Women with PCOS who had high levels of both hormones faced a significantly elevated risk, about a 25% higher chance of developing Type 2 diabetes.
• Women with high androstenedione but normal testosterone had a moderately increased risk, roughly 14% higher than women without PCOS.
• Women with PCOS who had normal levels of both hormones showed healthy blood sugar levels, similar to women without PCOS.

What This Means

The study suggests that having elevated levels of these specific hormones may be an essential risk factor for diabetes in women with PCOS, and that managing these hormone levels could potentially help reduce diabetes risk.

How can you reduce your risk?

I strongly recommend you dive into this blog and read Conquer Your PCOS Naturally. This book is a game-changer (that’s why I wrote it) and will equip you with the knowledge, tools, and strategies to create a PCOS-free life, free from signs and symptoms, that you absolutely deserve and can have.

 

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