Androgens are known as male hormones but they also circulate in lesser levels in women’s bloodstreams. In fact, several necessary male hormones are produced by the ovaries and other organs and glands. If they exist in lower-than-normal amounts, a woman may experience decreased sex drive and fatigue and be vulnerable to osteoporosis. In excess, androgens often lead to acne, balding or thinning hair on the scalp, irregular or absent menstrual periods, fatigue, decreased sex drive, and the abnormal hair growth called hirsutism.

The intricate mechanisms producing androgens and other hormones that impact androgen availability and strength are the first links in an entwined chain of events that ultimately affect individual sites such as hair follicles, skin pores and eggs in the ovaries. The effectiveness of treatment, therefore, depends on finding and addressing the defective point or points in the sequence while providing therapy for bothersome symptoms.

To offer in-depth testing, comprehensive treatments and support, and research into molecular mechanisms and future therapies, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center has launched the Center for Androgen-Related Disorders. It is believe to be the only program of its kind in the country to specialize in both up- and down-regulation of androgen levels in women.

Ricardo Azziz, M.D., who holds the Helping Hand of Los Angeles Chair in Obstetrics and Gynecology, directs the new center and its programs in androgen-excess disorders. Director of Cedars-Sinai’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Azziz joined the medical center in late 2002 after serving for 15 years at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In addition to his role at Cedars-Sinai, Dr. Azziz also serves as Executive Director of The Androgen Excess Society, an organization dedicated to offering recommendations for therapy, identifying research priorities, and helping to provide education on this often-misunderstood and misdiagnosed disorder.

Glenn Braunstein, M.D., holder of the James R. Klinenberg, M.D., Chair in Medicine at Cedars-Sinai, offers expertise in causes and complications of androgen deficiencies. Board-certified in internal medicine with a subspecialty in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism, Dr. Braunstein has conducted extensive research in reproductive endocrinology. Currently, three Phase III clinical trials are underway to assess the effectiveness of testosterone replacement therapy in women.

Although androgen excess – which typically is seen in the years from adolescence to menopause – causes many symptoms that are readily visible, underlying causes are more challenging to detect. The inability to become pregnant, for example, may stem from a variety of causes, and many women who suffer from hirsutism believe they are destined for a life of plucking, tweezing or paying for expensive treatments, never knowing that a serious medical condition may be responsible.

"The overwhelming majority of women with hirsutism have an underlying androgen disorder," says Dr. Azziz. Non-classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia and polycystic ovarian syndrome are causes of androgen excess.