EDIT: Since I keep getting questions about androsterone, here is Ray's response when asked about it:
Ray Peat Email Advice Depository Discussion/Comment Thread
"...I think it would be safe enough to try in treating cancer or brain degenerative diseases."
Here is one reference that gives backing to his statement above:
Antitumor Steroids - ScienceDirect
"...Androsterone (11) effected a 63% inhbition of bronchiogenic carcinoma A-42, 42% inhibition of epidermoid carcinoma HEp3, 81% inhibition of sarcoma HS1, and 35% inhbition of intestinal adenocarcinoma HAd1, all tested in egg [9]."
Unlike other products that we have released over the years, this one is almost completely unknown outside bodybuilding circles. Even among die-hard bodybuilders it is mostly known as its ability to function as pro-hormone for more potent androgens like DHT and 5-androstanedione. See attached images for the pathways of androsterone conversion back into androgens like DHT.
Inactivation of androgens by UDP-glucuronosyltransferase enzymes in humans. - PubMed - NCBI
The backdoor pathway to dihydrotestosterone. - PubMed - NCBI
"...Because androsterone is an efficient precursor of DHT, a moderate production rate might produce a considerable physiological effect, even if androsterone is not the most abundant 19-carbon steroid produced in 21OHD."
Androsterone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"...Androsterone, or 3α-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one, is an endogenous steroid hormone, neurosteroid, and putative pheromone.[1] It is a weak androgen with a potency that is approximately 1/7th that of testosterone.[2]In addition, it can be converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) from 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, bypassing conventional intermediates such as androstenedione and testosterone, and as such, can be considered to be a metabolic intermediate in its own right.[3][4] Androsterone is also known to be an inhibitory androstane neurosteroid,[5][6] acting as a positive allosteric modulator of theGABAA receptor,[7] and possesses anticonvulsant effects.[8] The unnatural enantiomer of androsterone is more potent as a positive allosteric modulator of GABAA receptors and as an anticonvulsant than the natural form.[9] Androsterone's 3β-isomer is epiandrosterone, and its 5β-epimer is etiocholanolone."
Dihydrotestosterone synthesis bypasses testosterone to drive castration-resistant prostate cancer
"...The four 5α-reduced 19-carbon steroids [5α-dione, DHT, androsterone, and Adiol] are interconvertible through reversible reactions (Fig. 1). Comparison of the accumulation of total 5α-reduced steroids with [3H]-AD and [3H]-T treatments further shows that AD→5α-dione is the dominant entryway to 5α-reduced steroids (Fig. 2E)."
However, androsterone is a very interesting steroid in its own right and for a lack of a better analogy I would call it the "mirror image of DHT" due to identical structure but with reversed functional groups. It also seems to share quite a few of progesterone's effects - i.e. anti-estrogenic, sedative, anti-convulsant, pro-thyroid, pro-metabolic, brain protective, promoting insulin sensitivity, anti-adrenaline, anti-cortisol, anti-cancer, anti-depressant, etc. Some studies have gone as far as to suggest that it is androsterone that is the actual steroid with real metabolic activity while all other steroids before it in the pathways (including T and DHT) are the actual pro-hormones.
"...These two studies demonstrate the surprising extent to which an important, biologically active, hormone metabolite is further utilized in vivo in man. They raise many further problems. Perhaps the most important of these is the fate of the large portion that was not detected in urine or feces. From the extent of the oxidation of the C-3 hydroxyl group, it might be concluded that a part of the androsterone could serve an important function in man as the coenzyme in a transhydrogenase system, as has indeed been demonstrated with bacterial (15) and rat liver (16) preparations."
"...In view of its biological activity and its participation in oxidation-reduction systems, it seems clear that androsterone may have metabolic functions equal to those of the hormones which generate it. Since, with the exception of testosterone, the physiological role of the other androgens is unclear, it is perhaps not too speculative to suggest that one function of these hormones may be the production of this important "metabolite."
Unlike progesterone androsterone does not have the potential for anti-androgenic effects of high doses progesterone in males. It is truly a pity that this amazing chemical saw so much research in the middle of the 20th century and even wild commercial success as the drug Atromid, only to be forgotten and replaced by much more toxic alternatives.
The units listed on the label are just for measurement purposes. They do not indicate or suggest optimal dose. Please note that similar to the liquid products sold by companies like Sigma Aldrich, Spectrum Chemical, Alfa Aesar, etc, this product if for lab/research use only.
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Androsterone is an androgenic steroid derived via the activity of the enzyme 5-AR and is a donwstream metabolite of the more potent androgen DHT. Like all 5-AR derived androgens, androsterone displays anti-estrogenic and anti-glucocorticoid activity and in addition serves as a pro-hormone for DHT and other potent androgens. In addition, androsterone is a neurosteroid with potent GABA agonist activity, and is known to function as a pheromone in many animal species including humans. It has been shown to possess anti-depressant and anti-proliferative effects. Perhaps most importantly, it has been found to act like as a potent thyroid mimetic / surrogate and as such to increase basal temperature, oxygen consumption and lower lipid levels in humans.
Drops per container: about 240
Each drop contains the following ingredients:
Androsterone: 1 mg
Other ingredients: add product to shopping cart to see info
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REFERENCES:
1. Androgenic / pro-sexual
Remarkable Synergistic Anabolic /androgenic Effect Of Androsterone And DHEA Combination
Androsterone - Androgenic Neurosteroid Required For Male Sexual Behavior
Androsterone - The Legal Pro-hormone For Potent 5-AR Derived Androgens
2. Anti-estrogenic
Androsterone - A Potent Steroidal Aromatase Inhibitor
3. Thyroid mimetic / surrogate
Androsterone - The Forgotten But Potent Thyroid Mimetic
Androsterone Is A Potent Agonist / Activator Of The Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR)
4. Anti-adrenaline
Androsterone Inhibits Catecholamine Release
5. Anti-cancer
Androsterone - A Neurosteroid With Anti-cancer Activity
6. Insulin resistance / sensitivity, diabetes
Androsterone - A Potential Treatment For Insulin Resistance And Diabetes
7. Neurosteroid / Mood
Androsterone - An Andidepressant Neurosteroid
The Antidepressant Mechanism Of Androsterone
Androsterone - A Potent Anxiolytic, Sedative, And Anti-convulsant Neurosteroid