In order to better understand the results of a previous study on the metabolism of 3-keto-1,4-androstadienes, the excretion of urinary metabolites in healthy subjects after oral administration of 5β-androst-1-ene-3,17-dione (I), 17β-hydroxy-5β-androst-1-en-3-one (II), 3α-hydroxy-5β-androst-1-ene-17-one (III) and 5β-androst-1-ene-3α,17β-diol(IV) have been investigated. The main features of the metabolism of these compounds were the large survival of C 1-C 2 double bond in the metabolites, reduction to etiocholanolone being relatively important only after IV, and the significant excretion of 17β-hydroxysteroids, chiefly after I and II.