Androstenedione information

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.

Subscribe to a FREE Supplement Research Update newsletter. Once or twice a month we email a brief abstract of several studies on various supplements and natural medicine topics, including androstenedione benefit and side effects.

High Quality products formulated by a medical doctor
Mind Power Rx for better mental focus, concentration, and mood; Diet Rx which helps you eat less. It really does curb appetite; Good Night Rx for better sleep; Eyesight Rx for better vision, often within days; MultiVit Rx a daily comprehensive multivitamin for more energy and vitality; Joint Power Rx for healthy joints; Prostate-Power-Rx for a healthy prostate gland; and Passion Rx for sexual enhancement, better libido, and improved performance and stamina in men and women.

Androstenedione Research update
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.