![Endometriosis: testosterone implicated by a study](https://img.passeportsante.net/1000x526/2021-05-03/i104820-endometriose-pm.jpg)
Endometriosis is a common gynecological disease that affects on average one in ten women. According to a new Canadian study, testosterone could play a major role in the development of this disease.
The endometrium is the lining that lines the inside of the uterus. At the end of the menstrual cycle, if there has not been fertilization, part of the endometrium (which is constantly renewing itself) is evacuated with menstruation. Endometriosis is characterized by the formation, outside the uterus, of tissues made up of endometrial cells. As a result, endometrium begins to form elsewhere in the body.
According to’Inserm, it is a gynecological disease that is found in 10% of women. The proportion can even rise to 40% among women victims of chronic pelvic pain, especially during menstruation. To date, the causes are difficult to detect. It is possible that a malfunction of the immune system and certain genetic factors are involved. But researchers at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver (Canada) are bringing a new theory to the development of this disease. “Endometriosis appears to be caused in part by relatively low testosterone levels during fetal development, which ‘programs’ female reproductive development,” explains Dr Bernard Crespi, professor of biological sciences and co-author of the study, published on March 12, 2021 on the website Evolution, medicine & public health.
The trail of testosterone deficiency favored by researchers
“Women report greater sensitivity to pain than men […] Pain sensitivity is higher when testosterone levels are lower in both sexes. In women, testosterone decreases the perception of pain “, comment the researchers. According to their findings, Canadian scientists suggest that this testosterone deficiency affects the reproductive system of women. This would explain the main symptoms, namely: pain that worsens during menstruation, pain in the lower abdomen, fatigue, irritability, blood in the urine or in the stool, etc.
The Tivoli-Ducos clinic (bordeaux): a structure entirely dedicated to endometriosis
There is no definitive treatment for endometriosis. It is important to see a professional quickly when symptoms of endometriosis appear. In France, more precisely in Gironde, since 2018, there has been a structure entirely dedicated to this disease. This is the Franco-European Multidisciplinary Institute for Endometriosis (IFEM Endo). A pioneer in this field, the Institute carries out numerous consultations each year and each year provides more than 750 endometriosis surgeries and more than 350 procedures for digestive endometriosis.