Urinary Bacteria Found to Produce Testosterone, Raising New Questions for Prostate Cancer
Researchers have discovered that a bacterium found in the human urinary tract, Actinobaculum massiliense, can convert the steroid precursor DHEA into testosterone. This finding, published in Nature Communications, reveals a previously unknown microbial route to androgen production. While the study does not prove that this bacterial activity causes prostate cancer or affects disease progression, it suggests that the urinary microbiome may influence the hormonal environment near the prostate. The research utilized computational simulations to explain how specific bacterial enzymes facilitate this chemical transformation.