This episode examines androgens as the pharmacology of structural signalling. Unlike fast-acting endocrine messengers, androgens exert slow, cumulative effects that sculpt tissues, behaviours, and metabolic trajectories over time. We explore androgen synthesis, transport, receptor binding, and peripheral conversion to show why androgen effects are powerful, durable, and sometimes difficult to reverse. Clinical use-from replacement therapy to suppression-demands an appreciation of developmental windows, tissue specificity, and unintended downstream consequences.
Key takeaways to ground the episode:
* Androgen sources and conversion: testes, adrenals, and peripheral metabolism.
* Receptor-driven architecture: why effects are gradual but profound.
* Feedback and suppression: central regulation via the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis.
* Therapeutic uses: hypogonadism, delayed puberty, and gender-affirming care.
* Adverse effects and ethics: fertility, cardiovascular risk, and long-term balance.
