If women stay up past 12 o'clock, they will secrete testosterone and become more masculine? The truth is...

"If girls don't sleep past 12 o'clock at night, they will secrete testosterone"

There is a saying on the Internet that "if girls don't sleep after 12 o'clock at night, they will secrete androgen", which has aroused heated discussion among netizens. Some people even believe it and ask whether they should drink soy milk to "balance" it...

Rumor Analysis

In fact, this is not the case, and this statement is debatable.

The effects of staying up late on the secretion of androgen in women are inconsistent, with both studies suggesting an increase and a decrease, mainly because there are many factors that influence and interfere with it. But in any case, the value of androgen will not fluctuate widely after staying up late.

There was a hot post on a social platform these days, saying that "if girls don't sleep after 12 o'clock at night, they will secrete testosterone", and the replies below exceeded 10,000+, most of which were mainly teasing: some asked what time zone it was; some felt that they were becoming more and more manly, and their boyfriend power was overflowing; some even believed it and asked if they should drink soy milk to "balance" it...

So, is this really the case when women stay up late? What is the truth? Let's analyze it scientifically!

Androgens

What impact does it have on women?

First of all, in traditional concepts, androgens are considered to be male-specific hormones, mainly derived from the testicles. However , a certain amount of androgens are also secreted in female ovaries and adrenal glands , and play an indispensable role in maintaining female physiological functions and health:

1. Participate in the development of follicles, but too high or too low androgen levels will affect ovarian function and responsiveness. Androgen is also an important precursor for the synthesis of estrogen;

2. Promote protein synthesis, increase muscle mass and strength, and reduce body fat percentage;

3. Excessive androgen levels may cause abdominal obesity;

4. It helps to improve insulin sensitivity and has certain significance for blood sugar stability and metabolic regulation;

5. Maintain body hair growth. During puberty, androgens stimulate the development of pubic and armpit hair, causing secondary sexual characteristics in women.

6. Increase sebum secretion. Excessive androgen can cause acne.

7. It has a slight regulatory effect on blood lipid metabolism and regulates cholesterol and triglyceride levels;

8. Affect the development and function of the nervous system;

9. It can regulate the function of endothelial cells and help maintain blood pressure stability and cardiovascular function;

10. It helps maintain women’s emotional state and cognitive function, and provides them with energy to cope with various challenges in daily life.

If androgen imbalance occurs, it is often a pathological condition that may affect women's health:

1. The most common polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may cause hyperandrogenism, leading to ovulation disorders, menstrual disorders, hirsutism, acne and other symptoms;

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2. Hyperfunction of the adrenal cortex can lead to excessive secretion of androgens, causing the appearance of masculine characteristics in women;

3. Androgen deficiency may lead to problems such as decreased libido, depression, and osteoporosis, which is common in postmenopausal women.

Staying up late will really lead to

Do women secrete large amounts of androgens?

The main androgens in women, in descending order of concentration, are dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenedione, testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

Although the first three are present in large quantities in the circulation, they are hormone precursors and need to be converted into testosterone or DHT to exert their androgenic effects. The most effective androgen, testosterone (T), is secreted by the adrenal glands (25%) and ovaries (25%), about 50 μg per day, and the remaining 50% is converted from androstenedione in the periphery.

The rate of testosterone production in women is 0.1-0.4 mg/d, while in men it is 5-7 mg/d. The concentration of testosterone circulating in women is 20-60 ng/dL. Testosterone is at its lowest concentration early in the menstrual cycle and rises to a peak in the middle of the cycle. Tests show that testosterone T shows a circadian rhythm, with peak levels occurring in the early morning.

There are few studies on the effects of testosterone and female sleep, and they are usually limited to women with sleep disorders . The effects of staying up late on female androgen secretion are inconsistent, with both studies suggesting an increase and a decrease, mainly because there are many factors that influence and interfere with it.

But no matter what, even if you stay up late to watch football, play games, drink and eat barbecue, the testosterone value will not fluctuate widely. Therefore, the so-called late sleep leads to the release of testosterone and then masculinization is just an eye-catching title.

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But then again, ensuring adequate sleep is definitely beneficial to the body's metabolic regulation, and can add points to your health in many other aspects.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2021 revealed the relationship between sleep duration and overall mortality among adults in Japan, China, Singapore, and South Korea. Both persistent lack of sleep and persistent excessive sleep can lead to increased mortality, and "7 hours" is considered the optimal sleep time. Another authoritative study showed that 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. is the best time to fall asleep, which can reduce the risk of heart disease. People who fall asleep in the middle of the night or later are at the highest risk.

So going to bed earlier won't lower your androgen levels, but it can prolong your life , which is obviously more important.

Looking in the mirror of rumors

We often see all kinds of sensational information on the Internet, some of which are groundless. Although androgen secretion has a certain rhythm, there is actually no conclusive research to support that women who stay up past 12 o'clock will secrete a large amount of androgen. When we see this information, we can try to find relevant research to find loopholes.

Author: Weng Ruopeng, attending physician, Zhejiang University Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital

Reviewer: Jiang Shanshan, deputy chief physician of gynecology department, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital