Androsterone a Major Factor in Sexual Desire
A 2006 study ( Bloch. 2006 ) (re-)published in Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006;63:450-456 had a closer look on the effect of neurosteroids on sexual function in men. The results clearly indicate that androsterone (ADT, chemical structure on the left; source: HMDB: Androsterone ), a potent neurosteroid, some "bros" mis understand as a precursor or pro-hormone to testosterone and estrogen (actually it is a testosterone metabolite), has a regulative effect on sexual function in men. The scientists measured cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of several steroids and monoamine metabolites and found low androsterone levels to be the major correlate of decreased sexual desire : "...the change in CSF androsterone levels was correlated with the change in the severity of decreased sexual interest between testosterone-replaced and hypogonadal conditions (r=−0.68; P<.05)." In this context the following table, summarizing the correlation of ADT, DHT and T and selected sympt...