II. General
- Unbound Testosterone increases with androgenicity
III. Characteristics
- Conditions associated with high Androgenic Activity
- Acne Vulgaris
- Hirsutism
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
- Obesity (or weight gain)
- Nervousness
- Lowered HDL-2
- Conditions associated with low Androgenic Activity
- Decreased libido
IV. Progestins with most potent Androgenic Activity
- Methyltestosterone (50): Upper limit reference
- Gestodene (8.6)
- Levonorgestrel (8.3)
- dl-Norgestrel (4.2)
- Desogestrel (3.4)
V. Progestins with least Androgenic Activity
- Pregnane Progestin (0)
- Norethynodrel (0)
- Ethynodiol Diacetate (0.6)
- Norethindrone (1.0): Lower limit reference
VI. Oral Contraceptive Androgenic Activity (low to high)
- Andogen activity based on Methytestosterone mg/28 days
- Ortho Tri-Cyclen (Norgestimate): 0.15
- Ortho-Cept or Desogen (Desogestrel): 0.17
- Modicon (Norethindrone): 0.17
- Ortho-Cyclen (Norgestimate): 0.18
- Demulen 1/35 (Ethynodiol Diacetate): 0.21
- Ortho-Novum 777 (Norethindrone): 0.25
- Triphasil (Levonorgestrel): 0.29
- Alesse (Levonorgestrel): 0.31
- Ortho-Novum 1/35 (Norethindrone): 0.34
- Nordette (Levonorgestrel): 0.46
- Lo-Ovral (Norgestrel): 0.46
- Estrostep (Norethindrone Acetate): 0.53
- Loestrin 1/20 (Norethindrone Acetate): 0.53
- Loestrin 1.5/30 (Norethindrone Acetate): 0.80
VII. References
- Cerel-Suhl (1999) Am Fam Physician 60(7):2073 [PubMed]
- Speroff (1993) Obstet Gynecol 81:1034-47 [PubMed]
- Dickey (1998) Managing Contraceptive Pill Patients