Impact of Weight Reduction and Oral Contraceptive Pills on Hyperandrogenism

    October 2023 in “ Journal of the Endocrine Society ”
    Asma Syeda, Thea Lee Anderson, Danielle Millar, Parvathy Madhavan
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    TLDR Losing weight and taking birth control pills can greatly improve severe male hormone excess in women with PCOS.
    The case study "SAT383 Case Study: Impact of Weight Reduction and Oral Contraceptive Pills on Hyperandrogenism" presents a 31-year-old female patient with Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a common cause of hyperandrogenism that can interfere with fertility. The patient, who was planning a pregnancy, had significantly elevated testosterone levels and symptoms such as hirsutism, increased body hair, skin darkening, and significant weight gain. She was advised to lose weight and started on Metformin. Over two years, she lost 13 pounds (7.6% of her body weight) and was temporarily placed on oral contraceptive pills. Her testosterone levels normalized from 172 ng/dL to 17 ng/dL. The study concludes that weight loss and oral contraceptive pills can significantly impact severe hyperandrogenism in PCOS patients, potentially through a reduction in insulin resistance, decreased theca cell androgen synthesis, increased SHBG, and reduced conversion of Δ4-androstenedione to testosterone.
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