Saturday, August 22, 2015

Is Progesterone Cream / Treatment Worth it For Men?

Progesterone is a steroid hormone found in both men and women; it interacts with Sigma2 Receptors and is thus considered a "neurosteroid'(1) (2).
Some sites are promoting the hormone treatment to be nearly a panacea for men - but this is largely 'pseudoscience' looking to promote their their products.

This does not mean however, that progesterone isn't needed in men nor does it infer uselessness. The problem is however - that the dosages are often given by product manufacturer's as a general guideline..but many times not taking into account that progesterone is one of the most variable and sometimes unpredictable hormones - and without taking genetics into consideration..progesterone can cause more harm than good.

One such example which highlights the irony of the promotional behavior behind progesterone; is the claim that it can protect men from estrogen dominance...
While in small amounts it can indeed help with this, it is again, based on the individual and should not be assessed based on hormone values alone. Furthermore, too much progesterone causes estrogen dominance in men , in part by inhibiting DHT production(3) and by affecting the thyroid(4).

Progesterone also has anti-gonadotrophic effects; essentially this means it can reduce your natural production of all sex hormones - this seems to occur by antagonizing N-type calcium currents(5) (6).


Because N-type calcium currents increase the excitability of neurotransmitters located directly on the gonadotropic neuronal networks - they are essential to initial and continuing sex hormone production.

 N-type calcium channels are also necessary for the production of nitric oxide - a powerful neurotransmitter which helps to regulate oxygen delivery and nutrient availability. N-type calcium currents are therefore necessary for all aspects of male sexual function; primarily in arousal / erection and also empowering the libido(sexual desire)(7) (8).

Taking the above into account infers that progesterone can actually decrease general well-being, sexual function and presumably; workout pumps as well(9).

This has been mentioned and reported several times in men using progesterone or like compounds...deleterious effects on mood have been noted as well(10)(11).



       PROGESTERONE AND GYNO (Male Breast Growth)



Progesterone has been seen in some cases - to cause gynecomastia instead of alleviating it. Progesterone therefore is not recommended nor have 'stable' studies been performed justifying progesterone's purported anti-gyno effects(12) (13).

                                     OTHER NOTES
Progesterone can reduce the effects of stimulants and thus, theoretically can reduce the ability of such compounds to incur fat loss. High progesterone in men is associated with increased risk of Diabetes and other metabolic disorders! (14)

Progesterone may also increase the risk of gingivitus and other gum diseases - great care should be taken in those using any form of progesterone cream or product(15).

One final note - it has been implied both in  scientific and presumptuous contexts - that high progesterone in men may lead to an increased proclivity to same sex relations and thus contribute to the idiopathic or non-idiopathic development of psychiatric-physiological homosexuality(16).

 Taking all of the above into consideration - I do not recommend any form of progesterone treatment in men unless it is absolutely sure that there is a deficiency in the hormone, moreover multiple blood tests should be performed and the basis for using progesterone in men should not be determined by single-incident blood reports.

Overall, andractim is a much safer alternative to treat gynecomastia in men. It has not been shown to cause any significant side-effects and can boost quality of life more than almost any other hormone therapy(17) (18) (19).
Click the image below to learn more about dihydrotestosterone gel VS progesterone for gyno treatment. It also includes a store link where it may be purchased. ;)


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