Androstenedione
Androstenedione is a steroid precursor to testosterone and estrogen, produced by the adrenal glands and gonads.
Unit: ng/dL · 12 slices · age and sex · 1 source
Filed under panels: Hormones · topics: Endocrine
Androstenedione is an androgen precursor measured here in ng/dL from the NHANES sex steroid hormone panel. It is produced by the adrenal glands and gonads and serves as an intermediate in the synthesis of testosterone and estrogens. Levels vary by sex and tend to decline with age. The population distribution is broad and reflects adrenal and gonadal contributions across the sampled group.
Population Distribution
Browse by Demographic
| Age (years) | male (ng/dL) | female (ng/dL) |
|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 38.9–176.7 (84.9) | 60.4–239 (122) |
| 30-39 | 40.7–144.7 (73.8) | 45.5–203.6 (108) |
| 40-49 | 38.2–141 (67.6) | 32.6–173 (75.2) |
| 50-59 | 32.8–128.1 (63.1) | 20.9–111.6 (51.7) |
| 60-69 | 29.9–137.4 (59.8) | 18.6–117 (45.9) |
| 70+ | 25–121.9 (53.9) | 12.6–97.9 (40.8) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is androstenedione?
It is a steroid hormone that sits upstream of testosterone and estrogen in the synthesis pathway. The adrenal glands and gonads both produce it, and it is converted into more potent sex steroids in various tissues.
Why does androstenedione differ by sex and age?
Both adrenal and gonadal production contribute, and these differ between males and females and decline with age. The combined effect produces sex- and age-related differences in the population distribution.
How does NHANES handle hormone values below the detection limit?
When a result falls below the assay's lower limit of detection, NHANES replaces it with the detection limit divided by the square root of 2. For FSH, values below 0.30 mIU/mL were recoded as below detection and imputed the same way. In groups where many people have low concentrations, the lower percentiles can reflect this imputation rather than distinct measured values.