Why progesterone?
Progesterone may play a role in modulating insulin sensitivity.
Progesterone is often overlooked as a male hormone, despite the fact that both men and women produce it — just in different quantities. Similarly, both sexes produce estrogen. The key difference lies in the relative balance, not in the presence or absence of these hormones. I prescribe progesterone for most of my male patients over 50 for several reasons. As men get older, their levels of progesterone decrease, becoming almost non-existent around the age of 50. This is about the same age men start putting on their “middle-aged paunch.” Could there be a connection?
The answer is most definitely yes. And the reason? Progesterone is the number one hormone for lowering insulin levels, the hormone that creates fat right around the mid-section. This is also the time of life when men may experience fatigue between 3 and 4 in the afternoon or get sleepy while driving and after eating – the classic times for tiredness related to overproduction of insulin. When insulin goes up, blood sugar goes down.
A brain deprived of sugar gets sleepy. The number one cause of people falling asleep while driving is hypoglycemia. The number one cause of hypoglycemia is too much insulin.
Some theories suggest that low progesterone might contribute to insulin dysregulation. One of the first benefits people experience after starting progesterone is that they no longer get sleepy in the afternoon, after eating, or while driving.
Another reason some experts consider progesterone supplementation for men over 50 is its potential role in supporting prostate health. While conclusive studies are lacking, it is known that as men enter andropause, progesterone levels decline and estrogen levels may rise — a shift that coincides with the age-related increase in prostate issues. Although more research is needed, some researchers hypothesize that excess estrogen could influence the development of hormone-sensitive cancers in men, including prostate or colon cancer.
Other benefits of progesterone in men include preventing Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, and coronary artery spasm, along with the reversal of depression and elimination of asthma.
