HORMONES: HOW THEY IMPACT MEN’S HEALTH

By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT

When it comes to men’s health, it’s best to start at the beginning….HORMONES. While there are a long list of hormones, lets focus on a three of the most commonly talked about….Testosterone, DHT and Progesterone….and how they affect men.

Testosterone is the hormone that always seems to come to mind when one thinks of male hormones. Testosterone is responsible for such male characteristics like muscle mass, fat distribution and facial/body hair. It also manages libido (sex drive) and the production of sperm. If you notice issues arise such as, but not limited to, decreased endurance, decreased muscle mass, loss of body hair, decreased libido or erectile dysfunction, you may have low testosterone. This can also contribute to fertility issues when trying to conceive. If you suspect this, you should make an appointment with your doctor to discuss having a hormone panel done.

Dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, is the hormone that is commonly linked to hair loss in men (male pattern baldness). Male androgenetic alopecia, or male pattern baldness, is the common and progressive form of hair loss that many men experience. As testosterone is made in the body, some of it converts into DHT, which has been shown to attach to hair follicle receptors. According to an article from Medical News Today titled ‘Everything You Need to Know about DHT’, the more DHT that has been converted, the more likely it will attach to follicles and ultimately cause hair loss.

Progesterone is one of those hormones that most have heard of, but really don’t know too much about its function. This hormone works similar to testosterone as it’s the precursor and it also helps to balance estrogen. In the article ‘Progesterone: The Forgotten Hormone in Men?’ from the National Library of Medicine-National Center for Biotechnology Information, its discussed that progesterone is necessary for sleep, the immune system, cardiovascular system and respiratory system. Progesterone receptors isoforms are also a factor when evaluating prostate pathology. This is important when a doctor is ruling out or diagnosing prostate cancer.

When considering supplements to support health male hormone levels or men’s health issues, a few come to mind. These include, but are not limited to, L-Arginine, Saw Palmetto and Maca Root.

L-Arginine is helpful as it has been shown to open dilated blood vessels. According to The Mayo Clinic, this nutrient would be helpful for those with erectile dysfunction, angina and high blood pressure.

Saw Palmetto is commonly associated with prostate health, however, in clinical trials sited in ‘Natural Hair Supplement: Friend or Foe? Saw Palmetto, a Systematic Review in Alopecia’ from PubMed, we see that it had a significant improvement on hair loss and hair quality. This is an ingredient in the Hair Enhance Hx.

Maca Root can is many peoples go-to when looking to increase libido. However, according to ‘Efficacy and Safety of Maca (Lepidium meyenii) in Patients with Symptoms of Late-Onset Hypogonadism: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial’, maca has shown to increase testosterone levels.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/sexual-health/in-depth/testosterone-therapy/art-20045728

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15603-low-testosterone-male-hypogonadism

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/68082

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK278957/#:~:text=Male%20androgenetic%20alopecia%20(MAA%2C%20male,scalp%20and%20leads%20to%20baldness.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7706486/

https://hardingmedicalinstitute.com/progesterone-for-men-the-feel-good-hormone/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15669543/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-l-arginine/art-20364681#:~:text=Taking%20oral%20L%2Darginine%20might%20improve%20sexual%20function%20in%20men,people%20with%20this%20circulatory%20condition.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33313047/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10307657/