Androstenedione information and review of health concerns, are there other natural hormones as aleternatives?
Androstenedione is a natural steroid hormone that was available over the counter up to March 2004. There are still three other hormones available over the counter including melatonin for sleep, DHEA, and pregnenolone. The FDA has banned the sale of androstenedione as an over the counter supplement.
   Basically, pregnenolone is converted into DHEA, which is converted into androstenedione, which can then be converted into testosterone and estrogens. Androstenedione is mostly made in the adrenal glands and testicles but can also be made in other parts of the body. Androstenedione is banned by the International Olympics Committee, professional tennis, the National Football League and the National Collegiate Athletics Association. It remains legal in professional baseball, where McGwire's admission to using it during the season when he hit a record 70 home runs boosted its popularity.

Androstenedione Research study
Androstenediol administered sublingually with cyclodextrin bypasses first-pass hepatic catabolism and increases serum androstenedione, free testosterone, total testosterone, and estradiol concentrations.
   A highly publicized study indicates that androstenedione may not live up to its hype. The study published in the June 2, 1999 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association compared 300 mg of androstenedione with a dummy pill in 20 men ages 19 to 29 during an eight-week weightlifting program. Researchers found no difference in strength between the two groups of men.

Does androstenedione have any benefits?
Some body builders anecdotally report that they notice increased strength on the days they work out when they use androstenedione. Others use it occasionally to boost sex drive or wellbeing. Those who are young and already have high levels of testosterone or androstenedione in their system are not likely to notice much of a sex boosting effect. Middle aged and older individuals may notice the benefits more easily.

Androstenedione Side effects
Androstenedione can have androgenic side effects include acne, scalp hair loss, facial hair growth in women, aggressiveness, and irritability. Chronic use can also raise levels of estrogen, something that could lead to enlarged breasts and an increased risk of certain types of cancer. Prostate enlargement could be a concern in older men. Long-term effects of regular use are currently unknown.

Future potential of Androstenedione
Doctors sometimes prescribe dhea or testosterone to middle-aged and older men and women in order to increase libido and wellbeing, along with bone strength. Androstenedione, the father of testosterone, may be an alternative.

Summary
At this point, based on our limited knowledge of androstenedione, it is difficult to make any firm recommendations. If you are planning to take androstenedione, either for its body-building potential (which is not proven), or its sex boosting effects (which not everyone notices), limit your dosage to less than 30 mg, and take it only temporarily, that is, for a few days at a time. Have off periods of a few weeks or months between use in order to minimize any potential side effects. Androstenedione may be beneficial to those who are found to be deficient in testosterone. It may perhaps be an alternative to testosterone replacement.

A derivative of testosterone, androstadienone is found in male sweat as well as in saliva and semen. It smells somewhat musky.

Androstenedione hormone questions
Q. Does taking androstenedione have antiaging benefits?
   A. There is no research that can tell us whether using this hormone leads to antiaging benefits. It is possible that high dosages could shorten lifespan and tiny amounts could be helpful. This is just a guess.

Q. Hello I am looking to buy a prescription for 19-Nor Androstenedione, do you have any idea how I would go about or if I even could.
   A. We don't keep us with the variations of androgenic hormones since we feel there is a high risk of short term and long term side effects with these hormones and it is best to steer away from them.

Is hormone testing necessary before taking androstenedione or other hormones?
    Hormone testing should only be done if, after a thorough medical examination and routine blood studies, a doctor suspects that there is a possibility of a significant hormone deficiency.

I took an androstenedione hormone pill along with a tongkat ali herbal supplement and i was sweating, irritable and angry, very aggressive.

Recalled products that may contain steroids
The FDA has informed BodyBuilding.com Company that it believes that the following Products contain ingredients that are steroids. Specifically, the FDA has advised the BodyBuilding.com of its concern that the Products may contain the following ingredients that are currently classified, or the FDA believes should be classified, as steroids: "Superdrol," "Madol," "Tren," "Androstenedione," and/or "Turinabol." The Company has agreed to voluntarily recall the following products.

4Ever Fit D-Drol
Advanced Muscle Science Dienedrone
Advanced Muscle Science Liquidrone UTT
Anabolic Xtreme Hyperdrol X2
APS (aka Advanced Muscle Science) Mastavol
APS (aka Advanced Muscle Science) Revamp
APS (aka Advanced Muscle Science) Ultra Mass Stack
APS (aka Advanced Muscle Science) Ripped Stack
Better Body Sports Finadex
Black China Labs Straight Drol
Black China Labs Straight Phlexed
Body Conditioning Solutions TestraFLEX
Bjorklund Methyldrostanolone
BOSC Enterprises Epi-Tren
BOSC Enterprises Magna Drol
Chaparral Labs Epivol
Chaparral Labs Pheravol-V
Competitive Edge Labs M-Drol
Competitive Edge Labs P-Plex
Competitive Edge Labs X-tren
Diabolic Labs Epio-Plex
Diabolic Labs Finabolic 50
Diabolic Labs Revenge
Ergopharm 6-OXO
Ergopharm 6-OXO Extreme
EST (aka Engineered Sports Technology) MethAnstance
Extreme Labs Susto-Test Depot
Fizogen ON Cycle II Hardcore
G.E.T/ (Genetic Edge Technologies) SUS-500
G.E.T/ (Genetic Edge Technologies) Tren-250
Hardcore Formulations T-Roid
I Force Nutrition 1,4 AD Bold 200
I Force Dymethazine/Reversitol Combo Pack
I Force Reversitol
I Force Nutrition 17a PheraFLEX
I Force Nutrition Dymethazine
I Force Nutrition Methadrol
IDS (aka Innovative Delivery Systems) Bromodrol
IDS (aka Innovative Delivery Systems) Grow Tabs TR
IDS (aka Innovative Delivery Systems) Mass Tabs
IDS (aka Innovative Delivery Systems) Oxodrol Pro
IDS (aka Innovative Delivery Systems) Ripped Tabs TR
IDS (aka Innovative Delivery Systems) Rapid Release Ripped Tabs
Kilo Sports Massdrol
Kilo Sports Phera-Mass
Kilo Sports Trenadrol
Monster Caps Monster Caps
Myogenix Spawn
Nutra Coastal D-Stianozol
Nutra Coastal H-Drol
Nutra Coastal MDIT
Nutra Coastal S-Drol
Nutra Coastal Trena
Performance Anabolics Methastadrol
Performance Anabolics Tri-Methyl X
Purus Labs E-pol Inslinsified
Purus Labs Nasty Mass
Rage RV2
Rage RV3
Rage RV4
Rage RV5
Redefine Nutrition Finaflex 550-XD
Redefine Nutrition Finaflex Ripped
Transform Supplements Forged Extreme Mass
Transform Supplements Forged Lean Mass