SR-9009, an experimental drug sold in hundreds of online stores, is likely to increase testosterone levels. At least, that's what a Chinese in vitro study suggests. Perhaps a lifestyle with a healthy and old-fashioned day-night rhythm has a similar effect.
STUDY::
In 2021, researchers from Northwest A&F University in Yangling, China, published an in vitro study in Chemosphere. This post is based on part of this publication
Results
The researchers exposed Leydig cells - ie the cells in sex organs that produce testosterone - to SR-9009. As a result, the release of testosterone by the Leydig cells increased sharply. We do not know whether the concentration of SR-9009 used in these experiments can occur in the body of people using research chemicals containing SR-9009.
SR-9009 was found to act through the receptor protein NR1D1. That's the same as Rev/Erb-alpha. You can see the spatial structure of NR1D1 above.
If you like simplistic equations, Rev/Erb-alpha is a button with which the organism synchronizes the molecular clock of its cells. The better the day-night rhythm of your body, the greater the activity of Rev/Erb-alpha.
And vice versa.
Via NR1D1, SR-9009 increased the activity of StAR, Cyp11a1, Hsd-3-b2 and Hsd-17-b3 in the Leydig cells. These are enzymes that are involved in the conversion of cholesterol into testosterone.
Even more results
The researchers had actually studied how bisphenol-A, a plasticizer in plastic, reduces the release of testosterone at the cellular level. They discovered that bisphenol lowers NR1D1.
After discovering this, the researchers looked at whether SR-9009 could counteract the negative effect of bisphenol-A. And this, as you might have guessed, was indeed the case.
Conclusion
You can theorize based on this in vitro data that SR-9009 might be a testosterone booster. You might even speculate that SR-9009 is useful in a PCT protocol.
We ourselves are more charmed by another theory, which came to us spontaneously after reading the Chinese publication.
Source:
Chemosphere. 2021 Jan;263:128020.
