Hypergonadism

Hypergonadism is when someone's sex glands (which are called gonads) are producing more hormones than they should. Usually, this means that the person has high levels of testosterone or estrogen, which are the hormones that make someone male or female.

Think of your body like a factory. The gonads are like the machines in the factory that make hormones. Normally, these machines make just the right amount of hormones, but in hypergonadism, the machines are working too hard and making too much.

This can happen for different reasons. Sometimes, it's because the person's body is telling the gonads to make more hormones than they should. Other times, the problem is in the gonads themselves, and they just won't stop making hormones, even if they are getting signals to slow down or stop.

The effects of hypergonadism depend on the person's sex and age. In boys, it can cause early puberty, which means they start developing facial hair, a deeper voice, and muscle mass earlier than usual. In girls, it can cause early menstruation, breast development, and other signs of puberty.

Hypergonadism can also cause problems with fertility and sex drive, as well as other health issues like bone density problems and mood swings. Treatment usually involves medication or surgery to quiet down the overactive gonads and bring hormone levels back to normal.