High Testosterone Levels in PCOS

Symptoms of High testosterone in PCOS include:

Irregular Periods

How? High testosterone triggers an early and sustained release of LH (Luteinizing hormone) meaning that one follicle cannot fully mature for ovulation. This is what’s known as a follicular arrest and disrupts your normal menstrual cycle. This is also the cause of ovarian cysts in PCOS.

2. Fertility Issues
How? fertility issues in PCOS are directly tied back to how high testosterone impacts LH impairing ovulation from happening.

3 Mood disorders
How? High testosterone in women is linked to mood disorders, especially depression. This is due to how testosterone can impact, and trigger imbalances in your brain chemistry.

4 Hair Loss (androgenic alopecia)
How? Hair loss, especially on the scalp of your head is triggered by high testosterone. It does this by shortening your hair growth cycle. Luckily, this is reversible for women if testosterone levels are normalized.

5 Excessive Hair Growth (hirsutism)
How? Hair growth, especially on the chin, face, chest, back, and belly is a result of excess testosterone. This is triggered by testosterone’s ability to turn vellus (soft, white) hairs into terminal (dark, course) hairs.

6 Hormonal Acne
How? Too much testosterone can lead to acne as it increased sebum production, essentially over-stimulating oil glands that result in the acne you can see.

To reduce your testosterone production you must first find where your testosterone is being produced from;

To lower ovarian testosterone production:
Follow a low to moderate carb diet (reduce sugar intake)
Resistance exercise + walking
Quality sleep
Inositol, NAC, berberine.

To lower adrenal androgen production:
Practice stress reduction (yoga, stretching, hot bath, deep breathing, cutting out as many stressors as possible). You have to learn how to relax at times!
Restorative exercise
Get enough sleep!
Ashwagandha, fish oil, L-Theanine

To lower inflammation:
Eliminate inflammatory foods
Load up on anti-inflammatory foods
Keep blood sugar levels even
Turmeric and omega-3