BRS-X-Hormones-1-6 - Androgen-Microbiome Regulation
1. Mission & Overview
Mission
Shape systemic androgen exposure through microbiome-mediated androgen metabolism and recycling.
Intervention Dominance: Diet-Supported — No principal intervention route established
The inherited intervention qualification is not confirmed by a mission-specific dietary/practice effect in this assessment.
Overview
The gut microbiota can alter androgens within intestinal contents by releasing hormones from conjugated forms. Mouse comparisons and human stool measurements support this local metabolic job. They do not establish how much hormone returns to circulation or changes neural androgen signalling. The relationship also runs in the other direction: hormone exposures can change microbial communities. Keeping these directions separate prevents a generic fibre or microbiome intervention from being treated as an established way to regulate systemic androgen availability. Leao et al. (2025) [1]; Colldén et al. (2019) [2]
- Biological Relevance: Microbiota enabled distal intestinal androgen deconjugation; local free DHT was high. Colldén et al. (2019) [2]
2. Primary Biological Effects
- Microbiota enabled distal intestinal androgen deconjugation; local free DHT was high. Colldén et al. (2019) [2]
- Hormone exposures changed microbial community and metabolic measurements. Leao et al. (2025) [1]
3. Levers
No Direct or Derived Dietary Requirement is currently established.
- Androgen glucuronides
No mapping established.
No evidence-qualified System Optimisation Practice is currently established.
No evidence-qualified Lifestyle Lever is currently established.
4. Mechanistic Basis
Summary
Microbiota enabled distal intestinal androgen deconjugation; local free DHT was high. Colldén et al. (2019) [2]
Mechanism boundary: The local-to-circulating androgen link and exposure-specific microbial control remain unresolved; reverse-direction hormone experiments do not close that gap.
4.1 Scientific Findings (2)
Scientific Findings and their source assessments are available in Evidence & Audit.
5. BRS Pathways and Connections
5.1 BRS Pathways
- None listed
5.2 Cross-BRS Mechanism Relationships
Primary Mechanisms in other Biological Regulatory Systems that directly interact with, constrain or support this mechanism.
- BRS-X(Hormones-FM1) — Reproductive Hormone Balance & Neurocognitive Regulation — Parent integration combines these child processes without establishing a new nutrient or outcome claim.
- BRS-X(Hormones-PM2) — Estrobolome Regulation — Assesses microbial estrogen deconjugation; systemic recycling requires its own endpoint evidence.
- BRS-X(Hormones-PM5) — Testosterone Signalling Stability — Assesses androgen ligand supply and receptor context; intestinal steroid conversion is a separate process.
- BRS1(FM1) — Monoaminergic Function — Candidate contextual connection retained for review; an exposure-specific resource or signalling relationship is not yet characterised.
- BRS5-FM2-PM5 — SCFA Production & Signalling — Candidate contextual connection retained for review; an exposure-specific resource or signalling relationship is not yet characterised.
- BRS5(FM1) — Gut Barrier Integrity & Immune Interface — Candidate contextual connection retained for review; an exposure-specific resource or signalling relationship is not yet characterised.
- BRS6(FM1) — Glycaemic–Insulin Stability & Cognitive Energy Availability — Insulin availability provides metabolic context for steroid synthesis; a clinical response requires the population-specific evidence retained here.
5.3 Local BRS Mechanism Relationships
Related Primary Mechanisms within the same Biological Regulatory System that collectively support the integrated biological function.
- BRS-X(Hormones-PM5) — Testosterone Signalling Stability — Assesses androgen ligand supply and receptor context; intestinal steroid conversion is a separate process.
- BRS-X(Hormones-PM2) — Estrobolome Regulation — Assesses microbial estrogen deconjugation; systemic recycling requires its own endpoint evidence.
Phenome assessment boundary: Existing ratings and their original source records are retained pending outcome reassessment. The new mechanism and lever Findings do not validate or raise those ratings.
7. Phenome Connections
These mappings are translational relationships, not single-mechanism outcome claims. Phenomes are emergent functional patterns supported by multiple interacting PMs across the BRAIN Framework.
Each Phenome relationship has two independent ratings. They are not combined or averaged.
Biology → Phenome Relationship Strength
How direct and important is this biological mechanism expected to be to the Phenome within the BRAIN model?
Evidence Confidence
How strongly does the adjudicated evidence support this particular biology → Phenome relationship?
- Biology → Phenome Relationship Strength: Low
- Evidence Confidence: Low
- Rationale: Microbial androgen metabolism may influence systemic androgen availability and indirectly influence motivation-related phenomes.
- Biology → Phenome Relationship Strength: Low
- Evidence Confidence: Low
- Rationale: Microbial androgen metabolism may influence systemic androgen exposure relevant to energy and stamina context; direct ADHD evidence remains limited.
- Biology → Phenome Relationship Strength: Low
- Evidence Confidence: Low
- Rationale: Microbiome-androgen interactions may influence endocrine states relevant to mood and behavioural regulation, but direct ADHD evidence is currently limited.
8. References
- [1] Leao et al. (2025) — Effects of Sex Hormones and Psychotropic Drugs
- [2] Colldén et al. (2019) — The gut microbiota is a major regulator of androgen metabolism in intestinal contents
No validated structured conversion route is currently projected for this PM. This does not remove or reclassify its existing dietary inputs.
Mapping state: no-currently-resolved-admission.