Why do our doctors prescribe hCG and estrogen blockers when treating for low testosterone? The gist of it is that hCG and estrogen interfere with testosterone. If low T treatment is to be successful the other two hormones need to be kept in check.
What is hCG?
Human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, is a hormone found in women during pregnancy. Although it is present at other times, at different levels, in both men and women. Men tend to have less hCG than women. Because hCG is produced mostly in the testes among men, doctors have found it an important indicator to whether a man might be suffering from some type of testicular cancer, or even in some cases, prostate cancer.
What is estrogen?
Estrogen is the main female sex hormone. Estrogen is the opposite of a man’s sex hormone. There are many reasons and purposes for the hormone but one of its most significant is its responsibility in the development and control of all female reproductive systems, from puberty to menopause.
Just as women produce a bit of testosterone, men produce a bit of estrogen. It has been found to affect varied systems in both genders non-related to sex organs. For instance, it affects different digestive and gastronomical systems in the body. In fact, cholesterol is also controlled by the production of estrogen in the body. It also affects the production and storage of fat tissue.
So, what’s the relationship between low T, hCG, and estrogen?
HCG and estrogen overwhelm testosterone. When doctors are trying to bring a hormonal balance back to the body and increase testosterone levels, it doesn’t make sense for them to ignore those other two hormones. Instead, they make sure nothing is impeding the treatment. So they prescribe hCG and estrogen blockers at the same time as they do the testosterone injections.
