Adrenal Glands & Unwanted Hair Growth

Androgen hormones include a group of hormones, such as testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, produced in the male testes, female ovaries and adrenal glands. Although these hormones regulate male sexual development and physical characteristics, females also produce androgens, only in lower levels. Conditions that affect the adrenal glands can cause them to produce an increased level of androgen hormones resulting in unwanted hair growth, a condition known as hirsutism.

Structure

The endocrine system consists of a group of glands, including the adrenal glands, that produce hormones required to regulate cellular functions throughout the body. The adrenal glands, yellowish-orange glands approximately 1 inch by 2 1/2 inches long, reside above each kidney, according to the University of California Department of Surgery. Each adrenal gland consists of two separate sections, with each section producing different types of hormones. The outer layer is known as the adrenal cortex, and the inner portion is known as the adrenal medulla.

Hormones

The adrenal cortex produces and secretes hormones classified as steroids. The adrenal cortex is the part of the adrenal gland that influences unwanted hair growth. In addition to cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone that regulates the breakdown of fats, carbohydrates and proteins as well as blood sugar levels, and aldosterone, a mineralocorticoid hormone that regulates the level of salt and water in the blood, the adrenal cortex also produces androgen hormones. The level of androgen hormones produced, especially in women, usually remains low.

Regulation

Hormones produced in other glands regulate the production of cortisol, aldosterone and androgen hormones by the adrenal cortex. The pituitary gland, a small gland located near the base of the brain, produces a hormone known as adrenocorticotropic hormone---ACTH---that stimulates the adrenal cortex. In order to produce ACTH, the pituitary gland requires stimulation from corticotropin-releasing hormone---CRH-- produced and secreted by the hypothalamus, according to Colorado State University.

Pituitary Malfunction

A malfunction within the pituitary glands, such as the formation of a pituitary tumor, can affect adrenal gland function. Although the National Institute for Neurologic Disorders and Stroke reports that most pituitary tumors are benign, meaning non-cancerous, they can cause the gland to produce too much ACTH. In response, the adrenal cortex produces an increased level of cortisol, aldosterone and adrogens. An increase in androgen hormones may not be serious, but can cause bothersome symptoms, especially in women, including unwanted hair growth, deepening of the voice and acne.

Adrenal Gland Adenoma

The formation of a tumor in the adrenal glands, known as an adenoma, can also cause the adrenal glands to produce increased levels of hormones. Adenoma tumors form when cells in the gland grow abnormally and uncontrollably, resulting in a mass. An adenoma that forms in the adrenal cortex may increase the secretion of hormones, including androgens, leading to unwanted hair growth.