Progesterone And Progestin: What Are They, Medication, For Men

Maybe your like

Medical News TodaySubscribeProgesterone and progestin: How do they work?

Medically reviewed by University of Illinois — Written by Hannah Nichols on February 2, 2017

Progesterone
What does it do?
Progestin
Normal levels
Progesterone in men

Progesterone is the main pro-gestational steroid hormone secreted by the female reproductive system. It is linked to the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and development of an embryo. Progestin is an artificial form of progesterone that is used for medical purposes.

The ovaries, placenta, and adrenal glands produce progesterone to regulate the condition of the endometrium, which is the inner lining of the uterus.

Progesterone

Progesterone is a steroid and a hormone. It has some important roles, particularly in the process of reproduction.

After puberty starts, the ovaries release a single egg each month. This process is called ovulation. The egg moves down the fallopian tube, and if it meets with sperm, it may be fertilized.

The corpus luteum is a temporary endocrine, or hormone-producing, gland that forms from the empty ovarian follicle after ovulation.

The corpus luteum becomes the main source of progesterone that is needed to maintain a pregnancy immediately after fertilization and implantation.

If fertilization does not occur, the corpus luteum breaks down, less progesterone is produced, and the levels of progesterone are too low to promote the growth of the uterine wall. As the lining of the womb is no longer maintained by progesterone from the corpus luteum, the lining breaks away, resulting in menstrual bleeding.

If conception occurs, progesterone stimulates the further development of blood vessels in the endometrium, and it stimulates glands in the endometrium to secrete nutrients that nourish the fertilized egg.

Progesterone prepares the tissue lining of the uterus to so that the fertilized egg can be implanted. Progesterone also helps to preserve the endometrium throughout pregnancy.

After conception, the placenta forms. The placenta begins to secrete progesterone to supplement, and surpass, the progesterone already secreted by the corpus luteum.

Levels of progesterone from the placenta remain high during pregnancy. This prevents other eggs from maturing, and it promotes changes in breast tissue to prepare for lactation.

If a woman does not ovulate, her ovaries do not produce progesterone. This is called an anovulatory cycle. Missed cycles often take place from the mid 30s onwards and become more frequent as menopause approaches.

Progesterone levels drop consistently just before the menopause. This is thought to be the major cause of symptoms experienced around the menopause.

What does progesterone do?

Progesterone travels in the blood to tissues where there are progesterone receptors. It attaches to the receptors to produce actions in the body.

Share on Pinterest

Progesterone plays a key role during pregnancy.

Estrogen and progesterone are responsible for the release of an egg from the ovaries during ovulation.

Progesterone then:

Prepares the tissue lining of the uterus to allow the fertilized egg to implant
Maintains the endometrium throughout pregnancy
Prevents further egg release until a pregnancy has terminated
Prevents fertilization of more than one egg at a time, although more than one egg is occasionally released
Stops muscular contractions in the fallopian tubes once the egg has been transported
Plays an important role in fetal development during pregnancy
Stimulates the breast tissue to promote lactation and causes the glands to advance ready for producing milk
Strengthens the pelvic wall muscles in preparation for labor

In the case of a hormonal imbalance, an artificially produced version, progestin, may help.

Progestin

Progesterone occurs naturally in the body, but laboratories can also produce it. Synthetic steroid hormones with progesterone-like properties are called progestin.

Progestin is available as capsules, in vaginal gels, implants, intrauterine devices (IUD), and injections.

Uses for progestin include treatment for:

Birth control
Hormone replacement therapy
Menstrual disorders
Abnormal uterine bleeding
Amenorrhea, or absence of menstruation
Endometriosis
Endometrial hyperplasia, an abnormal thickening of the uterus wall
Breast, kidney, or uterine cancer
Changes in hair growth
Changes in sexual desire
Anticancer hormonal therapy
Breast pain
Preventing premature birth
Acne
Infertility treatment, when used as a cream
Breastmilk production

Progestin side effects

Side effects of progestin use may include:

Headaches
Breast tenderness or pain
Upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation
Changes in appetite
Weight gain
Fluid retention
Tiredness
Muscle, joint, or bone pain
Mood swings and irritability
Excessive worrying
Runny nose, sneezing, and cough
Vaginal discharge
Problems urinating

Uncommon but potentially serious side effects requiring medical attention include:

Breast lumps
Dimpling of breast skin
Clear or bloody discharge from nipple
Inverted nipple
Crusting or scaling of the nipple
Clay-colored stools
Migraine headache
Severe dizziness
Slow speech or difficulty speaking
Weakness or numbness of limbs
Absence of coordination
Breathlessness
Pounding heartbeat
Sharp chest pain
Coughing up blood
Leg swelling
Loss of or blurred vision
Bulging eyes
Double vision
Unexpected vaginal bleeding
Uncontrollable shaking hands
Seizures
Stomach pain or swelling
Depression
Hives, skin rash, and itching
Difficulty swallowing
Swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
Hoarseness

Progestins are not suitable for people with a history of the following conditions, unless they are using it to treat the condition:

Liver tumors
Genital cancer
Breast cancer
Severe arterial disease
Undiagnosed vaginal bleeding
Acute porphyrias
Idiopathic jaundice
Severe pruritus occurring during pregnancy
Pemphigoid occurring during pregnancy

Birth control pills

Birth control pills, also known as oral contraceptives or hormonal contraceptives, make use of progesterone.

Share on Pinterest

Progestin is used in oral contraceptives.

Combination pills contain both estrogen and progestin.

They work by:

Preventing ovulation
Changing the lining of the womb to prevent a pregnancy from developing
Thickening the mucus at the cervix to prevent sperm from entering

Progestin-only hormonal methods include mini-pills, implants, and shots.

They:

Prevent the ovaries from releasing an egg
Thicken the mucus at the cervix to prevent sperm entering the uterus

The United States National Library of Medicine warn that cigarette smoking significantly increases the risk of serious side effects in those who use oral contraceptives. They advise smokers not to use oral contraceptives.

Hormone therapy

Hormone therapy (HT), previously known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), helps to restore the balance of female hormones. HT can provide progesterone, estrogen, or a combination. It is available as a pill, nasal spray, patch, skin gel, injection, vaginal cream, or vaginal ring.

HT may relieve symptoms of perimenopause such as:

Hot flashes
Vaginal dryness
Pain with intercourse
Mood swings
Sleep disorders
Anxiety
Decreased sexual desire

In some women, estrogen leads to an overgrowth of the endometrium, or lining of the uterus. This can lead to endometrial cancer. A combined estrogen and progestin hormone therapy (HT) can prevent this.

However, HT can have adverse effects, and it increases the risk of some serious conditions.

The adverse effects of HT include:

Bloating
Breast soreness
Headaches
Mood swings
Nausea
Water retention

People who use HT have a higher risk of:

Blood clots
Breast cancer
Endometrial cancer
Heart disease
Deep venous thrombosis (DVT)
Stroke
Gallbladder disease

The FDA recommends using HT at the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible time needed to achieve treatment goals.

Women who use or are considering using hormone therapy should discuss the possible benefits and risks with their doctor.

Normal progesterone levels

Progesterone levels are relatively low before ovulation, and they usually increase when an egg is released from the ovary. Levels rise for several days and either continue to rise if pregnancy occurs, or they fall to initiate menstruation.

If progesterone levels do not increase and decrease monthly, this could indicate a problem with ovulation, menstruation, or both, and it may be a cause of infertility.

Women who experience a multiple pregnancy, meaning twins, triplets, and so on, typically have naturally higher levels of progesterone than those expecting one baby.

A blood test can be used to measure progesterone levels. The results can help determine the cause of infertility, track ovulation, help diagnose an ectopic or failing pregnancy, monitor pregnancy health, or assist in diagnosing abnormal uterine bleeding.

Why do progesterone levels fall?

Progesterone levels may fall because of:

Toxemia, or preeclampsia, late in pregnancy
Decreased function of ovaries
Amenorrhea
Ectopic pregnancy
Miscarriage

Why do progesterone levels rise?

Reasons for progesterone levels rising may include:

Ovarian cysts
Non-viable pregnancies
A rare form of ovarian cancer
Progesterone overproduction by the adrenal glands
Adrenal cancer
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH)

Progesterone in men

Progesterone is known as a female hormone, but males need progesterone to produce testosterone. The adrenal glands and testes in males produce progesterone.

Progesterone levels in males are similar to those of females in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, when the egg follicle on an ovary is preparing to release an egg.

Symptoms of low progesterone in males include:

Share on Pinterest

Low progesterone levels in men can lead to hair loss.

Low libido
Hair loss
Weight gain
Fatigue
Depression
Gynecomastia, which is breast development in males
Erectile dysfunction
Impotence
Bone loss
Muscle loss

Men with low progesterone levels have a higher risk of developing:

Osteoporosis
Arthritis
Prostate cancer
Prostatism, an obstruction of the bladder neck, typically associated with an enlarged prostate gland

As males age, testosterone begins to decline, estrogen levels rise, and progesterone levels fall dramatically.

Endocrinology
Menopause
Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Women's Health / Gynecology

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

About progesterone. (2002)http://project-aware.org/Managing/Hrt/progesterone.shtml
Estrogen and progestin (oral contraceptives). (2015, September 15)https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a601050.html
Guoyang, L., Morgan, T., Bahtiyar, M.O., Snegovskikh, V.V., Schatz, F., Kuczynski, E. ...Norwitz, E.R. (2008, February). Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the human progesterone receptor gene and spontaneous preterm birth [abstract]. Reproductive Scienceshttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18276950
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2015, April 14). Hormone therapy: Is it right for you? Retrieved fromhttp://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/in-depth/hormone-therapy/art-20046372
Menopause and hormones: common questions. (2015, September 28)http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/byaudience/forwomen/ucm118624.htm
Progesterone (2009, December 28). Encyclopaedia Britannicahttp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/478202/progesterone
Progesterone. (2015, January 14)http://www.yourhormones.info/hormones/progesterone.aspx
Progestogens. (2013, September 6)http://patient.info/doctor/progestogens
Progesterone test. (2013, April 11)http://labtestsonline.org.uk/understanding/analytes/progesterone/tab/test/
Sargis, R.M., (2015, August 4). An overview of the ovaries, estrogen, progesterone, and reproductionhttp://www.endocrineweb.com/endocrinology/overview-ovaries
Spark, M.J. (2009, November 19). Progesterone or progestogen or progestin; which is it? The BMJhttp://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/11/02/progesterone-or-progestogen-or-progestin-which-it
The testes glands. (n.d.)https://eaware.org/testes/#progesterone-in-males
Your cycle. (2014, January)http://qlaira.com/en/consumer/your-cycle/role-of-hormones/index.php

Share this article

Medically reviewed by University of Illinois — Written by Hannah Nichols on February 2, 2017

Latest news

Eating more ultra-processed foods linked to higher Crohn's disease risk
FDA approves daily pill to treat low libido in women after menopause: What to know
Fibroids may be a risk factor for heart disease, study suggests
Do high-fat cheese and cream help keep the brain healthy? What to know
Diabetes-fighting gut molecule may help lower insulin resistance

Related Coverage

FDA approves daily pill to treat low libido in women after menopause: What to know
The FDA approved Addyi (flibanserin), a libido-enhancing drug, in postmenopausal women under the age of 65. Experts explain what to expect, the side…
READ MORE
ACS cervical cancer screening guidelines updates: What to know
The American Cancer Society has recently updated cervical screening guidelines for HPV and cervical cancer. Here are the main changes.
READ MORE
Study finds menopause causes brain changes that may affect memory, mood
What happens to the brain during menopause? A new study finds that the brain undergoes structural changes, including the gray and white matter, which…
READ MORE
Do different types of hormone therapy affect memory after menopause?
A new study suggests that transdermal estradiol (patches or gels) may have different memory effects than oral estradiol when it comes to menopausal…
READ MORE

Tag » What Happens If Men Take Progesterone

Progesterone And Progestin: What Are They, Medication, For Men

Health Conditions

Health Products

News

Original Series

Podcasts

General Health

Health Tools

Quizzes

About Medical News Today

Find Community

Follow Us

Progesterone

What does progesterone do?

Progestin

Progestin side effects

Birth control pills

Hormone therapy

Normal progesterone levels

Why do progesterone levels fall?

Why do progesterone levels rise?

Progesterone in men

How we reviewed this article:

Latest news

Related Coverage

Progesterone: The Forgotten Hormone In Men? - PubMed

Odd Bedfellows: Men And Progesterone - Well Aging Med

Progesterone For Men – The Feel Good Hormone

Analyzing Effects Of Progesterone In Men

Learn How To Increase Progesterone In Men | BodyLogicMD

Do Men Have Progesterone? Here's How It Affects Men

Progesterone For Men | Healthgains

Men Need Progesterone Too - Proactive Health Labs

Do Men Need Progesterone? - Dr Craige Golding

Progesterone: A Male Hormone

Progesterone In Men | Clinicum St. Georg

How Progesterone Benefits Men As Well As Women - Life Extension

Progesterone: Uses And Risks - WebMD

Side Effects Of Hormone Therapy In Men | Cancer Research UK

Contact