Epi-Testosterone, Urine Creatinine Ratio Unit Converter

Epi-testosterone (17α-testosterone) is a naturally occurring steroid hormone and an epimer of testosterone. It differs from testosterone only in the orientation of a single chemical bond at carbon-17.

Unlike testosterone, epi-testosterone does not have muscle-building (anabolic) properties. Instead, it acts as a weak blocker of the androgen receptor and a potent inhibitor of the enzyme 5α-reductase, which converts testosterone into its more active form, DHT.

This urine test measures epi-testosterone levels corrected for creatinine concentration, which accounts for differences in urine dilution. Epi-testosterone is commonly evaluated alongside testosterone to assess hormonal balance and to help verify the accuracy of urinary testosterone measurements.

In men, roughly half of epi-testosterone is produced by the testes, with the remainder coming from the adrenal glands and peripheral tissues. In women, it is produced primarily by the adrenal glands and ovaries. It is derived from pregnenolone through the delta-5 steroid pathway, with the enzyme 17α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17α-HSD) catalyzing its formation from precursors such as androstenedione and DHEA.