Hypergonadism is a condition where there is a hyperfunction of the

gonad A gonad, sex gland, or reproductive gland is a mixed gland that produces the gametes and sex hormones of an organism. Female reproductive cells are egg cells, and male reproductive cells are sperm. The male gonad, the testicle, produces sp ...

s. It can manifest as

precocious puberty In medicine, precocious puberty is puberty occurring at an unusually early age. In most cases, the process is normal in every aspect except the unusually early age and simply represents a variation of normal development. In a minority of childr ...

, and is caused by abnormally high levels of

testosterone Testosterone is the primary sex hormone and anabolic steroid in males. In humans, testosterone plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as testes and prostate, as well as promoting secondary sexual characteristi ...

estrogen Estrogen or oestrogen is a category of sex hormone responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics. There are three major endogenous estrogens that have estrogenic hormonal ac ...

, crucial hormones for

sexual development Puberty is the process of physical changes through which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of sexual reproduction. It is initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads: the ovaries in a girl, the testes in a boy. I ...

. In some cases, it may be caused by a

tumor A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...

, which can be

malignant Malignancy () is the tendency of a medical condition to become progressively worse. Malignancy is most familiar as a characterization of cancer. A ''malignant'' tumor contrasts with a non-cancerous ''benign'' tumor in that a malignancy is not s ...

, but is more commonly

benign Malignancy () is the tendency of a medical condition to become progressively worse. Malignancy is most familiar as a characterization of cancer. A ''malignant'' tumor contrasts with a non-cancerous ''benign'' tumor in that a malignancy is not s ...

. Anabolic steroids may also be a major cause of high androgen and estrogen functional activity. Other possible causes include head injuries and brain inflammatory diseases. Hypergonadism may contribute to symptoms such as precocious puberty and abnormal facial hair growth in females.

Symptoms

Men and women exhibit different symptoms for hypergonadism. A few of the symptoms that men can experience are increased sex drive, early balding, excessive muscle mass, and acne. Women can have symptoms such as, increased growth of facial hair, deepened voice, coarse body hair, and an irregular menstrual cycle.

References

Endocrine gonad disorders Gynaecologic disorders Male genital disorders Menstrual disorders Animal reproductive system Intersex variations {{endocrine-disease-stub

Symptoms

See also

References