@chipdouglas 490 wrote:

What are the reasons for elevated progesterone in males ?

How does this affect sex drive ?

Thanks

Progesterone is produced in the adrenal glands (as part of the stress response where ACTH is produced) and in the testes (in response to LH, where it is a precursor for testosterone).

Progesterone in excess can be sedating, and thus can reduce norepinephrine significantly enough to impair sex drive in some men if norepinephrine isn’t in excess and isn’t itself causing sexual dysfunction.

When using Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG), steroid hormone production is stimulated in the testes, ultimately increasing testosterone production. But to create testosterone, progesterone is made first. This can result in excess progesterone production.

From Dr M

To examine the possible side effects of Progesterone, one has to look at Progesterone’s roles.

Progesterone is a precursor for testosterone, estradiol, cortisol, aldosterone, and allopregnenolone and allopregnanolone, etc.. Progesterone is broken down to Pregnanediol (inactive) after it is used.

Progesterone is the precursor for testosterone in the testes. Increasing testosterone production requires increasing production of progesterone, its precursor. HCG can increase progesterone production in men. If the increase in progesterone leads to an increase in testosterone, this can have good or bad effects. Bad effects include slowing down the adrenal glands when one already has adrenal fatigue, excessive acne or hair loss, etc.

Progesterone is a precursor for estradiol. Progesterone also increases the number of estrogen receptors. Either one can lead to signs of excessive estrogen signaling (e.g. gynecomastia, aggressiveness, fatigue (from lowered thyroid hormone in response to increased estrogen signaling), loss of libido, etc. even if Estradiol is controlled (since the signal is stronger when there are more estrogen receptors).

Progesterone is a precursor for Cortisol. In women, it is a good replacement for hydrocortisone (cortisol). Generally, this doesn’t lead to excessive Cortisol, since cortisol is made on demand.

Progesterone is a precursor for Aldosterone. This usually doesn’t lead to an excess in Aldosterone since Aldosterone has other controls – such as salt-balance.

Progesterone is a precursor for Allopregnenolone (both in brain and liver), and Allopregnanolone (in brain). Allopregnanolone is neuroprotective. This is how Progesterone can be useful in stroke – to reduce nervous system damage from a stroke. Allopregnenolone increases GABA receptor sensitivity to GABA. This is how Progesterone helps reduce norepinephrine signaling, how Progesterone can be sedating and anti-anxiety, and how Progesterone can be used as an antiseizure medication. Excessive allopregnenolone can cause excessive sleepiness, loss of libido (since libido also depends on adequate but not excessive norepinephrine signaling – which gives us sexual excitement), impaired concentration, fatigue (since norepinephrine also is a signal for energy on demand), etc.

Progesterone also reduces estradiol’s inhibitory effect on thyroid hormone. I speculate that this may involve reducing thyroid binding protein production. Thus, possibly this can lead to excess thyroid signaling for those sensitive to thyroid signaling – such as those with adrenal fatigue.

Progesterone also may reduce blood pressure. Dizziness may result from excess.

Progesterone is also a 5-alpha-reductase. This blocks testosterone to DHT conversion. Excessive progesterone may thus mean a reduction in body hair, acne, etc. – among other actions of DHT.

I suppose you mean a 24-hour Urine Steroid Hormone Profile from RheinLabs.com when you say “rhein’s test”.