Progesterone Dose for Men

[newuser]

Have you tried oral capsules?

Never tried oral capsules but read that oral progesterone has the most metabolites created in liver thus the most side effects.

 

[Gman86]

For those applying progesterone cream scrotally, do you apply once a day or twice a day? I have read sites that state to apply twice a day, but it appears that most apply once a day before bed. I have read conflicting info on half-life of the cream, 30-40 hours and there is a site stating 12-13 hours. What has your doctor told you? Thanks.

Also, do those applying progesterone cream also take HCG? Will HCG raise progesterone? Thanks

HCG has raised prog for me in the past, but recently it hasn’t raised prog level one bit. And it seems for most guys HCG doesn’t raise prog levels. But it definitely has the ability to

 

[Omi7276]

That's what I'm thinking. That I didn't feel the benefits from its effects on dht and e2. I didn't get blood work to confirm it. I recently tried coming off trt using prog only but I wussed out. I just don't recover from workouts when I'm off trt and I got super in my head about it. I'm always looking for ways to get off trt because I worry about the long term sides of htpa shutdown. But I'm also thinking about adding prog to my trt since I haven't had bad results with prog. That combo might actually really help. But I'm going to see what ldn does first. I'm a chronic pain sufferer and nothing I've tried so far seems to help. I do have back injuries but I get this almost like systematic inflammation where almost every inch of my body hurts. Trt seems to take the edge off a little. Prog alone didn't do much for it. So let's see

I was using 20mg of topical progesterone. I did a few weeks with ray peat progest-e drops also. Couldn't really tell a difference.

What's the bioavailability of this cream ?

 

[RCR1]

Ok... so I did my blood work yesterday evening... I wanted to see where my Levels were peaking after injection (tested 11 hours after morning injection)... I am using a Test blend of CYP 160mg/Prop 40mg ED/SQ @ 16mg minus Esters = 10.24 mg.... I am also on 25-50mg Pregnenelone ed, Progesterone cream 20mg, DHEA 10mg, Armour thyroid 120mg (2 grains)....

Testosterone, Male	939.4 ng/dL	280.0-1,100.0 ng/dL
Testosterone, Free	262 pg/mL	47 - 244 pg/mL

Testosterone, Percent Free	2.8 %	1.6 - 2.9 %
Testosterone, Bioavailable	707 ng/dL	131 - 682 ng/dL

Sex Hormone Binding Globulin

17 nmol/L

11 - 80 nmol/L

DHEA Sulfate

283.4 mcg/dL

24.0 - 690.0 mcg/dL

Progesterone

0.65 ng/mL

0.28 - 1.22 ng/mL

I'm still waiting on E2, DHT and Pregnenolone tests to come back.



I mentioned before on this thread that over the last week I increased Progesterone cream to about 2 pumps which = about 40-50mg of cream which I was rubbing on scalp and temples and after about 5 or 6 days my nipples started to become very sensitive/sore, as I knew there was some kind of Estrogenic activity going on... I immediately researched side effects of too much Progesterone and found that too much could stimulate estrogenic activity in the breast tissue... however, as you see by my labs my progesterone is not elevated and right in middle of range.. this leaves two possibilities 1)Pregnenolone increase or 2) DHT being reduced from the Topical finasteride @.0125% for hairloss that I have been using for the past 2 months....

Also, In the Past I was using 180mg of Armour Thyroid (and sometimes added addtional T3) and over the last month I dropped my Armour Thyroid down to 120mg and this proved my theory of Thyroid supplementation and SHBG... When I am not on Thyroid Supplementation my SHBG is in the single digits, when on thryoid supplementation it raises my SHBG. When on Armour thyroid @ 180mg w/ 5 to 15mcg of T3 it boosted my SHBG to as high as 26-27 in the past.. .my last blood work 2 months ago I was on 180mg Armour Thyroid w/ no additional T3 and my SHBG was 22...

I will post labs as soon as I receive the rest....

I also went up on progesterone to around 17mg twice a day. At first no issues but then I started getting groggy and definitely started having nipple issues. Increase sensitivity and itchy feeling. They also get hard way more. I think it also caused some puffiness in my chest. The relaxed feeling was great and it was lowering my BP probably 5 points and I was sleeping better but had to cut the dose way down to around 5-7mg twice day and that nipple itching had stopped. So I’d say it was def from progesterone use same as you. My blood level was top range but my saliva test came in much higher. It’s definitely hard to find good info on this for men. I also found twice daily dosing was more stable feeling. It also helped relax my soar next which was nice. I found it absorbs better on head n neck over forearms.

 

[Pnw0031]

Never tried oral capsules but read that oral progesterone has the most metabolites created in liver thus the most side effects.

When I tried oral progesterone it creates crazy side effects for me. Felt bizarre and edgy like I was on some kind of drug.

 

[Yung4yrs]

I am 70M. Started TRT in late 40's. Also Type II diabetes that long, well controlled (HA1c always below 6). Went on thyroid maybe 15 yrs ago. And I'm a health enthusiast and exercise, use vits and supps of various sorts. 10+ yrs ago started using progesterone as topical cream applied at bedtime. As much as an estradiol antigen as anything. Currently have added some nandrolone for joint issues. Since men make on avg 50% progesterone of women, just have used 1/2 an avg woman's dose. At the time that I started I was seeing a massage therapist every 2 weeks for lumbar issues. She was like, "OMG K****! Why have you started buffing your fingernails?" I assured her I was not, but had started a HRT protocol change. I am still of the opinion that if the progesterone therapy had such a positive effect on fingernails where one can see the change, what kind of internal positive health changes may also be happening. Since progesterone is, unlike T or estradiol, completely unregulated one can buy topical cream with progesterone USP "over the counter". I'm still enjoying a level of health most 70 yr olds don't. Libido is great. I'm very active w/my wife on a daily basis. Once and a while, like yesterday, twice. (If you're thinking, "Aw c'mon. 70 yr old women don't like daily sex." I'd think the same thing. I met her 3 & 1/2 yrs ago. She's 52, as in 18 yrs younger than me.)

 

[Wolverine]

I am 70M. Started TRT in late 40's. Also Type II diabetes that long, well controlled (HA1c always below 6). Went on thyroid maybe 15 yrs ago. And I'm a health enthusiast and exercise, use vits and supps of various sorts. 10+ yrs ago started using progesterone as topical cream applied at bedtime. As much as an estradiol antigen as anything. Currently have added some nandrolone for joint issues. Since men make on avg 50% progesterone of women, just have used 1/2 an avg woman's dose. At the time that I started I was seeing a massage therapist every 2 weeks for lumbar issues. She was like, "OMG K****! Why have you started buffing your fingernails?" I assured her I was not, but had started a HRT protocol change. I am still of the opinion that if the progesterone therapy had such a positive effect on fingernails where one can see the change, what kind of internal positive health changes may also be happening. Since progesterone is, unlike T or estradiol, completely unregulated one can buy topical cream with progesterone USP "over the counter". I'm still enjoying a level of health most 70 yr olds don't. Libido is great. I'm very active w/my wife on a daily basis. Once and a while, like yesterday, twice. (If you're thinking, "Aw c'mon. 70 yr old women don't like daily sex." I'd think the same thing. I met her 3 & 1/2 yrs ago. She's 52, as in 18 yrs younger than me.)

What's your P dosage, when and where do you apply? Have you had P levels tested while using the cream? Tx

 

[Gianluca]

When I tried oral progesterone it creates crazy side effects for me. Felt bizarre and edgy like I was on some kind of drug.

I think more and more about trying to recreate a hormone pattern that is close to our physiology.

I was just thinking about Progesterone not long ago, perhaps the most "physiologic" way of getting it in, being via injection. Pro, when taken orally will over convert to downstream metabolites, otherwise we would not get so much conversion when our body is producing Pro. Again via the cream, where Pro encounters high levels of 5ar and possibly converting excessively again to metabolites. However, if it works for people, it just works.

 

[Gman86]

I think more and more about trying to recreate a hormone pattern that is close to our physiology.

I was just thinking about Progesterone not long ago, perhaps the most "physiologic" way of getting it in, being via injection. Pro, when taken orally will over convert to downstream metabolites, otherwise we would not get so much conversion when our body is producing Pro. Again via the cream, where Pro encounters high levels of 5ar and possibly converting excessively again to metabolites. However, if it works for people, it just works.

So at this current time ur thinking injectable prog might be the most ideal/ natural way to exogenously take prog?

 

[Gianluca]

So at this current time ur thinking injectable prog might be the most ideal/ natural way to exogenously take prog?

I think so, any delivery method that puts straight Prog in circulating blood in a slower release I would think mimics the natural production the most. If there was a oral Prog in a lipid matrix so that can skip the first pass in the liver, and that it is slow released it would be great too. Sublingual also, however I may think it would be a spike and then a quick fall?

 

[MaRay]

I think so, any delivery method that puts straight Prog in circulating blood in a slower release I would think mimics the natural production the most. If there was a oral Prog in a lipid matrix so that can skip the first pass in the liver, and that it is slow released it would be great too. Sublingual also, however I may think it would be a spike and then a quick fall?

What's your injectable dosage/timing protocol looking like now?

 

[Gianluca]

What's your injectable dosage/timing protocol looking like now?

1mg daily SC in the AM

 

[MaRay]

1mg daily SC in the AM

Do you see any particular benefit/reason to AM dosing v. at night? I started at night but I was unsure about that part of the protocol.

 

[Gianluca]

Do you see any particular benefit/reason to AM dosing v. at night? I started at night but I was unsure about that part of the protocol.

my doc suggested to move the injection from night to am since I was having some sleep issues, I thought at the beginning it helped with that, but I'm actually don't think it was the issue. I want to try to move it at night again, since I find doing the injection at that time is more convenient for me, and see how it effects sleep.

I say if you think you sleep the same or better injecting at night, just keep it that way. Most people here do well with taking Pro at night. How much are you injecting? have you seen any benefits?