From the Guidelines
Normal progesterone levels in men typically range from 0.2 to 1.4 ng/mL (0.6 to 4.5 nmol/L). This hormone is present in much lower concentrations in men compared to women, especially pregnant women. In men, progesterone serves as a precursor for testosterone production and plays a role in sperm development. The adrenal glands and testes produce small amounts of progesterone in males.
Key Points
- Progesterone levels in men remain relatively stable throughout life, without the cyclical fluctuations seen in women.
- Abnormally high progesterone levels in men may indicate adrenal disorders, certain tumors, or congenital adrenal hyperplasia, while very low levels are rarely clinically significant in males.
- If a man's progesterone levels are outside the normal range, additional testing is typically needed to determine the underlying cause, as the clinical significance depends on the specific context and associated symptoms. However, the provided study 1 does not directly address progesterone levels in men, instead focusing on testosterone treatment in men with low testosterone levels. Despite this, the general understanding of progesterone's role and normal levels in men remains unchanged, as it is not directly related to the study on testosterone therapy.
From the Research
Progesterone Levels in Men
- Normal progesterone levels in healthy males are not explicitly stated in the provided studies, but it is mentioned that during vehicle infusion, the progesterone level remained in the normal range for healthy males 2.
- A small but significant increase in progesterone levels was observed after corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) administration in healthy males, with levels increasing from 0.74 +/- 0.14 mmol/l to 1.52 +/- 0.23 mmol/l 2.
Comparison to Pregnancy Levels
- The study by 2 achieved progesterone levels similar to those in the third trimester of pregnancy (454 +/- 31 nmol/l) through high-dose progesterone infusion in healthy males.
- However, the normal range for healthy males is not directly compared to pregnancy levels in the provided studies.
Progesterone's Role and Effects
- Progesterone is a steroid hormone with a wide range of effects in physiology and human medicine, including neuro- and immunoprotective activities 3.
- The hormone plays a crucial role in female fertility and pregnancy, but its effects and mechanisms of action are not fully understood, particularly in men 3, 4, 5, 6.