Facts to Know

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1. Mistakenly thought of as only a male sex hormone, androgens are also natural to the female body, where they are produced in the ovaries, adrenal glands and other tissues.

2. Testosterone is the androgen you've probably already heard about. Others include dihydrotestosterone (DHT), androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA sulfate.

3. Androgens are partly responsible for the growth spurt at puberty and are believed to regulate the function of many organs, including the reproductive tract, bone, kidneys, liver and muscle.

4. Androgens have been reported to play a key role in a woman's sex drive, or libido, cognitive abilities, energy level and sense of well-being.

5. Androgens, either directly or indirectly through conversion to estrogen, affect bone cells or the environment surrounding bone cells, leading to better bone health.

6. Androgen production drops as you age. By the time you reach menopause, it has dropped 50 percent or more from its peak in your twenties. Androgen levels also quickly drop after a woman undergoes surgery to have her ovaries removed.

7. In women with androgen deficiency, it may be logical to offer androgen therapy together with estrogen therapy. However, most androgen therapies have not been approved by the FDA and should be discussed with your health care professional.

8. If you take an androgen supplement, watch out for "virilizing" side effects, such as facial hair growth, thinning hair on your head and changes in your voice. If an androgen dose is too high, it can have adverse effects on your cholesterol levels.

9. The right oral contraceptive choice can reduce hyperandrogenic symptoms, while the wrong one can exacerbate them. The key component is the type of progestin included. Talk to your health care professional about a pill formulation whose progestin component is norgestimate, drospirenone or desogestrel.

10. If you have symptoms of hyperandrogenism (hirsutism, acne and/or irregular periods), see a health care professional. If the symptoms stem from polycystic ovary syndrome, you could be at higher risk for heart disease and diabetes.