A study of Androstenedione - all you pro-hormoners need to read this!

[hammerhead]

Here's some data on a study of Androstenedione. The control group is given placebo. The active subjects were given 100mg Androstenedione (AD) three times daily.


After subjects took 100 mg of AD, testosterone levels at nine points between 1 and 5 hours were observed to increase about 20% (value estimated from their graph) compared to baseline and the 30 minute measurement. When the levels of the AD group are compared to the placebo group, the AD group is seen to have started with levels about 20% lower than the placebo group, and then between 1 and 5 hours, for nine consecutive measurements, levels are in every case higher than the placebo group, usually about 10% higher.

In the longer-term study (8 weeks) the AD group suffered no decreases in LH or FSH.

The AD group suffered no adverse physical effects.

No adverse changes in markers of liver function were seen from AD.

A fairly small worsening (decrease) of HDL cholesterol from an average 1.09 mmol/L to an average 0.96 mmol/L was seen in the AD group.

In 6 weeks of AD usage, the AD group lost almost 5 lb. of fat on average without dieting while the placebo group lost less than 2 lb. of fat, again without dieting.

The AD group increased strength by an average of 30% over 8 weeks while the placebo group increased strength by an average of about 31%. The two groups had similar increases in size of muscle fibers and changes in body circumferences.

Both groups gained about 6 lb. of lean mass on average. The AD group made the same gain in lean mass as the placebo group while losing 3 lb. more fat.

In the longer-term study of 8 weeks, increases in levels of estradiol and estrone in the AD group were about 30-40% compared to their baseline values.

This study suggests that AD and all the other pro-hormones may actually be useful when dieting to lose fat. The 10% to 30% increase in testosterone isn't enough to build any appreciable amount of muscle. The 30% increase in estradiol is enough to cause fluid retention which can explain much of the weight gain people experience on the stuff. The excess fluids can also contribute some temporary strength gains too.

In this pic is $60 worth of Androstenedione and $60 worth of Sustenon (if you paid the maximum gym price). I could post a poll and let you guys vote on which you'd prefer but that would be an asshole way of making a point - i'd be preaching to the choir anyway. But look at it this way - 56 capsules of AD 400mg - about 5% converts to testosterone so that's equivalently 20mg per capsule times 56 = 1120 mg of testosterone versus only 1000mg in the Sustenon. Hmm. (i'm sticking to the Sustenon).