What does antiandrogen mean?
An antiandrogen is any substance — most commonly a pharmaceutical drug — that reduces the effects of androgens, the group of male sex hormones that includes testosterone. It works either by blocking androgens from binding to their receptors on cells or by suppressing the body's production of these hormones. Because androgens drive the growth of certain tissues and cancers, antiandrogens play an important role in treating prostate cancer, where they help slow tumor growth. They are also prescribed for conditions linked to excess androgen activity, such as severe acne, unwanted facial hair (hirsutism), and pattern hair loss, and they form part of gender-affirming hormone therapy. The term is technical, appearing chiefly in medical literature and clinical settings rather than casual speech. Familiarity with it is useful for anyone navigating discussions of hormonal treatments, since it names one of the principal tools medicine uses to modulate the body's hormonal signaling.
nounA substance, typically a drug, that blocks the effects of androgens (male sex hormones such as testosterone) by interfering with their production or preventing them from binding to their receptors. Antiandrogens are used to treat conditions including prostate cancer, hirsutism, acne, and as part of hormone therapy.
- Any drug or substance that inhibits the biological effects of androgens (male sex hormones), used in medicine to treat conditions such as prostate cancer, hirsutism, acne, and in gender-affirming hormone therapy.
"The oncologist prescribed an antiandrogen alongside the standard therapy to slow the progression of the prostate cancer."
"Spironolactone acts as an antiandrogen and is often prescribed for hormonal acne in women."
"Combining an antiandrogen with other therapies improved outcomes for patients with advanced prostate cancer."
Standard plural form; used when referring to multiple drugs or agents of this class.
"Several antiandrogens are available for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer."
Antiandrogens can literally turn off testosterone's signal at the cellular level — which is why they're used everywhere from prostate cancer wards to gender-affirming care.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of antiandrogen
The word antiandrogen is formed from the Greek-derived prefix 'anti-' meaning 'against' or 'opposing', combined with 'androgen', itself built from Greek roots: 'anēr' (genitive 'andros'), meaning 'man', and 'genēs', meaning 'born' or 'producing'. Androgen thus literally means 'that which produces masculine characteristics'. The compound term arose in twentieth-century medical science, when researchers identified substances capable of counteracting these hormones. It shares its underlying roots with related terms such as 'androgen', 'androgynous', and 'android'.
How antiandrogen is actually used
Antiandrogen is a technical term used mainly in medical, pharmacological, and endocrinological contexts; it is uncommon in everyday conversation. It is a countable noun, and specific drugs with antiandrogenic properties are usually referred to by name (e.g., flutamide, bicalutamide, spironolactone).
Easily confused with antiandrogen
An androgen is a male sex hormone itself, whereas an antiandrogen is a substance that blocks or counteracts the action of those hormones.
Estrogen is the primary female sex hormone; antiandrogens block male hormones rather than supplying female ones.