The Acute Effects of Androstenedione Supplementation in Healthy Young Males

Abstract

We examined the effects of androstenedione supplementation on the hormonal profile of 10 males and its interaction with resistance exercise. Baseline testosterone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, and androstenedione concentrations were established by venous sampling at 3 hr intervals over 24 hr. Subjects ingested 200 mg of androstenedione daily for 2 days, with second and third day blood samples. Two weeks later, they ingested androstenedione or a placebo for 2 days, in a double-blind, cross-over design. On day 2, they performed heavy resistance exercise with blood sampled before, after, and 90 min post. The supplement elevated plasma androstenedione 2--3-fold and luteinizing hormone approximately 70% but did not alter testosterone concentration. Exercise elevated testosterone, with no difference between conditions. Exercise in the supplemented condition significantly elevated plasma estradiol by approximately 83% for 90 min. Androstenedione supplementation, thus, is unlikely to provide male athletes with any anabolic benefit and, with heavy resistance exercise, elevates estrogen.

Effect of Androstenedione Ingestion on Plasma Testosterone in Young Women; a Dietary Supplement with Potential Health Risks

“…However, a single dose of 100 mg/day is insufficient to increase serum testosterone concentrations in men (1-4 ). Even with higher "recommended" doses of either 200 or 300 mg/day (given as either single or multiple administrations), no significant increase has been observed in most studies (1,3,5 ), albeit in one investigation, 4 of 14 men had testosterone concentrations that exceeded the reference interval (2 ). The contribution of these administered amounts of androstenedione to the plasma testosterone concentration appears to be relatively small compared with the large amount of testosterone secreted by the testes.…”

Acute resistance exercise does not change the hormonal response to sublingual androstenediol intake

“…Based upon preplanned power analysis, assuming a 23 nmol L ¡1 increase in serum total testosterone concentrations due to SL-DIOL intake (Brown et al 2002) and a power of 80% with an level of 0.05 it was determined that six subjects could detect this magnitude of change. Similarly, assuming a 44 pmol L ¡1 increase in serum estradiol concentrations due to exercise in conjunction with androstenediol supplementation (Ballantyne et al 2000) and a power of 80% with an level of 0.05, it was determined that Wve subjects were required to detect this diVerence. Data are presented as means § SEM throughout the text.…”

“…Ingesting 100 or 200 mg doses of androstenedione Ballantyne et al 2000;Brown et al 2000b;Leder et al 2000;Rasmussen et al 2000) or androstenediol (Earnest et al 2000) does not acutely alter serum testosterone concentrations in eugonadol men. However, Leder et al (2000) observed that in 2 out of 14 healthy men who consumed a single dose of 300 mg androstenedione, serum testosterone concentrations were acutely elevated by as much as fourfold.…”

“…However, Leder et al (2000) observed that in 2 out of 14 healthy men who consumed a single dose of 300 mg androstenedione, serum testosterone concentrations were acutely elevated by as much as fourfold. The reason for the high testosterone response in some subjects but not others is unknown, but may be related to body composition (Kley et al 1980), age of the subjects Brown et al 2000a), and the occurrence of physical activity in the supplemented state (Ballantyne et al 2000). Furthermore, in hypogonadal men ingesting 1,500 mg androstenedione per day increases serum testosterone concentrations approximately threefold (Jasuja et al 2005) suggesting that endogenous testosterone secretion may also inXuence the hormonal response to ingesting a testosterone precursor.…”

“…Ingestion or sublingual intake of androgenic nutritional supplements results in increased serum estrogen concentrations in men Broeder et al 2000;Brown et al 2000aBrown et al , b, 2001aBrown et al , b, 2002Leder et al 2000;Rasmussen et al 2000) likely due to aromatization of the ingested androgen. Ballantyne et al (2000) observed that strenuous resistance exercise (EX) caused even greater increases in serum estrogens following androgenic supplement intake, suggesting a possible exercise mediated increase in aromatization. The change in serum estrogens associated with EX in the presence of SL-DIOL intake is unknown.…”