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Androstenedione

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Androstenedione, Dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA

  • Epidemiology
  1. Androstenedione banned by IOC, NCAA, NFL
  2. DHEA banned by IOC
  • Sources
  1. Androgen synthesized by gonads and Adrenal Gland
    1. Natural intermediaries in endogenous Testosterone synthesis from Cholesterol
  2. Used by athletes as performance enhancer
    1. Available in Europe as nasal preparation
    2. Available in U.S. as oral tablet
  • Pharmacokinetics
  1. Little intrinsic activity
  2. Direct precursor of estrone and Testosterone
    1. Increases Nitrogen retention
    2. Increases strength and Muscle mass
  • Adverse Effects (if sustained Testosterone increase)
  1. Sustained increase in serum Estrogen
  2. Sustained increase in serum Luteinizing Hormone
  3. Decreased HDL Cholesterol
  4. Priapism has occurred in case reports
  • Efficacy
  1. Controlled studies do not show any strength or performance benefit
    1. Ballantyne (2000) Can J Appl Physiol 25:68-78 [PubMed]
    2. Broeder (2000) Arch Intern Med 160(20):3093-104 [PubMed]
  • References
  1. King (1999) JAMA 281:2020-8 [PubMed]
  2. Leder (2000) JAMA 283:779-82 [PubMed]