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Hormone disorders

Overview of hormone disorders

Factors that can affect your hormone levels include:

  • Genetics: Some hormone disorders are related to gene mutations that run in families. Diabetes and PCOS are two hormone-related diseases that may be related to genetics.
  • Medications: Some medications, including steroids, influence hormone production and secretion.
  • Tumors: Tumors on ovaries or adrenal glands may cause the glands to release excess androgens. Androgens are commonly called “male hormones,” even though both men and women have them. Androgens are responsible for many characteristically male traits, including facial hair and a deep voice. Tumors affecting androgen production are rarely cancerous.
  • Aging: A woman’s hormone levels change throughout her life. Estrogen levels, for instance, decrease as a woman approaches menopause.