Androstenedione is a single of all those dietary supplements that was peddled to athletes for decades as a rapid route to bulging muscle groups and superior testosterone concentrations, but it carries some grave dangers.
Also regarded as “andro,” the dietary dietary supplement was at the time touted to enrich athletic performance by stimulating muscle development and boosting testosterone amounts. But the moment it enters the body, it acts like a steroid and can pose very similar health pitfalls.
In October 2004, President George Bush signed the Anabolic Steroid Manage Act, which reclassified androstenedione from a complement to an anabolic steroid, generating it and other steroid-based prescription drugs a managed material. They are currently banned in sporting activities.
This was because a small quantity of studies of androstenedione led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to feel that its use might maximize the hazard of serious health problems mainly because of its conversion in the human body to the hormones testosterone and a individual sort of estrogen.
When around-the-counter androstenedione health supplements are now banned, medical doctors can nonetheless prescribe it for health-related functions.
In accordance to a analyze revealed on the internet just lately in the journal Molecules, health professionals can present androstenedione shots for preventing or treating certain serious ailments.
Androstenedione’s dangers
But the health supplement is joined to many aspect consequences.
In accordance to the Mayo Clinic, long-term use of androstenedione dietary supplements by males can outcome in testicular atrophy, impotence and the improvement of feminine traits this sort of as breast enlargement.
Females who use these items could acquire male qualities this kind of as male sample baldness, deepening of the voice, greater facial hair and enlargement of the clitoris. Women of all ages can also produce irregular menstrual cycles, irregular bleeding and blood clots. Androstenedione can also maximize the hazard of breast most cancers and endometrial cancer.
Among the young children and teens, androstenedione can set them at hazard for the same hormonal results as older people, as very well as for early onset of puberty and premature cessation of advancement.
Andro supplements can also problems the heart and blood vessels in anyone who requires it, increasing the hazard for coronary heart assaults and strokes, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Drug interactions
Not only can these health supplements trigger undesired aspect effects: They also can interact dangerously with a number of other medications.
According to Drug Financial institution, concentrations of androstenedione can increase when taken with the head lice drug abametapir or decrease when utilized with the heart drug amiodarone.
Other interactions include elevated concentrations of androstenedione in the existence of the prostate most cancers drug apalutamide and lowered concentrations when employed with aprepitant, which is used to protect against nausea from chemotherapy.
The drug HIV drug atazanavir can also improve the concentration of androstenedione, as can the erectile dysfunction drug avanafil (Stendra).
When androstenedione is utilised together with the bronchial asthma drug beclomethasone dipropionate, significant edema may possibly take place. That is also the scenario with the arthritis drug betamethasone.
Also, the potential to metabolize androstenedione can be influenced when the drug berotralstat is used. Berotralstat is used to protect against angioedema, a hereditary swelling of the confront, according to Drug Lender.
“Even though andro merchandise may perhaps feel to have brief-term rewards, the science reveals that these exact homes create true and major health challenges,” then-Food and drug administration Commissioner Dr. Mark McClellan said when the supplements have been to start with banned.
“While the goods are advertised to athletes, they have the likely to get into the hands of our impressionable youth who may possibly believe these products will assist their advancement,” McClellan mentioned. “Any one who requires these products in adequate quantities to make muscle or make improvements to effectiveness is putting himself or herself at danger for serious prolonged-term and most likely irreversible health implications.”
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