Articles on Progesterone

Despite being often seen as an exclusively female hormone, progesterone is important for men too

The main role of progesterone in the male body is counterbalancing the effects of estrogen. What’s unknown to most men is that progesterone also serves as testosterone’s precursor.

This feature becomes much more important as men reach the age of 40 because this is the time when testosterone levels start declining and estrogen becomes more dominant.

However, when estrogen stays elevated, progesterone levels drop—and when this happens, testosterone levels will also fall even more.

Since low progesterone levels limit the availability of testosterone, symptoms like hair loss, low libido, fatigue, weight gain, and gynecomastia (or man boobs) may manifest.

Depression, bone loss, impotence, erectile dysfunction, and muscle loss may also occur. Men with low progesterone levels are at risk of developing serious conditions like prostatitis and prostate cancer.

What are the benefits of progesterone for men’s health?

• Inhibits 5-alpha-reductase. This is the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT, a hormone that controls muscle growth, libido, and other male functions. The problem is that too much DHT can cause prostate enlargement and hair loss. Progesterone helps inhibit 5-alpha-reductase, thus reducing the probability of these male health issues.
• Manages noradrenaline. Progesterone helps in controlling or even reducing noradrenaline, a hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter in the body. Noradrenaline provides the necessary signal for spontaneous erections in males. When its levels get too high, however, this hormone can cause erection issues. Progesterone, then, may be used to treat erectile dysfunction.
• Improves sleep. Sleep is crucial for male health. Healthy sleep provides energy, improves mood, and enhances concentration and focus. Progesterone has been found to play a significant role in improving sleep quality. Some experts even believe this is the hormone’s main task in the human body. There’s also the possibility that this is due to testosterone’s role in keeping sleep disorders at bay. This partly explains why sleep disturbances are much more common among older men.
• Improves blood pressure. Hypertension can lead to a myriad of serious health issues, from erectile dysfunction to cardiovascular disease. Progesterone was previously thought to be hypertensive, meaning it could increase blood pressure, but recent studies reported otherwise. This hormone actually helps in regulating blood pressure in both men and women. This may also help in the treatment of erectile dysfunction since high blood pressure is one of its main causes.
• Increases bone density. Similar to estradiol, progesterone has the ability to increase bone density, an effect that may be beneficial for men suffering from osteoporosis or osteopenia (different levels of bone weakness). Those trying to improve their physique will also benefit from this effect. Maintaining the right levels of progesterone along with resistance training may accelerate improvements in bone density.
• Improves fertility. Progesterone has been found to cause “hyperactivation” of sperm cells which is essential for the fertilization of the female egg cell. This hormone, therefore, may boost male fertility.