Isn’t it normal for women to have hot flashes but not for men?

Hot flashes occur in men and women who have profoundly low levels of sex hormones. Both women and men have the same sex hormones just in different levels. What is similar is that profoundly low levels of all the sex hormones will cause hot flashes in men just as in women.

Hot flashes are a symptom of an illness. Culturally this illness is not typically treated in women however it is treated in men. This illness, advanced or profound hypogonadism, is a hormone deficient illness and treatment can be safe and effective for women and men.

Men, unlike women, are typically treated for hot flashes. The treatment is to bring all of the sex hormone levels up to normal. Woman are rarely offered treatment even though it would be just as effective.

How can hormonal treatment of hypogonadism be healthy when clinical trials have proved otherwise?

Clinical trials have proved that partial hormone replacement for men is unhealthy. There are 4 sex hormones yet only testosterone is replaced and measured. All of the sex hormones replaced at the same time is necessary for a hormone replacement trial to be successful.

Is this why it looks like testosterone supplementation is not healthy?

Yes, that is why it looks like treatment of hypogonadism is unhealthy. All of the sex hormones work together to keep a man healthy. By only supplementing testosterone a recipe for failure is created. To properly treat hypogonadism it is necessary to make sure all of the sex hormones are maintained at normal levels, progesterone, testosterone, dhea and estradiol.

What if a man has had hypogonadism for a long time? Can this illness still be treated?

Yes. Like any hormone deficient illness, treatment can start at any time. However, keep in mind that treatment should start with raising sex hormone levels to the lower part of the normal range and working up from there to a comfortable place.

Hot flashes are a symptom of advance or profound hypogonadism. Advanced hypogonadism occurs when testicular hormones are significantly below normal. Treat the profound hypogonadism and the hot flashes will go away and will not return.

Will treatment of hypogonadism increase the risk of prostate enlargement and cancer?

Not treatment that includes progesterone which protects the prostate from getting any larger and can sometimes shrink it back to normal. Progesterone naturally suppresses estradiol. Excess estradiol and low progesterone is largely responsible for an enlarging prostate.