What is the Origin of Testosterone Reduction?

The concept has dual origins: one in oncology, recognizing the androgen-dependence of certain cancers, and another in endocrinology, addressing the pathological consequences of androgen excess. The term is descriptive of the net effect on the hormone's systemic level.

What is the Mechanism of Testosterone Reduction?

Pharmacological reduction is commonly achieved through GnRH agonists or antagonists, which suppress testicular production, or through 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, which block the conversion of testosterone to the more potent dihydrotestosterone (DHT). In women with PCOS, anti-androgens can block the binding of testosterone to its receptor, mitigating its clinical effects. The body's natural reduction pathway involves liver enzymes that metabolize testosterone into inactive forms, preparing them for excretion.

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Testosterone Reduction

Meaning

Testosterone reduction refers clinically to the deliberate pharmacological or surgical intervention to decrease the circulating concentration of the androgenic hormone testosterone in the human body. This therapeutic goal is essential in managing conditions such as androgen-sensitive prostate cancer in men, or hyperandrogenism in women, which is often associated with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Physiologically, the term also describes the metabolic conversion of testosterone into less potent or inactive metabolites, a process that is a natural part of steroid hormone catabolism.