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Androstenedione is the hormone that is a direct precursor and metabolite of the hormone testosterone. Androstenedione and testosterone convert back and forth to each other by action of the enzyme 17-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Since Androstenedione is synthesized into testosterone, it's supplementation likely increases testosterone production and the androgenic properties associated with testosterone that are desired by bodybuilders such as increased energy, strength, muscle development and decreased recovery time from workouts. German studies have shown up to a 237% increase in free testosterone levels after a 100 mg dose of androstenedione. Free testosterone levels may begin rising in as little as 15 minutes after taking androstenedione on an empty stomach.
Here is the biosynthesis pathway (conversion process) in the production of testosterone:
Cholesterol => Pregnenolone => DHEA => Androstenedione => Testosterone
Enzymes are involved at each step of the process and may be a limiting factor in these conversions. Androstenedione is most likely better at converting to testosterone than DHEA is. For one, DHEA is two steps away from testosterone. This means that there are more enzymes involved in the process. Androstenedione is only one step away.
Optimal testosterone levels keep healthy red blood cells, a vital sex drive, rapid protein production, and a balanced immune system. You may also experience increased energy, heightened sexual arousal, greater sense of overall well-being, and enhanced recovery and repair after exercise.
In 100 mg doses, Androstenedione does not appear to have a negative effect on natural production of luteinizing hormone (LH). This is important because a reduction in luteinizing hormone would signal that natural testosterone production may be diminished. It is unknown whether larger doses of androstenedione will affect luteinizing hormone production.
Androdiol is also a direct precursor to testosterone just as androstenedione is. However it converts via a different enzyme, 3beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. According to Blaquier et al. in the East German journal Acta Endocrinoligica 55 (1967) p.697, this conversion is more efficient for Androdiol than it is for androstenedione in human blood. Incubated in human blood, 5.61% of tritiated androstenedione converted to testosterone after a period of a few hours while 15.76% of tritiated Androdiol converted to testosterone.
Since Androdiol is synthesized into testosterone, it's supplementation likely increases testosterone production and the anabolic properties associated with testosterone that are desired by bodybuilders such as increased energy, strength, muscle development and decreased recovery time from workouts.
As is true with all androgens, the testosterone boosting effects of Androdiol and Androstenedione are subject to possible undesirable side effects. Some possible side effects associated with androgens are head hair loss (if you are predisposed to this condition), body hair growth, acne, gynecomastia (breast tissue growth) and increased aggression. You may not experience much or any of these side effects - especially if you stick to the recommended dosages or less - but it is possible and you should be aware of this before starting to use it. Side effects of long term use of androgens is unknown, but could possibly cause health problems. As always, consult your physician before taking any product that may alter hormone levels. Chrysin, aka Flavone X, may be useful in helping to prevent the aromatization to estrogen due to the increased levels of testosterone.
19-nor-androstenedione (norandrostenedione) is an androstenedione molecule without any carbon at the 19th position. In the liver, it is converted to nor-testosterone (also known as Nandrolone), not testosterone. This conversion uses the 17-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzyme - the same enzyme used to convert androstenedione to testosterone. The liver won't add any carbon at the 19th position, but adds a hydrogen at the 17th position causing norandrostenedione to be ultimately converted to nandrolone in the liver.
Again, Nor-Androstenedione does not convert to testosterone as Androdiol and Androstenedione do. Nor-Androstenedione is converted to Nandrolone.
Nandrolone is moderately anabolic meaning you should see good strength and size gains while supplementing with its precursor, Nor-Androstenedione, but it probably is not as anabolic as testosterone. This implies, in theory, that you may get better strength gains from a testosterone precursor than a nandrolone precursor. Nandrolone is the chemical base of the steroid Deca-Durabolin. Note, however, that nandrolones are generally less androgenic than testosterones. Androgenic properties (deepening voice, body and facial hair growth, genetic balding, acne, etc) are largely the result of increased DHT (dihydrotestosterone). Saw Palmetto may help prevent the binding of DHT to androgen receptors to help alleviate these problems, but which would also diminish the anabolic (muscle growth) properties as well.
Androstenediol
*Converts to testosterone which is highly anabolic and highly androgenic
*Converts at a higher rate making it more effective than Androstenedione and Nor-Androstenedione
*Possible aromatization problems (increased estrogen) in large dosages e.g. gynecomastia, but may be avoided/diminished with use of Chrysin
*DHT production increases anabolism (muscle growth)
Possible DHT related problems e.g. male pattern baldness and prostate enlargement, but increased DHT problems can be partially blocked with Saw Palmetto
*Converts using different enzyme than Androstenedione and Nor-Androstenedione, so it may be used with either of the other two with less worry of depleting the enzyme needed for conversion
Androstenedione
*Converts to testosterone which is highly anabolic and highly androgenic
*Possible aromatization problems (increased estrogen) in large dosages e.g. gynecomastia, but may be avoided/diminished with use of Chrysin
*DHT production increases anabolism (muscle growth)
Possible DHT related problems e.g. male pattern baldness and prostate enlargement, but increased DHT problems can be partially blocked with Saw Palmetto
*Converts using same enzyme as Nor-Androstenedione, so they probably should not be used together or else you risk depleting the enzyme and wasting the remaining precursor (supplement)
Nor-Androstenedione
*Converts to Nandrolone which is moderately anabolic and mildly androgenic
*Fewer estrogen conversion problems e.g. gynecomastia than with testosterone precursors
*Fewer DHT problems (e.g. male pattern baldness and
prostate enlargement) due to its more moderate androgenic properties
*Converts using same enzyme as Androstenedione, so they probably should not be used together or else you risk depleting the enzyme and wasting the remaining precursor (supplement)
*Nor-Androstenedione's legal status may be at risk in the future due to its nandrolone conversion which is not a naturally occurring chemical in humans (except trace amounts in pregnant women).
Here is the biosynthesis pathway (conversion process) in the production of testosterone:
Cholesterol => Pregnenolone => DHEA => Androstenedione => Testosterone
Enzymes are involved at each step of the process and may be a limiting factor in these conversions. Androstenedione is most likely better at converting to testosterone than DHEA is. For one, DHEA is two steps away from testosterone. This means that there are more enzymes involved in the process. Androstenedione is only one step away.
Optimal testosterone levels keep healthy red blood cells, a vital sex drive, rapid protein production, and a balanced immune system. You may also experience increased energy, heightened sexual arousal, greater sense of overall well-being, and enhanced recovery and repair after exercise.
In 100 mg doses, Androstenedione does not appear to have a negative effect on natural production of luteinizing hormone (LH). This is important because a reduction in luteinizing hormone would signal that natural testosterone production may be diminished. It is unknown whether larger doses of androstenedione will affect luteinizing hormone production.
Androdiol is also a direct precursor to testosterone just as androstenedione is. However it converts via a different enzyme, 3beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. According to Blaquier et al. in the East German journal Acta Endocrinoligica 55 (1967) p.697, this conversion is more efficient for Androdiol than it is for androstenedione in human blood. Incubated in human blood, 5.61% of tritiated androstenedione converted to testosterone after a period of a few hours while 15.76% of tritiated Androdiol converted to testosterone.
Since Androdiol is synthesized into testosterone, it's supplementation likely increases testosterone production and the anabolic properties associated with testosterone that are desired by bodybuilders such as increased energy, strength, muscle development and decreased recovery time from workouts.
As is true with all androgens, the testosterone boosting effects of Androdiol and Androstenedione are subject to possible undesirable side effects. Some possible side effects associated with androgens are head hair loss (if you are predisposed to this condition), body hair growth, acne, gynecomastia (breast tissue growth) and increased aggression. You may not experience much or any of these side effects - especially if you stick to the recommended dosages or less - but it is possible and you should be aware of this before starting to use it. Side effects of long term use of androgens is unknown, but could possibly cause health problems. As always, consult your physician before taking any product that may alter hormone levels. Chrysin, aka Flavone X, may be useful in helping to prevent the aromatization to estrogen due to the increased levels of testosterone.
19-nor-androstenedione (norandrostenedione) is an androstenedione molecule without any carbon at the 19th position. In the liver, it is converted to nor-testosterone (also known as Nandrolone), not testosterone. This conversion uses the 17-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzyme - the same enzyme used to convert androstenedione to testosterone. The liver won't add any carbon at the 19th position, but adds a hydrogen at the 17th position causing norandrostenedione to be ultimately converted to nandrolone in the liver.
Again, Nor-Androstenedione does not convert to testosterone as Androdiol and Androstenedione do. Nor-Androstenedione is converted to Nandrolone.
Nandrolone is moderately anabolic meaning you should see good strength and size gains while supplementing with its precursor, Nor-Androstenedione, but it probably is not as anabolic as testosterone. This implies, in theory, that you may get better strength gains from a testosterone precursor than a nandrolone precursor. Nandrolone is the chemical base of the steroid Deca-Durabolin. Note, however, that nandrolones are generally less androgenic than testosterones. Androgenic properties (deepening voice, body and facial hair growth, genetic balding, acne, etc) are largely the result of increased DHT (dihydrotestosterone). Saw Palmetto may help prevent the binding of DHT to androgen receptors to help alleviate these problems, but which would also diminish the anabolic (muscle growth) properties as well.
Androstenediol
*Converts to testosterone which is highly anabolic and highly androgenic
*Converts at a higher rate making it more effective than Androstenedione and Nor-Androstenedione
*Possible aromatization problems (increased estrogen) in large dosages e.g. gynecomastia, but may be avoided/diminished with use of Chrysin
*DHT production increases anabolism (muscle growth)
Possible DHT related problems e.g. male pattern baldness and prostate enlargement, but increased DHT problems can be partially blocked with Saw Palmetto
*Converts using different enzyme than Androstenedione and Nor-Androstenedione, so it may be used with either of the other two with less worry of depleting the enzyme needed for conversion
Androstenedione
*Converts to testosterone which is highly anabolic and highly androgenic
*Possible aromatization problems (increased estrogen) in large dosages e.g. gynecomastia, but may be avoided/diminished with use of Chrysin
*DHT production increases anabolism (muscle growth)
Possible DHT related problems e.g. male pattern baldness and prostate enlargement, but increased DHT problems can be partially blocked with Saw Palmetto
*Converts using same enzyme as Nor-Androstenedione, so they probably should not be used together or else you risk depleting the enzyme and wasting the remaining precursor (supplement)
Nor-Androstenedione
*Converts to Nandrolone which is moderately anabolic and mildly androgenic
*Fewer estrogen conversion problems e.g. gynecomastia than with testosterone precursors
*Fewer DHT problems (e.g. male pattern baldness and
prostate enlargement) due to its more moderate androgenic properties
*Converts using same enzyme as Androstenedione, so they probably should not be used together or else you risk depleting the enzyme and wasting the remaining precursor (supplement)
*Nor-Androstenedione's legal status may be at risk in the future due to its nandrolone conversion which is not a naturally occurring chemical in humans (except trace amounts in pregnant women).
Yeah, right, how did I forget that! LOL
