11keto DHT would be good rightIncreasing 5-AR activity has received a lot of interest lately due to its therapeutic effects on mood disorders as well as issues with excess cortisol (5-AR deactivates cortisol). Unfortunately, the official story is that there are no freely available compounds that can stimulate 5-AR activity. That is not true.
It is not well-known, but DHEA stimulates 5-AR activity. However, it is well-known that DHT and T enhance 5-AR activity and I posted a study showing that DHT stimulates its own synthesis via that effect. This study looked at a number of different androgens and their effects on 5-AR activity in prostate. The most potent stimulator was 5a-androstanediol - a bi-directional metabolite of both DHT and androsterone. Next in line were DHT, and androsterone = testosterone = androstenedione. See attached imaged for more info.
http://press.endocrine.org/doi/10.1210/endo-93-3-581?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub=pubmed
http://press.endocrine.org/doi/pdf/10.1210/endo-93-3-581