Hello everyone,
I am bringing you a bit of an interesting article this week. Can men have PCOS?
Well they don’t have ovaries so by default they can’t have PCOS. However in recent research PCOS-like symptoms has been noticed in male.
Recent large-scale genetic research using data from the UK Biobank has provided strong support for the idea that men can develop a condition with features similar to PCOS, even though they don’t have ovaries. In a major study involving over 176,000 men, researchers found that those with genetic changes similar to those seen in PCOS were more likely to have obesity, type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, and early-onset hair loss. These findings held true in another large group of men from the Estonian Biobank, confirming that the pattern is real and not just a coincidence.
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The main symptom: Early-onset androgenetic alopecia before the age of 35, aka early boldness. It looks like receding hairline and thinning at the crown, often forming an "M" shape.
They also display low levels of sex hormone-binding globulin, increased free androgens, and sometimes paradoxically lower total testosterone compared to the normal range. If you want to catch up on what SHBG, for which we are also low in you can find the article below:
In addition multiple studies show that men with early-onset AGA have a higher average body mass index (BMI) and are more likely to be overweight or obese than those without this type of hair loss. Higher BMI is significantly associated with greater severity of hair loss in early-onset AGA and in one study, men with early-onset AGA had a four times higher frequency of metabolic syndrome (which often includes obesity) compared to controls.
Here we are, we are not the only ones having to go through hormonal rollercoasters.
Unfortunately, brothers of women with PCOS and sons of women with PCOS often fall into this category, showcasing the PCOS is indeed a genetic condition.
See you next Sunday,
Francesca
1. Male Equivalent Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Hormonal, Metabolic and Clinical Aspects
Rizzo, M., Longo, R.A. & Guastella, E. (2020) ‘Male Equivalent Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Hormonal, Metabolic and Clinical Aspects’, International Journal of Endocrinology, 2020, 6287356. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7382675/ (Accessed: 19 June 2025).
2. Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Early-Onset Male Androgenetic Alopecia: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors not explicitly listed in the abstract; use the journal as the author if no individuals are named.
Journal of Medical Sciences and Health (2025) ‘Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Early-Onset Male Androgenetic Alopecia: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital’, Journal of Medical Sciences and Health. Available at: https://jmsh.ac.in/articles/prevalence-of-metabolic-syndrome-and-cardiovascular-risk-factors-in-early-onset-male-androgenetic-alopecia-a-cross-sectional-study-in-a-tertiary-care-hospital (Accessed: 19 June 2025).
3. Genomic and Proteomic Evidence for Hormonal and Metabolic Signatures of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Men
Authors not explicitly listed in the abstract; use the preprint source as the author.
medRxiv (2024) ‘Genomic and Proteomic Evidence for Hormonal and Metabolic Signatures of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Men’, medRxiv. Available at: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.18.24306020v1.full-text (Accessed: 19 June 2025).
4. Male-Pattern Baldness and Incident Coronary Heart Disease and Risk Factors
Arain, F.A., Kuniyoshi, F.H., Abdalrhim, A.D., Miller, V.M. (2019) ‘Male-Pattern Baldness and Incident Coronary Heart Disease and Risk Factors’, Scientific Reports, 9(1), 17014. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6863534/ (Accessed: 19 June 2025).
5. Brothers of Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome are Characterised by Impaired Glucose Tolerance, Reduced Insulin Sensitivity and Hypercoagulability
Yildiz, B.O., Yarali, H., Oguz, H. & Bayraktar, M. (2007) ‘Brothers of Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome are Characterised by Impaired Glucose Tolerance, Reduced Insulin Sensitivity and Hypercoagulability’, Diabetologia, 50(9), pp. 1756–1762. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3846531/ (Accessed: 19 June 2025).
6. Male Equivalent Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Hormonal, Metabolic and Clinical Aspects (Review)
Rizzo, M., Longo, R.A. & Guastella, E. (2019) ‘Male Equivalent Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Hormonal, Metabolic and Clinical Aspects’, International Journal of Fertility & Sterility, 13(3), pp. 160–165. Available at: https://www.ijfs.ir/article_45585.html (Accessed: 19 June 2025).
7. Male Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Equivalent: A Response to Di Guardo et al.
Cannarella, R., La Vignera, S., Barbagallo, F., Condorelli, R.A. & Calogero, A.E. (2020) ‘Male Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Equivalent: A Response to Di Guardo et al.’, Medical Hypotheses, 137, 109601. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32006919/ (Accessed: 19 June 2025).
8. Male Androgenetic Alopecia and Cardiovascular Risk Factors
González-González, J.G., Mancillas-Adame, L.G., Fernández-Reyes, M., Gómez-Flores, M., Lavalle-González, F.J., Ocampo-Candiani, J. & Villarreal-Pérez, J.Z. (2010) ‘Male Androgenetic Alopecia and Cardiovascular Risk Factors’, Archives of Dermatological Research, 302(2), pp. 93–98. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20398601/ (Accessed: 19 June 2025).
9. Does a Male Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Equivalent Exist?
Cannarella, R., Condorelli, R.A., Mongioì, L.M., La Vignera, S. & Calogero, A.E. (2018) ‘Does a Male Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Equivalent Exist?’, Journal of Endocrinological Investigation, 41(1), pp. 49–57. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28711970/ (Accessed: 19 June 2025).
10. Fundamental Concepts and Novel Aspects of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Focus on Early-Onset Androgenetic Alopecia in Men
La Vignera, S., Condorelli, R.A., Cannarella, R., Duca, Y. & Calogero, A.E. (2020) ‘Fundamental Concepts and Novel Aspects of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Focus on Early-Onset Androgenetic Alopecia in Men’, Frontiers in Endocrinology, 11, 516. Available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2020.00516/full (Accessed: 19 June 2025).