How to Take Estrogen & Progesterone for Men

A healthy hormone balance is critical for both men and women, especially since our hormone levels change as we age. The sex hormones can have sweeping effects on general health, from gender characteristics to bone health, to the risks and treatment of certain cancers. While testosterone is the dominant male sex hormone, men also produce estrogen and progesterone in smaller amounts, and when the balance between these three hormones is off, the results can include breast development, osteoporosis and, most distressingly, enlarged prostate or even prostate cancer. Often, the culprit is a condition called estrogen dominance. Fortunately, there are things men can do to help restore the natural balance of sex hormones.

Things You'll Need

• Endocrinologist
• Progesterone cream
• Testosterone cream
• Antioxidants vitamins A, C, D, E, K and selenium
• Notebook and pen

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Instructions

• 1

  Avoid excess intake of estrogen while supporting healthy testosterone and progesterone levels. Eat hormone-free meats and dairy products. Avoid sugars, refined starches, and other glycemic foods. Supplement your diet with the antioxidants vitamins A, C, D, E, K and selenium.

• 2

  Avoid synthetic chemicals. Buy organic produce grown without synthetic fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides. Use condoms without spermicide instead of hormone-releasing birth control like the Pill or certain types of intrauterine devices (IUDs). Use simple soaps and detergents; they have fewer chemicals that may contain xenoestrogens (foreign estrogens). Use glass or ceramics for storage instead of plastic. Avoid the use of pesticides and herbicides in your own garden. All of these things can contain xenoestrogens that bind to estrogen receptors in your cells and cause estrogen-like effects throughout your body.

• 3

  Have your endocrinologist monitor your saliva (not blood) hormone levels of progesterone and testosterone. Use progesterone and testosterone skin creams (available in health food stores or from compounding pharmacists) to maintain saliva levels consistent with that of healthy mature males. Dr. John Lee, the endocrinologist who described estrogen dominance in the 1980s, recommended 8 to 10 mg per day of progesterone and 1 to 2 mg per day of testosterone.

• 4

  Do not take estrogen supplements unless prescribed by a doctor. Some men illegally use estrogen for the brief spike in libido and energy level it allegedly delivers (this seems to be particularly of interest to the body-building community), but estrogen should really only be used by men with breast or prostate cancer. Even in male-to-female transsexuals, estrogen therapy includes careful monitoring of bone and prostate health, among other factors.

• 5

  Keep a diary of how you feel each day once you begin using any hormone replacement program. Note any changes you experience, whether they relate to your energy level, libido, moods, or traditional sex characteristics like voice timbre, facial and body hair, or breast or hip shape. Your endocrinologist will need all this information to adjust your dosages and determine whether further testing is needed.