{"id":2691,"date":"2024-10-01T14:36:20","date_gmt":"2024-10-01T18:36:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/haidut.me\/?p=2691"},"modified":"2024-10-01T14:39:49","modified_gmt":"2024-10-01T18:39:49","slug":"new-idealabs-product-3%ce%b1-dihydroprogesterone-3%ce%b1-dhp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/haidut.me\/?p=2691","title":{"rendered":"New IdeaLabs Product &#8211; 3\u03b1-Dihydroprogesterone (3\u03b1-DHP)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As many of my readers know, the medical industry has been quietly increasing its interest in and clinical trials with so-called &#8220;neurosteroids&#8221;, most of them members of the pregnane family. I think the term &#8220;neurosteroid&#8221; as used by mainstream medicine is a misnomer as it is used selectively for only a few of all the known steroids, despite the fact that virtually all of them have been demonstrated to have a central (brain) effect. For example, currently the label &#8220;neurosteroid&#8221; is applied almost exclusively to steroids such as pregnenolone, progesterone, allopregnanolone and various of their synthetic derivatives, though steroid families such as estrogens, androgens, mineralo\/gluco-corticoids, and even thyroid hormones have all been demonstrated to have potent and rapid central effects as well, with indisputable influence on mood, cognition, various neurological conditions, traumas (e.g. TBI) and even cancer.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, the FDA approved the progesterone derivative <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Allopregnanolone\">allopregnanolone<\/a> (3\u03b1, 5\u03b1-tetrahydroprogesterone), commonly known as Allo or AlloP, as a treatment for post-partum depression. In addition, multiple companies are running clinical trials with that steroid for wide range of other conditions including dementia (e.g. Alzheimer Disease), anxiety disorders, autism, psychotic states (e.g. schizophrenia), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and even direct brain damage states such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) as well as its chronic form known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). As of now, the only condition for which AlloP has been approved is postpartum depression with expectations that the steroid will soon be also approved for depression of any origin. The currently approved formulation is through IV infusion, but some of the new formulations currently being tested are meant for oral use, and use a preparation very close to the ideas of Dr. Peat for using long-chain fats and vitamin E to circumvent first-pass metabolism of any steroid and ensure most of the steroid gets absorbed through the lymphatic system. As such, selling AlloP has become very legally risky.<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly enough, the first commercial antidepressant of the SSRI class known as fluoxetine (Prozac) was found to increase the activity and expression of an enzyme called <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/3%CE%B1-Hydroxysteroid_dehydrogenase\">3\u03b1-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3\u03b1-HSD)<\/a>, which is one of the major steps in synthesizing allopregnanolone from progesterone.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsf.edu\/news\/1999\/11\/97489\/scientists-identify-new-pathway-antidepressant-action\">https:\/\/www.ucsf.edu\/news\/1999\/11\/97489\/scientists-identify-new-pathway-antidepressant-action<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.96.23.13512\">https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.96.23.13512<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Since levels of allopregnanolone have been consistently found to increase after fluoxetine administration, and allopregnanolone levels were found to be universally low in people with depression (as well as many other brain\/mood conditions) the hypothesis was that it was allopregnanolone that was the true antidepressant, with fluoxetine functioning only as a trigger for the synthesis of that &#8220;neurosteroid&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/37746458\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/37746458\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>However, this hypothesis is incomplete since fluoxetine was found to increase activity and expression of mostly 3\u03b1-HSD, and while this MAY results in higher allopregnanolone levels it does not guarantee it, since the cascade has to also pass through the enzyme 5\u03b1-reductase (5-AR) in order to synthesize allopregnanolone. In fact, the steps of allopregnanolone synthesis are as follows: progesterone -&gt; 5\u03b1-dihydroprogesterone (5-AR activity) -&gt; allopregnanolone (3\u03b1-reductase activity). If fluoxetine selectively increases the activity of only 3\u03b1-HSD, then the only thing that can be said for sure is that fluoxetine would increase the levels of a steroid that takes progesterone as input and produces a 3\u03b1-reduced steroid, which is a steroid with a hydroxyl group (OH) on position C-3, in the alpha configuration. Once progesterone goes through 3\u03b1-HSD, and produces a C-3-ol steroid, the reaction terminates there, since that output steroid cannot undergo processing by 5-AR, as the latter can only accept as input steroids with a keto group on C-3 (progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, etc). However, since the enzyme 3\u03b1-HSD is bi-directional (oxido-reductase), the end steroid output may get converted back to progesterone. The output of the progesterone being processed by 3\u03b1-HSD is the steroid <a href=\"https:\/\/pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/compound\/3alpha-Dihydroprogesterone\">3\u03b1-Dihydroprogesterone (3\u03b1-DHP)<\/a>, and if fluoxetine works primarily by increasing 3\u03b1-HSD activity and levels, then a more appropriate hypothesis would be that the anti-depressant and anti-anxiety effects of fluoxetine may be due more to the increased levels of 3\u03b1-DHP, and not so much on the increased levels of allopregnanolone.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/3%CE%B1-Dihydroprogesterone\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/3%CE%B1-Dihydroprogesterone<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Interestingly enough, 3\u03b1-DHP has been found to have the same affinity and strength as a GABA agonist as allopregnanolone, and the latter is known as the most potent endogenous GABA agonist agent. As such, multiple studies have demonstrated that 3\u03b1-DHP has similar anxiolytic, sedative and analgesic effects as allopregnanolone. In addition, levels of 3\u03b1-DHP have been found to be low in many conditions where allopregnanolone levels have also been found to be low.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;3\u03b1-Dihydroprogesterone\u00a0(3\u03b1-DHP), also known as\u00a03\u03b1-hydroxyprogesterone, as well as\u00a0pregn-4-en-3\u03b1-ol-20-one, is an\u00a0<a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Endogenous\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Endogenous\">endogenous<\/a>\u00a0<a title=\"Neurosteroid\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Neurosteroid\">neurosteroid<\/a>.<sup id=\"cite_ref-AcademicPress2001_1-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/3%CE%B1-Dihydroprogesterone#cite_note-AcademicPress2001-1\"><span class=\"cite-bracket\">[<\/span>1<span class=\"cite-bracket\">]<\/span><\/a><\/sup>\u00a0It is\u00a0<a title=\"Biosynthesis\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Biosynthesis\">biosynthesized<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0<a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"3\u03b1-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/3%CE%B1-hydroxysteroid_dehydrogenase\">3\u03b1-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase<\/a>\u00a0from\u00a0<a title=\"Progesterone\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Progesterone\">progesterone<\/a>.<sup id=\"cite_ref-AcademicPress2001_1-1\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/3%CE%B1-Dihydroprogesterone#cite_note-AcademicPress2001-1\"><span class=\"cite-bracket\">[<\/span>1<span class=\"cite-bracket\">]<\/span><\/a><\/sup>\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000; text-decoration: underline;\">3\u03b1-DHP<\/span> has been found to act as a\u00a0<a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Positive allosteric modulator\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Positive_allosteric_modulator\">positive allosteric modulator<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0<a title=\"GABAA receptor\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/GABAA_receptor\">GABA<sub>A<\/sub>\u00a0receptor<\/a>\u00a0and is <span style=\"color: #ff0000; text-decoration: underline;\">described as being as active as\u00a0<a style=\"color: #ff0000; text-decoration: underline;\" title=\"Allopregnanolone\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Allopregnanolone\">allopregnanolone<\/a><\/span>\u00a0in regard to this action.<sup id=\"cite_ref-AcademicPress2001_1-2\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/3%CE%B1-Dihydroprogesterone#cite_note-AcademicPress2001-1\"><span class=\"cite-bracket\">[<\/span>1<span class=\"cite-bracket\">]<\/span><\/a><\/sup>\u00a0In accordance, it has\u00a0<a title=\"Anxiolytic\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Anxiolytic\">anxiolytic<\/a>\u00a0effects in animals.<\/strong><\/span><sup id=\"cite_ref-KavaliersWiebe1994_2-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/3%CE%B1-Dihydroprogesterone#cite_note-KavaliersWiebe1994-2\"><span class=\"cite-bracket\">[<\/span>2<span class=\"cite-bracket\">]<\/span><\/a><\/sup>\u00a03\u03b1-DHP has also been found to inhibit the secretion of\u00a0<a title=\"Follicle-stimulating hormone\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Follicle-stimulating_hormone\">follicle-stimulating hormone<\/a>\u00a0(FSH) from the rat\u00a0<a title=\"Pituitary gland\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pituitary_gland\">pituitary gland<\/a>, demonstrating possible\u00a0<a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Antigonadotropic\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Antigonadotropic\">antigonadotropic<\/a>\u00a0properties.<sup id=\"cite_ref-AcademicPress2001_1-3\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/3%CE%B1-Dihydroprogesterone#cite_note-AcademicPress2001-1\"><span class=\"cite-bracket\">[<\/span>1<span class=\"cite-bracket\">]<\/span><\/a><\/sup>\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Unlike the case of most other inhibitory neurosteroids, 3\u03b1-DHP production is not blocked by\u00a0<a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"5\u03b1-reductase inhibitor\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/5%CE%B1-reductase_inhibitor\">5\u03b1-reductase inhibitors<\/a>\u00a0like\u00a0<a title=\"Finasteride\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Finasteride\">finasteride<\/a><\/strong><\/span>.<sup id=\"cite_ref-AcademicPress2001_1-4\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/3%CE%B1-Dihydroprogesterone#cite_note-AcademicPress2001-1\"><span class=\"cite-bracket\">[<\/span>1<span class=\"cite-bracket\">]<\/span><\/a><\/sup>\u00a0No data were available on the progestogenic activity of 3\u03b1-DHP as of 1977.<sup id=\"cite_ref-pmid919010_3-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/3%CE%B1-Dihydroprogesterone#cite_note-pmid919010-3\"><span class=\"cite-bracket\">[<\/span>3<span class=\"cite-bracket\">]<\/span><\/a><\/sup>\u00a0Levels of 5\u03b1-DHP have been quantified.<sup id=\"cite_ref-pmid26353176_4-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/3%CE%B1-Dihydroprogesterone#cite_note-pmid26353176-4\"><span class=\"cite-bracket\">[<\/span>4<span class=\"cite-bracket\">]<\/span><\/a><\/sup>&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Strong GABA agonists are known to have a cortisol-lowering effects and there are several published case reports showing successful treatment of Cushing disease\/syndrome in some people using the anti-anxiety benzodiazepine drugs (also GABA agonists, but more selective). Being the strongest endogenous GABA agonist, allopregnanolone has also been demonstrated to have cortisol-lowering effects in humans.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20158297\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20158297<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/8946427\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/8946427\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/36139100\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/36139100<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Cortisol is a proven causal factor in depression, confirmed by multiple studies demonstrating rapid antidepressant effects of glucocorticoid antagonists (e.g. Mifepristone\/RU486) in both animals and humans, as well as by rapid depressive effects caused by synthetic (e.g. dexamethasone) and natural (e.g. cortisol) glucocorticoid agonists. Since allopregnanolone has been shown to lower cortisol in humans that may explain most of its anti-depressant effects, as well as its anxiolytic effects.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newscientist.com\/article\/dn9516-abortion-drug-could-rapidly-treat-depression\/\">https:\/\/www.newscientist.com\/article\/dn9516-abortion-drug-could-rapidly-treat-depression\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/med.stanford.edu\/news\/all-news\/2002\/08\/stanford-researchers-study-controversial-drug-as-treatment-for-psychotic-major-depression.html\">https:\/\/med.stanford.edu\/news\/all-news\/2002\/08\/stanford-researchers-study-controversial-drug-as-treatment-for-psychotic-major-depression.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.steroids.2022.109058\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.steroids.2022.109058<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1134\/S2079059717010142\">https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1134\/S2079059717010142<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34071053\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34071053<\/a><\/p>\n<p>As the Wiki article above states, 3\u03b1-DHP is as effective as allopregnanolone in terms of GABA activity, and likely has the same mental\/physiological effects. Also, unlike allopregnanolone, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>3\u03b1-DHP<\/strong><\/span> is not affected by administration of 5-AR inhibitor drugs such as finasteride, and <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>is not currently regulated by medical authorities<\/strong><\/span> (e.g. FDA) in the US or other any other of the 30+ countries I was able to check.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/7914815\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/7914815\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;The effects of the centrally produced allylic neurosteroid, 3 alpha-hydroxy-4-pregnen-20-one (3 alpha HP), on the responses of male mice to an aversive, anxiety-inducing, predator (cat) odor were examined in an odor preference test. Control untreated mice displayed an anxiogenic response to the cat odor, spending a minimal amount of time in a Y-maze in the vicinity of the cat odor. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administrations of <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>3 alpha HP had an anxiolytic action<\/strong><\/span>, resulting in significant dose-related (0.01-1.0 micrograms) increases in the amount of time spent in the proximity of the cat odor. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>These anxiolytic effects of 3 alpha HP were stereospecific, with the stereoisomer, 3 beta-hydroxy-4-pregnen-20-one (3 beta HP) having no significant effects<\/strong><\/span> on odor preferences. The analgesic, morphine, also had no significant effects on the response to cat odor indicating that <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>the anxiolytic actions of 3 alpha HP were unlikely to be related to any analgesic effects<\/strong><\/span>. The <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>effects of 3 alpha HP were significantly reduced by peripheral administrations of the GABAA antagonists<\/strong><\/span>, bicuculline and picrotoxin, but were unaffected by either the benzodiazepine antagonist, Ro 15-1788, or the opiate antagonist, naloxone. These results indicate that <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>the allylic neurosteroid 3 alpha HP has anxiolytic actions involving interactions with the GABAA receptor<\/strong><\/span>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/9870343\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/9870343\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;Here we show that brief exposure of male mice to an ELF magnetic field (30 min, 60 Hz, 141 microT peak) significantly reduces the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>analgesic effects arising from intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of the centrally produced allylic neuroactive steroid, 3alpha-hydroxy-4-pregnen-20-one (3alphaHP)<\/strong><\/span> and that the dihydropyridine (DHP) calcium channel antagonists, diltiazem and nifedipine, block the inhibitory effects of the 60 Hz ELF on 3alphaHP-induced analgesia. These results indicate that exposure to 60 Hz ELF affects <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>the analgesic effects of neuroactive steroids such as 3alphaHP through alterations in calcium channel function<\/strong><\/span>. These findings raise the possibility that ELF magnetic fields may, in part, exert their actions through effects on diverse neuroactive steroid modulated processes.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/3147122\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/3147122\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;This allylic steroid elicited significant, dose-dependent (0.001-1.0 micrograms) analgesic responses for 90-150 min after injection. These <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>analgesic effects of 3A4P were stereospecific, the stereoisomer, 3 beta-hydroxy-4-pregnen-20-one (3B4P) failing to affect the nociceptive responses<\/strong><\/span>. The analgesic effects of 3A4P were blocked by peripheral administrations of the GABA antagonists, bicuculline and picrotoxin, and reduced by the benzodiazepine antagonist, Ro 15-1788. The exogenous opiate antagonist, naloxone, and the putative endogenous opioid antagonist, Tyr-MIF-1 (Pro-Leu-Gly-amide), also reduced 3A4P-induced analgesia, while i.c.v. administration of 3A4P (0.001 and 0.01 micrograms) itself attenuated the analgesic effects arising from peripheral administrations of opiate receptor agonist, morphine. In addition, the calcium channel antagonists, nifedipine and verapamil, enhanced 3A4P-induced analgesia but had no evident effects on the actions of 3B4P. These results suggest that the central analgesic effects of the FSH-suppressing steroid, 3A4P, arise via benzodiazepine&#8211;GABA&#8211;opiate mechanisms and calcium channels.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The interesting properties of 3\u03b1-DHP are not exhausted by its close mimicry\/overlap with allopregnanolone. The studies below suggest that it has a number of other interesting effects, at least in animals, include <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>unique anti-cancer effects NOT shared by allopregnanolone<\/strong><\/span>. Since one of the tumor cell lines used in many of those cancer studies was the estrogen-sensitive (ER+) line known as MCF-7, a reasonable conclusion may be that 3\u03b1-DHP has anti-estrogenic effects, not shared by its cousin allopregnanolone, as other estrogen antagonists have also showed anti-cancer effects in MCF-7 models. For the record, 3\u03b1-DHP also demonstrated inhibitory effects on tumor growth from estrogen- and progesterone-negative cell likes, which suggests its effects are generic\/systemic and not only focused on a specific steroid pathway.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25927181\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25927181\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Onset and growth of ER\/PR-negative human breast cell tumors were significantly <span style=\"color: #ff0000; text-decoration: underline;\">stimulated by 5\u03b1P and inhibited by 3\u03b1HP<\/span><\/strong><\/span>. When both hormones were applied simultaneously, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>the stimulatory effects of 5\u03b1P were abrogated by the inhibitory effects of 3\u03b1HP and vice versa<\/strong><\/span>. Treatment with <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>3\u03b1HP subsequent to 5\u03b1P-induced tumor initiation resulted in suppression of further tumorigenesis and regression of existing tumors<\/strong><\/span>. The levels of 5\u03b1P in tumors, regardless of treatment, were about 10-fold higher than the levels of 3\u03b1HP, and the 5\u03b1P:3\u03b1HP ratios were about fivefold higher than in serum, indicating significant changes in endogenous synthesis of these hormones in tumorous breast tissues.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/19931389\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/19931389\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;The studies were conducted on tumorigenic (<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, T47D<\/strong><\/span>) and non-tumorigenic (MCF-10A) human breast cell lines, employing several methods to assess the effects of the hormones on cell proliferation, mitosis, apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2, Bax and p21. In all four cell lines, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>5alphaP increased, whereas 3alphaHP decreased cell numbers, [(3)H]thymidine uptake and mitotic index<\/strong><\/span>. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Apoptosis was stimulated by 3alphaHP and suppressed by 5alphaP<\/strong><\/span>. 5alphaP resulted in increases in Bcl-2\/Bax ratio, indicating decreased apoptosis; 3alphaHP resulted in decreases in Bcl-2\/Bax ratio, indicating increased apoptosis. The effects of either 3alphaHP or 5alphaP on cell numbers, [(3)H]thymidine uptake, mitosis, apoptosis, and Bcl-2\/Bax ratio, were abrogated when cells were treated simultaneously with both hormones. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>The expression of p21 was increased by 3alphaHP, and was unaffected by 5alphaP<\/strong><\/span>. The results provide the first evidence that <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>5alphaP stimulates mitosis and suppresses apoptosis, whereas 3alphaHP inhibits mitosis and stimulates apoptosis<\/strong><\/span>. The opposing <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>effects of 5alphaP and 3alphaHP were <span style=\"color: #ff0000; text-decoration: underline;\">observed in all four breast cell lines<\/span><\/strong><\/span> examined and the data suggest that <span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #ff0000;\"><strong>all breast cancers (estrogen-responsive and unresponsive) might be suppressed by blocking 5alphaP formation and\/or increasing 3alphaHP<\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/15212687\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/15212687<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;Recent evidence suggests that progesterone metabolites play important roles in regulating breast cancer. Previous studies have shown that tumorous tissues have higher 5\u03b1-reductase (5\u03b1R) and lower 3\u03b1-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase (3\u03b1-HSO) and 20\u03b1-HSO activities. The resulting <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>higher levels of 5\u03b1-reduced progesterone metabolites such as 5\u03b1-pregnane-3,20-dione (5\u03b1P) in tumorous tissue promote cell proliferation and detachment, whereas the 4-pregnene metabolites, <span style=\"color: #ff0000; text-decoration: underline;\">4-pregnen-3\u03b1-ol-20-one (3\u03b1HP)<\/span> and 4-pregnen-20\u03b1-ol-3-one (20\u03b1DHP), more prominent in normal tissue, <span style=\"color: #ff0000; text-decoration: underline;\">have the opposite (anti-cancer-like) effects<\/span><\/strong><\/span>. The aim of this study was to determine if the differences in enzyme activities between tumorous and nontumorous breast tissues are associated with differences in progesterone metabolizing enzyme gene expression.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;The study shows changes in progesterone metabolizing enzyme gene expression in human breast carcinoma. Expression of SRD5A1 (5\u03b1R1) and SRD5A2 (5\u03b1R2) is elevated, and expression of AKR1C1 (20\u03b1-HSO), AKR1C2 (3\u03b1-HSO3) and AKR1C3 (3\u03b1-HSO2) is reduced in tumorous as compared to normal breast tissue. The changes in progesterone metabolizing enzyme expression levels help to explain the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>increases in mitogen\/metastasis inducing 5\u03b1P and decreases in mitogen\/metastasis inhibiting 3\u03b1HP<\/strong><\/span> progesterone metabolites found in breast tumor tissues. Understanding what causes these changes in expression could help in designing protocols to prevent or reverse the changes in progesterone metabolism associated with breast cancer.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, another study demonstrated striking spermatogenic effects of 3\u03b1-DHP, which were much stronger than the spermatogenic effects of testosterone. However, unlike testosterone, DHT and other related steroids, 3\u03b1-DHP did not display androgenic effects. Assuming allopregnanolone has similar effects, I would not be surprised if we soon see clinical trials for allopregnanolone (and\/or, God forbid, 3\u03b1-DHP) as treatments for infertility, especially considering the skyrocketing rates of this issue in most Western\/developed countries.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/2502196\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/2502196\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;The effect of 3 alpha-hydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (3HP), a Sertoli cell steroid, on spermatogenesis was examined in normal and gonadotropin-suppressed rats, through s.c. as well as direct intratesticular injections. Early experiments employing normal prepubertal male rats indicated that <span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #ff0000;\"><strong>3HP<\/strong><\/span>, when administered at 65 micrograms\/100 g BW daily for 15 days, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #ff0000;\"><strong>was capable of stimulating pachytene spermatocyte number to 149% of untreated control numbers<\/strong><\/span>. It was of interest to determine if this effect could be amplified in gonadotropin-suppressed animals. Neonatally estrogenized rats (500 micrograms estradiol benzoate in 0.1 ml oil at 2 days) were treated on alternate days with 3HP (100 micrograms\/100 g BW) for 3 wk, starting at 7 days of age. This treatment significantly increased the number of spermatocytes per tubule cross section from 17.3 +\/- 1.9 (in estradiol benzoate-only animals) to 47.1 +\/- 7.9 (p less than 0.01). In a similar study, 100 micrograms\/100 g BW of <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>testosterone propionate could stimulate spermatocyte number to only 15.1 +\/- 2.2 cells per tubule<\/strong><\/span> cross section versus estradiol benzoate-only numbers. A single intratesticular injection of <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>3HP<\/strong><\/span> (2 ng in 2.0 microliters oil) <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>in Methallibure-treated rats resulted in a significant increase in late pachytene spermatocyte numbers from 0.77 +\/- 0.12 in Methallibure-only-treated rats to 1.70 +\/- 0.10 (p less than 0.001) cells per tubule<\/strong><\/span> cross section in 28-day-old rats. However, in this study, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #000000;\"><strong>no other progesterone metabolite or androgenic steroid (testosterone, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, or 5 alpha-androstan-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol) tested was capable of this level of germ cell stimulation<\/strong><\/span>. In conclusion, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #ff0000;\"><strong>3HP appears to have a direct effect on germ cell development within the testis at levels much lower than those shown to be effective for androgens<\/strong><\/span>. It <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>does<\/strong> <strong>not appear that this effect is mediated through the conversion of 3HP to any C21 or C19 steroids<\/strong><\/span>, and appears to be the first report of a Sertoli cell steroid with a possible role in the process of mammalian spermatogenesis.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/3106016\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/3106016\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;Treatment of young (15-day-old) intact males with either 3-HP or 17 beta-hydroxy-5 alpha-androstan-3-one (DHT) for 14 days showed that DHT resulted in significant increases in prostate and seminal vesicle weights, while <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>3-HP showed no apparent androgenic activity<\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Finally, 3\u03b1-DHP seems to have pro-sexual effects (at least in males) as it increased the preference of treated males for the odor of estrous females. While the study discusses GABA agonism by 3\u03b1-DHP as the main mechanism in achieving this pro-sexual effects, I suspect there is more at play since the administered GABA abtagonists did not completely block the effect. In my opinion, given the similar structure between 3\u03b1-DHP and allopregnanolone, the pro-dopamine and anti-serotonin (5-HT3 blocker) effects of the latter are likely to both be present in the former, and both of those pathways have a known pro-libido and performance enhancing effects.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/8055331\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/8055331\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;The effects of the centrally produced allylic neurosteroid, 3 alpha-hydroxy-4-pregnen-20-one (3 alpha HP), on the responses of male mice to the odors of estrous female mice were examined in an odor preference test. Control untreated mice displayed a significant preference for the odors of an estrous female, spending more time in a Y-maze in the vicinity of the odors of an estrous than a non-estrous female. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administrations of <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>3 alpha HP enhanced male preference for the odors of estrous females, causing a significant dose-related (0.01-1.0 microgram) increase<\/strong><\/span> in the amount of time spent in the proximity of the odors of the estrous female, while having no significant effect on the responses to the non-estrous female odors. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>These effects of 3 alpha HP were stereospecific, with the stereoisomer, 3 beta-hydroxy-4-pregnen-20-one (3 beta HP), having no significant effects on odor preferences<\/strong><\/span>. The analgesic, morphine, also had no significant effects on the responses to female odors suggesting that the enhanced preference for estrous female odors were unlikely to be directly due to any analgesic effects of 3 alpha HP. The effects of 3 alpha HP were significantly reduced by peripheral administrations of the GABAA antagonists, bicuculline and picrotoxin, but were unaffected by either the benzodiazepine antagonist, Ro 15-1788, or the opiate antagonist, naloxone. These results suggest that the neurosteroid <span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #ff0000;\"><strong>3 alpha HP has facilitatory effects on olfactory mediated male sexual interest or motivation<\/strong><\/span> that involve interactions with the GABAA receptor.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>All in all, quite an interesting substance, and given its non-regulated nature we decided to release it as a product to the general public. It can be bought from the links below.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/idealabsdc.com\/lab\/\">http:\/\/idealabsdc.com\/lab\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/idealabs.ecwid.com\/3%CE%B1-DHP-p698093046\">https:\/\/idealabs.ecwid.com\/3%CE%B1-DHP-p698093046<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The units listed on the label are just for measurement purposes. They do not indicate or suggest optimal dose. Please note that similar to the liquid products sold by companies like Sigma Aldrich, Spectrum Chemical, Alfa Aesar, etc, this product if for lab\/research use only.<\/p>\n<p>*******************************************************************************<br \/>\n<b><u>3\u03b1-DHP<\/u><\/b> is a liquid (very viscous) product containing a bioidentical endogenous neurosteroid known as 3\u03b1-dihydroprogesterone (3\u03b1-DHP). While that steroid has not been as extensively studied as the closely-related neurosteroid allopregnanolone, 3\u03b1-DHP can perhaps be best described as an allopregnanolone mimetic, with similar (though not identical) pharmacological profile and strength (especially on the GABA system). Some of the more unique and interesting properties of 3\u03b1-DHP include its anti-cancer effects demonstrated in animal studies, with the notable finding that those anti-cancer effects are NOT shared by neither allopregnanolone nor its precursor neurosteroid 5\u03b1-dihydroprogesterone (5\u03b1-DHP). In addition, 3\u03b1-DHP has demonstrated potent spermatogenic and pro-sexual effects in some animal studies, with the former fax exceeding the effects of any other known and tested steroid (e.g. androgens).<\/p>\n<p>Drops per container: about 250<br \/>\nEach drop contains the following ingredients:<\/p>\n<p>3\u03b1-dihydroprogesterone (CAS 25680-68-6): 1mg<\/p>\n<p>Other ingredients: add product to shopping cart to see info<br \/>\n*******************************************************************************<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>REFERENCES<\/strong><\/span>:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/11606426\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/11606426\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/9295205\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/9295205\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/8199276\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/8199276\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/8275952\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/8275952\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/1331405\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/1331405\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/2031864\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/2031864\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/2500330\/\">https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/2500330\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As many of my readers know, the medical industry has been quietly increasing its interest in and&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[2063,2064,17,81,55,44,563,124,2062],"class_list":["post-2691","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-science","tag-3-dhp","tag-3-dihydroprogesterone","tag-allopregnanolone","tag-anxiety","tag-cancer","tag-depression","tag-gaba","tag-neurosteroid","tag-spermatogenesis","wpcat-2-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/haidut.me\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2691","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/haidut.me\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/haidut.me\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/haidut.me\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/haidut.me\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2691"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/haidut.me\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2691\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2694,"href":"https:\/\/haidut.me\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2691\/revisions\/2694"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/haidut.me\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/haidut.me\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/haidut.me\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}