Herbs & Supplements:
Androstenedione
Principal Proposed Uses
•
Performance Enhancement
Androstenedione is a hormone produced naturally in the body by the adrenal glands, the ovaries (in women), and the testicles (in men). The body first manufactures DHEA, then turns DHEA into androstenedione, and finally transforms androstenedione into testosterone, the principal male sex hormone. Androstenedione is also transformed into estrogen.
Androstenedione is widely used by athletes who believe that it can build muscle and increase strength. However, there is no evidence that it works. U.S. baseball fans know that the all-time single-season home run champion, Mark McGwire, used androstenedione during his record-setting season. Whether it helped is anyone's guess. Furthermore, androstenedione supplements may cause positive urine tests for illegal steroid use, due to the common presence of a contaminant (19-norandrostenedione).1
Sources
Androstenedione is not an essential nutrient—your body manufactures it from scratch. It is found in meat and in some plants, but to get a therapeutic dosage, you will need to take supplements.
Therapeutic Dosages
The typical recommended dose of androstenedione is 100 mg 2 times daily with food.
Therapeutic Uses
Androstenedione is said to enhance athletic performance and strength by increasing testosterone production, thereby building muscle. However, double-blind studies of androstenedione have found that it does not alter total testosterone levels, or improve sports performance, strength, or lean body mass.2–7 The most consistent effect of androstenedione is to increase estrogen levels.
Safety Issues
Androstenedione can cause hair loss on the head and growth of body hair.8There are also concerns that androstenedione, like related hormones, might increase the risk of liver cancer and heart disease. In support of this last consideration, there is some evidence that androstenedione can adversely affect cholesterol levels.9 In addition, because it raises estrogen levels, androstenedione might increase cancer risk in women.
One case report suggests another potential complication with the use of androstenedione.10 An individual who was using androstenedione to improve his physique experienced priapism (painful continuous erection) for over 30 hours, requiring a visit to the emergency room. Previously he had experienced an episode lasting 2 to 3 hours that spontaneously resolved itself. While it isn't certain that androstenedione was the cause, it appears to be the most likely possibility.
Interactions You Should Know About
If you are taking any estrogen, it is possible that androstenedione might raise cancer risk.
View References
Last reviewed March 2002 by Medical Review Board
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