A question re: progesterone

General Discussion
#1

Correct me if I’m wrong, but does progesterone act much the same way as Fin?

…Progesterone is a female hormone that has been used topically on male scalps with excellent results. It is known to reduce 5alpha-reductase and thus interfere with DHT. In studies 1 nM finasteride inhibited DHT synthesis in DP by 86% and 1 nM progesterone by 75%.
One study confirmed progesterone is a 5alpha-reductase inhibitor but topical application is ineffective in men because of rapid metabolization. [R. Hoffman 2000]

If this is the case, is supplementing with prog. for PFS like going back on Fin, in a way?

#2

I may be reading it wrong but quote seems to say it works and doesn’t work topically at the same time.

#3

Dont touch PRog, you will cry for ever.

#4

Finasteride is synthesized from progesterone

#5

Why cry?

#6

and what about all these people who claim that they are recovering using progesterone cream? are they crying as well? or are they lying? everyone is different and things do not work the same for all.

#7

Wait so how does Finasteride influence progesterone. Does it inhibit it or induce it while taking the drug, and how does this compare to discontinuation?

Thing is, progesterone-dominance is as much as a problem as estrogen-dominance. There needs to be a very specific balance between the two. My serum estradiol for instance is perfect, yet my progesterone levels are off the charts. Supplementing may restore the balance, or it could induce worse symptoms by exacerbating it. Hence why some benefit and others get much worse. Probably the same reason why AIs have much the same result.

Then you also have to consider at a receptor level as well. Does finasteride upregulate or downregulate estrogen/progesterone receptors after discontinuation? This would skew the perception of any blood results.

#8

try it.

#9

This is exactly why I posted my question in the first place.

#10

The point that everyone is missing is this is going on at a receptor level. Everyone read the below journal article on the progesteone receptor, how important it is for signaling, especially regulating neurosteroids. It is also involved in proper gene expression, reduction of oxidative stress, and methylation cycle. This article is amazing:

physiology.gu.se/medfys/kogv … 202008.pdf

#11

Fintruth are you saying that all problems both mental physical and sexual are linked to the progesteone receptor ?

#12

I am posting my blood results here as they appear before starting supplementing with progesterone. If anyone has any useful comment about them please comment.

testosterone: 4,17 (2,49-8,36)
free testosterone: 9.70 (4.76-24.40)
dhea-s: 202,90 (160-449)
Androstenedione D4 4,90 (0,3-3,4)
Aldosterone: 11,30 (4-31)
igf-1: 305,3 (114-492)
Tsh: 1,870 (0,270-4,900)
E2: 18.80 (<50)
LH: 3,6 (1,4-8,6)
Fsh: 1,4 (1,5-12,4)
DHT: 0,90 (0,25-0,99)
17-OH Progesterone: 38,20 (0,3-3,3)
homocysteine: 6,07 (<20)
Vitamin D 25-OH: 53,81 (30-100)
HGH: 0,10 (0,01-3,00)
3aDiolG: 5,30 (1,53-16)
D Dimer: 0,560 (0-0.5)

I know it mostly looks within range, nevertheless i am experiencing full blown pfs symptoms. My test and free test are very close to last year when i did not use fin. My LH might be induced by the tribulus i use. Generally, my results show that my problem is not hormonal. Every doctor i show these results they say that they are ok and i should not experience such side effects with these values. I also have high cortisol and acth. I am still waiting for the latest results of those thats why i did not post them. The fact that i have high 17OH prog, high acth, high androstenedione, high cortisol shows that my bodies response to all this was to stress the adrenals in some kind of defense reaction. I will start applying prog cream and maybe pregnanolone at 25mg a day, to see if my adrenals calm down.

#13

Doctors are fucking morons, they are useless…they no longer great people they treat numbers. I normally weigh 225 lbs, if I go to a doctor and say " I feel weird and I lost $40 lbs" they could say “well that’s still a normal weight”. The problem is that is the change between my two weights and not the weights themselves.

#14

“Tsh: 1,870 (0,270-4,900)”

Some people find that they do better with a relatively “low” TSH. Usually under 1.

Do you have any overt low thyroid symptoms, such as cold hand or feet or nose?