Progesterone in Men

[Gman86]

what benefits have you noticed from magnesium?

It’s hard to say just because I’ve been taking it everyday for so long. I sleep really well, and I think it helps a lot with that. I had a girlfriend that needed trazodone to sleep. She had taken it for years. We were able to get her off of it just by giving her the liquid magnesium chloride I use. It’s called Remag. But probably any liquid magnesium chloride would have similar results. But I’m also the most chill, relaxed, go with the flow positive person u’ll ever meet, and I think the magnesium plays a pretty big role in that. Other than that I think it’s just doing a ton of stuff in the background that I don’t really notice. Magnesium is important for over 300+ processes of the body. And almost everyone is deficient. If I could recommend one vitamin or mineral for someone to take, it would absolutely be magnesium. Checkout Morley robbins or Carolyn dean’s work if u want to learn more about it

 

[SSHSSA74]

It’s hard to say just because I’ve been taking it everyday for so long. I sleep really well, and I think it helps a lot with that. I had a girlfriend that needed trazodone to sleep. She had taken it for years. We were able to get her off of it just by giving her the liquid magnesium chloride I use. It’s called Remag. But probably any liquid magnesium chloride would have similar results. But I’m also the most chill, relaxed, go with the flow positive person u’ll ever meet, and I think the magnesium plays a pretty big role in that. Other than that I think it’s just doing a ton of stuff in the background that I don’t really notice. Magnesium is important for over 300+ processes of the body. And almost everyone is deficient. If I could recommend one vitamin or mineral for someone to take, it would absolutely be magnesium. Checkout Morley robbins or Carolyn dean’s work if u want to learn more about it

thanks.

 

[Gianluca]

High progesterone levels are associated with family history of premature coronary artery disease in young healthy adult men


PLoS One. 2019 Apr 15;14(4):e0215302. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215302. eCollection 2019.

High progesterone levels are associated with family history of premature coronary artery disease in young healthy adult men.

Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS:
The offspring of patients with premature coronary artery disease (P-CAD) are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease, compared with subjects without a family history (FH) of P-CAD. The increased risk for cardiovascular disease in subjects with FH of early-onset CAD results from unfavorable genetic variants as well as social, behavioral and environmental factors, which are more prevalent in this group. Previous studies have shown that specific sex hormone levels may be associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to compare wide range of biochemical marker levels including i.e. the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), progesterone, estradiol, testosterone and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) between young healthy male adults with and without FH of P-CAD.

METHODS:
The study group consisted of young healthy Polish male adults enrolled in a MAGNETIC case-control study, who were recruited between July 2015 and October 2017. The inclusion criteria were as follows: male sex, age ≥18 and ≤35 years old, FH of P-CAD (cases) or no P-CAD in first-degree relatives (controls). The comparison of continuous and categorical variables was performed using the Student's t-test or the U-Mann-Whitney test, and Fisher's exact test, respectively. The correlations between FSH, LH, testosterone, progesterone, SHBG and other laboratory parameters were assessed using the Spearman rank correlation test. Both univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between analyzed variables and FH of P-CAD.

RESULTS:
A total of 411 subjects (223 cases and 188 controls) were included in the study. There was a higher prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors in subjects with FH of P-CAD (smoking, higher total and LDL cholesterol levels, higher body mass index and lower HDL cholesterol level). Moreover, the offspring of patients with P-CAD had lower SHBG level, and higher LH and progesterone levels in the crude comparison, compared with individuals without FH of P-CAD. After adjustment for confounding variables, progesterone and LH were determined to be independently associated with FH of P-CAD.

CONCLUSION:
Progesterone and LH levels are significantly associated with FH of P-CAD, independent of traditional risk factors for CAD.

@Gman86 I don't mean to be negative or anything, I just thought about you.

 

[Gianluca]

High Progesterone Levels in Men

Progesterone is a hormone in both men and women that is converted into testosterone and estrogen. According to MayoClinic.com, progesterone levels typically drop with age and affect testosterone production. At the same time, estrogen levels rise in older men, creating a hormone imbalance. Progesterone supplements often are used to treat hormone imbalances and to protect men against prostate cancer and other prostate-related conditions.


Effects

High progesterone levels in men cause an increase in estrogen production, which can lead to a number of problems. According to MayoClinic.com, excessive estrogen is linked to heart conditions, depression and fatigue. Higher estrogen levels can lead to an enlarged prostate. Other side effects of an increase in estrogen caused by high progesterone levels include prostate inflammation, urination difficulties and erectile dysfunction.

Features

Men produce approximately 5 to 15 mg of progesterone in their testicles each day, which in turn increases estrogen levels. In addition to the natural production process of the hormones, environmental factors and activity levels can increase the progesterone and estrogen levels, according to Health Fitness Australia. Increased exercise often lowers hormone levels and chemical exposure can affect hormonal balances. Household products that contain dioxin can enter the bloodstream and affect progesterone and other hormonal levels, according to the National Institute of Environmental Sciences. Dioxin commonly is used to manufacture plastics, cleaning products and lubricants.

Considerations

Progesterone often is prescribed for men to treat infertility and prostate conditions. The hormone is available in natural and synthetic forms, each of which carries various side effects, according to the National Institutes on Aging. Hormone replacement drugs for men usually are prescribed in pill or cream form and should not exceed 6 to 10 mg per day. Excessive amounts of the replacement hormone can cause lethargy and fatigue. Men who take progesterone replacement drugs often experience joint pain, glucose intolerance and swelling.

Other Potential Effects

Untreated, other complications can occur if progesterone levels continue to rise. Men with an increased level of estrogen in their bodies tend to develop additional fat around the abdomen, which has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease. They may experience a decrease in facial hair growth and an increase in fatty deposits in their breasts.

[Benefits

Natural increases in progesterone levels in men also can produce positive benefits as noted by researchers at the University of Michigan. Since progesterone reduces anxiety levels in men and can help to create an environment for attentive lovers as testosterone also rises. Watching a romantic movie with a partner can raise progesterone levels in men as much as 10 percent and coupled with the reduced tension, makes them calmer and more available to meet their partner's needs as well as their own.

High Progesterone Levels in Men

I find conflicting data on the daily production of Progesterone in men. The above study shows 5 to 15mg, which seems allot to me, the study below shows 1.5 to 3mg daily

Progesterone - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

www.sciencedirect.com

"

Hormone Replacement in Men​

Alicia Stanton MD, in Integrative Medicine (Third Edition), 2012

Progesterone​

Progesterone has not been as thoroughly studied in men as it has in women. Progesterone is the third hormone in the cascade starting from cholesterol and is the precursor to cortisol, testosterone, and estrogen. In healthy men, progesterone production is approximately 1.5 to 3 mg per day, and the hormone is produced almost entirely by the adrenal glands. As men age, progesterone production decreases.138 However, it does not decline as rapidly as DHEA or pregnenolone. Progesterone helps reduce the level of estradiol in the blood by increasing the conversion of estradiol and estrone, which is 10 to 12 times less active than estradiol.139 Therefore, progesterone deficiency can be seen in diseases that are associated with estrogen excess such as gynecomastia, ischemic heart disease, BPH, and, possibly, prostate cancer.140
Progesterone is also known to reduce the level of DHT in the blood and the prostate by competing for the 5-alpha-reductase enzymes where it is converted into 5-alpha-dihydroprogesterone. This, in turn, limits the ability of 5-alpha-reductase to turn testosterone into DHT.141 Progesterone also has a calming effect on the body. When it is given orally, its metabolites, pregnenolone and allo-pregnenolone, increase relaxation by stimulating the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors. Progesterone has been used in men to help reduce insomnia.142"

 

[of574]

I find conflicting data on the daily production of Progesterone in men. The above study shows 5 to 15mg, which seems allot to me, the study below shows 1.5 to 3mg daily

Progesterone - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

www.sciencedirect.com

Progesterone is an intermediate product on the way from cholesterol to cortisol as well as aldosterone. Much of the progesterone produced within the adrenals never enters systemic circulation but is converted into other said hormones within the organ. Some of it however enters circulation.
That's my layman's understanding. It could explain the different rates for daily production.

 

[Gman86]

@Gman86 I don't mean to be negative or anything, I just thought about you.

Thanks for thinking of me at least lol. Not too worried tho. Obv hoping to get prog down to my baseline levels soon. Which have always been around 0.3-0.8 on HRT. They might already be there. Haven’t tested prog in a few months

Plus, my gut tells me that what’s causing the persons prog levels to be naturally high is more likely to be the issue, than the higher prog levels themselves. To be worried about high prog levels causing this issues I’d have to see a study following a bunch of men, on very simialr diets, similar ages, similar comorbidity risks, and similar natural prog levels, and then take half and administer enough exogenous prog to get them into the range that this study felt were putting the subjects at higher risk for premature coronary artery disease. And then leave the other half of men alone and not administer any exogenous prog. And then see if the higher prog group did infact end up having a higher tendency to get premature coronary artery disease, or coronary artery disease in general

It’s interesting the way they phrase it tho. “Higher prog levels are associated with a FAMILY HISTORY of premature coronary artery disease in young men” Does that mean that these young men with higher prog levels were getting premature coronary artery disease at a higher rate, or that these men with higher prog levels just had family members that tended to get premature coronary artery disease at a higher rate than the average young adult male?

 

[FunkOdyssey]

I injected a physiologic dose of 1 - 1.5 mg progesterone last night and felt... nothing. Nothing at all. Oura ring showed no effect on any aspect of sleep architecture, duration, HRV, etc either. This in contrast to topical progesterone, which has a strong drug-like sedative effect and felt like taking a benzodiazepine, presumably due to an unnatural degree of conversion into allopregnanolone.

Do you guys that inject progesterone do it because you are sold on the idea of keeping every hormone in its normal range or do you realize any concrete benefit from it?

If the two options are 1) inject progesterone to reach a normal physiological value with no discernable effect or 2) use topical progesterone to hit yourself over the head with sedation then I'm starting to understand why 99.9% of men on TRT do not bother with this.

 

[Gman86]

I injected a physiologic dose of 1 - 1.5 mg progesterone last night and felt... nothing. Nothing at all. Oura ring showed no effect on any aspect of sleep architecture, duration, HRV, etc either. This in contrast to topical progesterone, which has a strong drug-like sedative effect and felt like taking a benzodiazepine, presumably due to an unnatural degree of conversion into allopregnanolone.

Do you guys that inject progesterone do it because you are sold on the idea of keeping every hormone in its normal range or do you realize any concrete benefit from it?

If the two options are 1) inject progesterone to reach a normal physiological value with no discernable effect or 2) use topical progesterone to hit yourself over the head with sedation then I'm starting to understand why 99.9% of men on TRT do not bother with this.

Probably takes a week to fully build up in ur system. I would give it a little more time. At least a couple weeks

with hormones it’s tough because the goal is just to feel and function normally, no highs or lows really. It’s almost like u want everything hormone wise to just be working in the background without u even noticing what’s doing what. But that makes it very difficult to know whether something is doing what it’s suppose to be doing. But u just don’t want to overdo it with prog. The range is very tight for a reason. So I would take it slow and continue injecting this dose for a couple weeks, and then assess whether it’s something that’s worth continuing to take or not

 

[Bmac]

I injected a physiologic dose of 1 - 1.5 mg progesterone last night and felt... nothing. Nothing at all. Oura ring showed no effect on any aspect of sleep architecture, duration, HRV, etc either. This in contrast to topical progesterone, which has a strong drug-like sedative effect and felt like taking a benzodiazepine, presumably due to an unnatural degree of conversion into allopregnanolone.

Do you guys that inject progesterone do it because you are sold on the idea of keeping every hormone in its normal range or do you realize any concrete benefit from it?

If the two options are 1) inject progesterone to reach a normal physiological value with no discernable effect or 2) use topical progesterone to hit yourself over the head with sedation then I'm starting to understand why 99.9% of men on TRT do not bother with this.

Are you still off trt? Would be interesting to see how progesterone affects your blood levels of other hormones, assuming that you continue with the prog.

 

[FunkOdyssey]

Are you still off trt? Would be interesting to see how progesterone affects your blood levels of other hormones, assuming that you continue with the prog.

I'm back on TRT, 40 mg TE EOD and feeling great on that so far. As it did nothing observable, I will not be messing with injected progesterone again anytime soon and will just settle into the TRT protocol alone.

I would not have even entertained supplementing progesterone if I were not on TRT.

 

[Gianluca]

I injected a physiologic dose of 1 - 1.5 mg progesterone last night and felt... nothing. Nothing at all. Oura ring showed no effect on any aspect of sleep architecture, duration, HRV, etc either. This in contrast to topical progesterone, which has a strong drug-like sedative effect and felt like taking a benzodiazepine, presumably due to an unnatural degree of conversion into allopregnanolone.

Do you guys that inject progesterone do it because you are sold on the idea of keeping every hormone in its normal range or do you realize any concrete benefit from it?

If the two options are 1) inject progesterone to reach a normal physiological value with no discernable effect or 2) use topical progesterone to hit yourself over the head with sedation then I'm starting to understand why 99.9% of men on TRT do not bother with this.

give it two weeks, then pull some labs as well. I could notice I believe after a week, more sex drive, better erections and libido, sleeping better and feeling calmer. I also noticed my skin cleared up a bit, especially the acne on my back.

I started with 1.5 mg, I'm pulling some lab next week to see where my Progest is.

Progesterone is an important hormone, even if you don't experience any particular benefits, it may be a good idea to keep it at a normal or good level.

 

[Cataceous]

...
Do you guys that inject progesterone do it because you are sold on the idea of keeping every hormone in its normal range or do you realize any concrete benefit from it?
...

I'm sold on the idea of needing a proper balance of hormones. Androgens, estrogens and progestogens have this complex interplay that is far from fully understood. I certainly encourage experimentation with exogenous progesterone when serum levels are low, but I wouldn't push too hard for others to continue with this in the absence of tangible benefits. Nonetheless, I personally would continue even if I didn't believe that supplementation aids my mood and sleep. There are potential benefits that are not immediately obvious. For example, "These findings suggest that progesterone, like estrogen, also has beneficial effects on the skin, and may be independently protective against skin aging."[R]

 

[Vince]

I'm sold on the idea of needing a proper balance of hormones. Androgens, estrogens and progestogens have this complex interplay that is far from fully understood. I certainly encourage experimentation with exogenous progesterone when serum levels are low, but I wouldn't push too hard for others to continue with this in the absence of tangible benefits. Nonetheless, I personally would continue even if I didn't believe that supplementation aids my mood and sleep. There are potential benefits that are not immediately obvious. For example, "These findings suggest that progesterone, like estrogen, also has beneficial effects on the skin, and may be independently protective against skin aging."[R]

Estrogen helps to stimulate collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid production that helps the skin to stay plump and firm. Progesterone stimulates the production of sebum or the oil glands in the skin. It can cause the skin to swell, and compress the look of pores. Too much of it, however, can lead to oil build up.

From Acne to Dryness: How Your Hormones Affect Your Skin

Fluctuating hormones can cause skin concerns during your period, pregnancy, and menopause. Learn what to expect and how to properly prepare and treat them.

axiawh.com

 

[Seagal]

I'm sold on the idea of needing a proper balance of hormones. Androgens, estrogens and progestogens have this complex interplay that is far from fully understood. I certainly encourage experimentation with exogenous progesterone when serum levels are low, but I wouldn't push too hard for others to continue with this in the absence of tangible benefits. Nonetheless, I personally would continue even if I didn't believe that supplementation aids my mood and sleep. There are potential benefits that are not immediately obvious. For example, "These findings suggest that progesterone, like estrogen, also has beneficial effects on the skin, and may be independently protective against skin aging."[R]

"balance of hormones into normal range" that's it, imho
I posted before about estrogen dominance....
I thought I could add pregnenolone (couldn't get progesterone) to reduce estrogen symptoms. Didn't work for me. Progesterone was already in mid normal range. Low dose anastrozole works for me. I feel a moderate mental boost when I take dhea.

Took both oral, pregnenolone and dhea, thus this should make them preg-s dhea-s and act as neurosteroids.

 

[Vince]

I wonder if you increase progesterone will a increase in estrogen follow?

 

[Seagal]

I wonder if you increase progesterone will a increase in estrogen follow?

Yeah, that's a limit of balancing that can be achieved by adding something, cannot reprogram (unfortunately) the internal metabolism preference. At that point it seems we have to inhibit/block enzymes.

 

[Gman86]

I wonder if you increase progesterone will an increase in estrogen follow?

Prog has E2 and DHT inhibiting properties, hence why women have to focus so much on their estrogen to progesterone balance. They balance eachother out. So I highly doubt that an increase in prog would lead to an increase in estrogen. Seems like a lot of hormones balance eachother out. DHEA and cortisol have an inverse relationship. And DHT has been known to have estrogen inhibiting properties, for a few examples

 

[Vince]

Prog has E2 and DHT inhibiting properties, hence why women have to focus so much on their estrogen to progesterone balance. They balance eachother out. So I highly doubt that an increase in prog would lead to an increase in estrogen. Seems like a lot of hormones balance eachother out. DHEA and cortisol have an inverse relationship. And DHT has been known to have estrogen inhibiting properties, for a few examples

Like estrogen, progesterone has far-ranging effects on male, female, and intersex bodies. In males, an increase in progesterone typically leads to an increase in the body's estrogen levels. Besides playing a role in sexual development, research suggests progesterone is necessary for: maintaining fat

Estrogen vs Progesterone: What's the Difference?

Let's look at the similarities and differences in how estrogen and progesterone are used in menopause treatment, birth control, and gender-affirming care.

www.healthline.com

 

[Gman86]

Like estrogen, progesterone has far-ranging effects on male, female, and intersex bodies. In males, an increase in progesterone typically leads to an increase in the body's estrogen levels. Besides playing a role in sexual development, research suggests progesterone is necessary for: maintaining fat

Estrogen vs Progesterone: What's the Difference?

Let's look at the similarities and differences in how estrogen and progesterone are used in menopause treatment, birth control, and gender-affirming care.

www.healthline.com

Ya it’s tough to honestly say whether prog increases or decreases estrogen in males, or has a neutral effect, or maybe has a an adaptogen like effect. Just can’t find any studies, or info really, on the effects prog has in the male body on estrogen

this article kind of says that they have an inverse relationship, but it’s in women

I have heard that progestins, like nandrolone, sensitize estrogen receptors, but haven’t heard of progestins increasing estrogen at all. So I honestly have no idea whether prog increases or decreases estrogen. I might be able to look back on my bloodwork when I was injecting exogenous prog tho. I do know my dht kept coming back much lower than usual on exogenous prog. But I was also taking a small dose of sublingual Oxandrolone preworkout 3x/ week during that time, and not sure if DHT derivatives can lower actual DHT in our serum or not. If they can’t, the lowish DHT was 100% due to the exogenous prog that I was taking

 

[Vince]

Ya it’s tough to honestly say whether prog increases or decreases estrogen in males, or has a neutral effect, or maybe has a an adaptogen like effect. Just can’t find any studies, or info really, on the effects prog has in the male body on estrogen

this article kind of says that they have an inverse relationship, but it’s in women

I have heard that progestins, like nandrolone, sensitize estrogen receptors, but haven’t heard of progestins increasing estrogen at all. So I honestly have no idea whether prog increases or decreases estrogen. I might be able to look back on my bloodwork when I was injecting exogenous prog tho. I do know my dht kept coming back much lower than usual on exogenous prog. But I was also taking a small dose of sublingual Oxandrolone preworkout 3x/ week during that time, and not sure if DHT derivatives can lower actual DHT in our serum or not. If they can’t, the lowish DHT was 100% due to the exogenous prog that I was taking

It's the high levels that causes the issues. Like increased estrogen.