HWN Suggests

Move over testosterone, another hormone is also vital for making boys – and it doesn’t come from the testes

According to new research in which I am a co-author, another hormone known as androsterone – which originates in the placenta and foetal adrenal gland – is also vital to the process that turns foetuses in boys. These insights have the potential to make a big difference to how we treat sexual disorders in male babies in future – and are also relevant to the whole debate about male and female identity. Even small children are aware that men and women usually look different. It is common knowledge that boys become men because the testes of the man produce the “male” hormone testosterone and, in turn, testosterone makes men masculine. We know this thanks to the French endocrinologist Alfred…

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Articles of Interest

Androsterone 1-DHEA: Your Quick Guide

Androsterone 1-DHEA, also known as 1-andro, is a derivative of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a naturally occurring hormone in the human body. It is a precursor to 1-testosterone, meaning it converts to this potent androgen once metabolised. This conversion process is crucial as it allows users to experience the benefits of 1-testosterone without directly ingesting it, which can sometimes lead to regulatory and legal issues.

Androsterone

Androsterone, also known as 1-DHEA, 1-Androsterone or 1-Andro, is a steroid prohormone that is metabolized in the body to a form of testosterone known as 1-testosterone or dihydroboldenone. Androsterone has a weak androgenic effect and its potency is estimated to be about one-seventh that of testosterone. It is produced in the human body as a metabolic product of testosterone, but also occurs naturally in the pollen of certain pine trees (1). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is generous with naturally occurring plant ingredients and therefore, despite the fact that it acts in the same way as an anabolic steroid, this ingredient can be legally sold as a supplement in America. A number of supplement manufacturers have taken advantage of this regulation and incorporated androsterone into a range of products. In other countries, prohormones are treated in the same way as anabolic steroids, meaning that in these countries the sale and sometimes possession or use may be illegal.

Androstenone: The "Alpha" Pheromone

AndrosteNONE, as you may know, was the first pheromone to be identified and studied by researchers. It is a byproduct of our body’s natural production of testosterone, and is produced by both men and women (though it is produced in higher levels by men because of their generally-higher testosterone levels). Its strong effects have made it a popular ingredient in many pheromone products.