Androstenedione side effects, risks, and its role as an over the counter hormone - muscle influence, is it effective for bodybuilding? Do you need a blood test?

Androstenedione is a natural steroid hormone that was available over the counter up to March 2004 when the FDA banned its use.
   Basically, pregnenolone is converted into DHEA, which is converted into androstenedione, which can then be converted into testosterone and estrogens. Androstenedione is mostly made in the adrenal glands and testicles but can also be made in other parts of the body. Androstenedione is banned by the International Olympics Committee, professional tennis, the National Football League and the National Collegiate Athletics Association.

Androstenedione Research update
Androstenediol administered sublingually with cyclodextrin bypasses first-pass hepatic catabolism and increases serum androstenedione, free testosterone, total testosterone, and estradiol concentrations.
   A highly publicized study indicates that this hormone may not live up to its hype. The study published in the June 2, 1999 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association compared 300 mg of androstenedione with a dummy pill in 20 men ages 19 to 29 during an eight-week weightlifting program. Researchers found no difference in strength between the two groups of men.

Does androstenedione have any benefits?
Some body builders anecdotally report that they notice increased strength on the days they work out when they use androstenedione. Others use it occasionally to boost sex drive or wellbeing. Those who are young and already have high levels of testosterone or androstenedione in their system are not likely to notice much of a sex boosting effect. Middle aged and older individuals may notice the benefits more easily. Studies do not show this hormone is beneficial to muscle growth or for muscle building purposes.

Androstenedione Side effects, safety issues, risks
Androstenedione can have androgenic side effects include acne, scalp hair loss, facial hair growth in women, aggressiveness, and irritability. Chronic use can also raise levels of estrogen, something that could lead to enlarged breasts and an increased risk of certain types of cancer. Prostate enlargement could be a concern in older men. Long-term effects of regular use are currently unknown.

Future potential of Androstenedione
Doctors sometimes prescribe dhea or testosterone to middle-aged and older men and women in order to increase libido and wellbeing, along with bone strength. Androstenedione, the father of testosterone, may be an alternative. For sexual enhancement, we prefer tongkat ali herbal extract.

Summary
At this point, based on our limited knowledge of androstenedione, it is difficult to make any firm recommendations. If you are planning to take androstenedione, either for its body-building potential (which is not proven), or its sex boosting effects (which not everyone notices), limit your dosage to less than 30 mg, and take it only temporarily, that is, for a few days at a time. Have off periods of a few weeks or months between use in order to minimize any potential side effects. Androstenedione may be beneficial to those who are found to be deficient in testosterone. It may perhaps be an alternative to testosterone replacement.

Androstenedione and the FDA
Since the FDA has banned the over the counter sale of androstenedione, the two other steroid hormones now available without a prescription are DHEA and Pregnenolone.

Is it safe to take an androstenedione supplement in the morning followed by a yohimbe bark supplements later in the day?
   We don't think this is safe since androstenedione has side effects and so can the potent aphrodisiac herb which increases heart rate and causes sweating.