June 15, 2007

Are men getting their own birth control pill?

Filed under: birth control,birth control pills,male birth control pill,progesterone,testosterone,the pill for men,Uncategorized — Ashlynn @ 9:52 am

Primarily men have two options when it comes to birth control: using a condom or getting a vasectomy. Some men complain about lack of sensation while using a condom during intercourse, and for others having the surgery isn’t exactly on the top of their “to do” list (not to mention the second surgical procedure required if they decide they want to reverse it).

But not all is lost. According to the latest research a male birth control pill may be on the market soon, allowing men to take a more progressive role in contraception use.

So what took so long? One reason is the utter lack of interest (and funding) from the pharmaceutical companies. This lack of funding has made it hard to entice talent to the field: In total, there are only about 10 specialists in male contraception in this country. The other (more obvious) reason is that men and women’s bodies are, well, different.

Birth control pills for women contain synthetic forms of estrogen and progesterone, which prevent the ovaries every month from releasing an egg for fertilization. But, and you knew there was going to be a “but”, instead of releasing just one egg during monthly ovulation, men release about 120 million sperm with each ejaculation which in turn makes it more difficult to control.

So how will the male pill work you ask? Well it’s all about that uber-macho hormone testosterone, which is responsible for sperm production in the testes, hair growth, muscle mass and sexual characteristics. If a man is given extra testosterone it could shut down sperm production. Normally, at the start of the sperm-production cycle, the hypothalamus in the brain releases gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which triggers the release of fertility hormones called gonadotropins (FSH and ICSH) from the pituitary gland. ICSH signals the testes to produce testosterone, and FSH and testosterone tell the testes to produce sperm. When sperm production is complete, the testes release testosterone and a hormone called inhibin into the body, which tells the brain that there’s enough sperm. This stops the release of sperm-producing hormones.

Sounds great? Well just like female birth control pills there can be unwanted side effects. The problem is that by giving a man the amount of testosterone necessary to suppress sperm production, it can also cause acne, weight gain, prostate-gland growth and abnormal liver function.

That’s why scientists are also looking at a combination pill of testosterone and another hormone, progesterone (also found in female birth control pills). In men, progesterone inhibits sperm production in the testes. The drawback is that it can also affect those two things so intrinsic to the male psyche: their sexuality and sexual characteristics. To counteract the effects of progesterone injections of testosterone must also be administered to maintain those vital characteristics.

There is only one burning question, will men take it? According to a survey of 2,000 men in Capetown, Edinburgh, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, 67% were interested in some form of hormonal birth control. It also showed that men were ready to take on more responsibility for contraception usage and took into account their partner’s needs.

Researchers estimate that a male type of birth control should be available in about five years, but it will most likely be in the form of an injection or implant. As for a male birth control pill, the future is a little cloudy.

BirthControlBuzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, birth control types (prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase birth control on-line. For more information on types of birth control call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.

Birth Control Buzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, types of birth control(prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase pharmaceuticals on-line. For more information, call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.

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April 18, 2007

Can hormones from birth control cause hair loss?

Filed under: alopecia,androgen,birth control pills,estrogen,hair growth,hair loss,hormone replacement therapy,hormones,male pattern balding,testosterone,Uncategorized — Ashlynn @ 8:38 am

Yes. Both birth control pills and hormone replacements contain estrogen which stimulates hair growth and prolongs the anagen growth phase. Most women say that their hair becomes thicker when first starting birth control or hormone replacement therapy. Some women describe an increased rate of hair sloughing or loss several months after starting the hormonal medications. This is not a reason to stop the hormones; the hair loss will go away with no change in the amount of hair.

Women who start the Pill may not notice the increased hair growth and thickness as much as an older, menopausal woman who has thinner hair to start with, but the gobs of hair in the hair brush several months after starting birth control pills will not go unnoticed. This loss of hair following estrogen stimulation by birth control pills, HRT or even pregnancy is called telogen effluvium. This is not a reason to stop taking your birth control. Both the use of Depo-Provera and Norplant contraceptive implants have about a 10% incidence of increased hair loss.

What can I do to decrease hair loss caused by birth control or hormone replacement?

It is best to continue taking the hormonal medications rather than stopping them. The new growth, resting and sloughing phases eventually come to a stop and your hair growth will start it’s normal course of action. Stopping your birth control or HRT may just prolong the hair loss.

One thing women should look for when hair loss is due to hormone therapy is to make sure that they are not receiving hormones that have too much testosterone-like activity. Some women who are genetically sensitive may develop a male pattern hair loss (balding on the side of the head) if their total androgen hormone level is too high. If this is the case, there should also be excess hair growth on the face, chest and lower abdomen in addition to the balding. The androgen hormone effect may come from the type of progestin in the birth control pills or it may come from a combination of estrogen and testosterone in the menopausal hormone replacement. If there is any suspicion that the hair loss follows a male pattern balding, then any androgenic compounds must be eliminated.

BirthControlBuzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, birth control types (prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase birth control on-line.

For more information on types of birth control call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.

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