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BRS-X(Hormones) — Hormone Signalling & Regulation

BRS-X(Hormones-PM6) - Androgen-Microbiome Regulation​

1. Definition​

Microbiome-mediated regulation of androgen metabolism, degradation, recycling and systemic androgen exposure through microbial steroid-transforming enzymes and enterohepatic circulation.

2. Target Functional Outcome / Phenome​

These mappings are translational relationships, not single-mechanism outcome claims. Phenomes are emergent functional patterns supported by multiple interacting PMs across the BRAIN Framework.

Motivation / Drive — indirect
  • Confidence: low-medium
  • Evidence Level: mechanistic
  • Rationale: Microbial androgen metabolism may influence systemic androgen availability and indirectly influence motivation-related phenomes.
  • Key References:
Cognitive Energy Stability — indirect
  • Confidence: low
  • Evidence Level: mechanistic
  • Rationale: Microbial androgen metabolism may influence systemic androgen exposure relevant to energy and stamina context; direct ADHD evidence remains limited.
  • Key References:
Emotional Regulation — indirect
  • Confidence: low
  • Evidence Level: mechanistic
  • Rationale: Microbiome-androgen interactions may influence endocrine states relevant to mood and behavioural regulation, but direct ADHD evidence is currently limited.
  • Key References:

3. Intervention Breakdown​

Mixed Modulation

4. Functional Role​

↑ androgen metabolic stability; ↑ endocrine-microbiome integration; ↓ dysbiosis-associated endocrine disruption

5. Mechanistic Basis​

Summary​

Gut microbial steroid-transforming enzymes and enterohepatic circulation modulate systemic androgen exposure within BRS-X(Hormones-FM1), linking BRS5 microbiome ecology with BRS6 metabolic regulation and BRS3 inflammatory interfaces where dysbiosis disrupts endocrine stability [1].

Microbial androgen metabolism

(Steroid-transforming microbial pathways)​

Commensal bacteria may metabolise androgens through hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases, desmolase activity, and enterohepatic recycling pathways that alter systemic androgen bioavailability → Leao et al. (2025) [1]

(Fermentable substrate context)​

Fermentable fibre availability supports microbial ecological stability constraining dysbiosis-associated shifts in steroid-metabolising taxa via BRS5(KC1) — Fermentable Fibre Availability.

(Boundaries of the mechanism)​

Direct neural testosterone signalling belongs to BRS-X(Hormones-PM5) — Testosterone Signalling Stability. Oestrogen-specific estrobolome recycling belongs to BRS-X(Hormones-PM2) — Estrobolome Regulation.

(Integration within BRS-X(Hormones))​

This PM operationalises the androgen-microbiome arm of BRS-X(Hormones-FM1), constrained by BRS5(KC1) — Fermentable Fibre Availability for fermentable substrate support.

6. Connected BRS-X(Hormones) Mechanisms​

6.1 Overarching Functional Mechanism​

6.2 Connected Primary Mechanisms​

7. Connected Mechanisms​

8. Dietary Levers​

8.1 Direct Dietary Levers​

  • Fermentable fibre ← oats, legumes, vegetables
  • Plant diversity and prebiotic whole foods ← varied vegetables, intact grains, legumes

8.2 Cofactors and Supporting Inputs​

  • fermentable fibre

8.3 KCs (Key Constraints)​

9. Lifestyle Levers​

Lifestyle
  • Sleep regularity and stress recovery may support gut ecological stability intersecting endocrine-microbiome coupling.
  • Antibiotic overuse and ultra-processed low-fibre patterns may disrupt microbial steroid-metabolising ecology.

10. References​

  1. Leao et al. (2025)