Did you know that prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer that affects men in the United States? Researchers have been hard at work to figure out a cure or prevention. One promising area is anti-androgens.
Not only that, but these types of drugs have a variety of other uses. But what exactly is an anti androgen? And what are some of the popular types?
If you want to learn the answer to these questions, and more, then you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about anti-androgens. Let’s get started!
Contents
What Is an Anti Androgen?
Before we learn what anti-androgens are, it’s important to first be familiar with the concept of androgens. Androgens are hormones that play a role in the development of characteristics related to sex.
Individuals who are born with male sex assignments typically have higher levels of androgens found in their bodies. Women, on the other hand, have low levels of these hormones. Instead, they have high levels of estrogen.
So, an anti-androgen drug blocks the effects that androgens have on our bodies. The drugs do this by binding to the receptors that are responsible for the uptake of androgens. For example, testosterone can cause body hair and acne for many people.
So, an anti-androgen drug that blocks testosterone prevents some of these symptoms of the hormone from appearing.
How Can They Be Used For Men?
Let’s start with how anti-androgens can help men. After all, it’s men who have larger amounts of androgens in their bodies. Well, one unfortunate side effect of androgens is that they tend to cause prostate cancer in men.
During the early stages of cancer, the prostate cancer cells use androgens to feed their growth. As such, it’s important to lower androgen levels. Or, more ideally, prevent them from ever reaching the prostate in the first place.
That’s where anti-androgens come into play. By binding to the receptors that typically use androgens, anti-androgen medication can essentially starve out the cancer cells.
That means that it can not only slow the growth of cancer, but it can also shrink tumors that already exist. Keep in mind that anti-androgen drugs don’t stop the production of androgens. As such, they typically need to be taken in combination with other medications.
How Can They Be Used For Trans or Non-Binary Individuals?
When transgender women, or non-binary people, transition, they often want to stop the masculizing effects that androgens like testosterone have on their bodies. Testosterone can cause male pattern baldness, facial hair growth, and erections in the morning.
Luckily, anti-androgens are part of the secret to stopping them. However, it needs to be taken with estrogen to be most effective. The anti-androgen is important for minimizing the effects of testosterone.
However, estrogen is important too. It both promotes the development of female features, like larger breasts, and slows down the development of testosterone.
How Can They Be Used For Women?
As we mentioned before, women only produce a small number of androgens. As such, you might think that anti-androgens aren’t helpful for women at all. But, you’d be wrong. This is because some women produce more androgens than others.
And, high androgen counts in women can cause certain conditions, like polycystic ovary syndrome (or PCOS), adrenal hyperplasia, ovarian tumors, and adrenal gland tumors.
The good news is that anti-androgens can help reduce the symptoms associated with all of these conditions.
What Are Some of the Popular Types of Anti Androgens?
There are many different types of anti-androgen drugs found on the market. What you’re using the anti-androgen for will help determine which type of drug is right for you. In this section, we’ll go over some of the popular ones.
The first type is Flutamide. Flutamide is typically used in combination with other medications to combat the development of prostate cancer. It does this by cutting off the food source of the cancer cells: the androgens.
The next type of anti-androgen is Spironolactone (or Aldactone for short). This type of anti-androgen is great at reducing body hair and acne caused by hormones. As such, Spironolactone is a popular option for trans women or nonbinary individuals who are currently transitioning.
Some doctors will also prescribe it for female pattern baldness. However, there’s little evidence that it’s effective for this. The final type of anti-androgen is also one of the oldest: Cyproterone. This is a good option for women who are battling polycystic ovary syndrome (or PCOS).
Where Can You Purchase Them?
There are a variety of places where you can purchase anti-androgens. One method is to consult with your doctor. If you need them, then they’ll write a prescription and you can pick them up at your local pharmacy.
However, what if you can’t get a prescription? The good news is that some options are available over the counter. Just make sure you’re careful around these. They often come with some negative side effects.
Keep in mind that you can also purchase from vendors online. For example, this seller offers RU58841, which is a great anti-androgen for improving hair and decreasing acne.
Want More Content? Keep Reading
We hope this article helped you answer the question, What is an anti androgen? As you can see, there are still a lot of things that we don’t know about. drugs.
However, the initial research shows promising potential for them, in everything from preventing prostate cancer, to help people transition. As such, we can expect to hear a lot more about them in the future.
Did you enjoy this article? If the answer is yes, then you’re in the right place. Keep exploring to find more topics that you’re sure to love.
