The first contraceptive pill for men has been created
At the Congress of the Endocrine Society of the United States, the results of a clinical trial of male contraceptive pills were presented. The drug DMAU (dimethandrolone undecanoate) combines the effects of the male sex hormone testosterone and the female sex hormone progestin. It should be taken once a day.
What you will learn in the article
- How DMAU combines testosterone and progestin effects in an experimental male contraceptive pill
- Why earlier oral testosterone forms were problematic because of liver effects and rapid elimination
- How the University of Washington study tested different DMAU doses in healthy men aged 18 to 50
- Which hormones were suppressed at the 400 mg dose and why this relates to sperm production
- What side effects were observed, including weight gain and reduced high-density lipoprotein levels
Table of Contents
Work on a contraceptive for men has been going on for a long time, but so far it has not been possible to create a safe product. Oral forms of testosterone have a damaging effect on the liver. In addition, they are eliminated from the body too quickly, so they require taking at least twice a day. DMAU is devoid of these disadvantages due to the presence of undecanoate, a long-chain fatty acid.
Stephanie Page (Stephanie Page) and her colleagues from the University of Washington conducted a study of the experimental drug, which involved 100 healthy men aged 18 to 50 years. The doses tested were different: 100, 200 and 400 mg. Each of the three groups consisted of five people who were randomly assigned to receive a placebo and 12 to 15 people who received the active drug. Each subject received one tablet a day with meals for 28 days.
Eighty-three people completed the study. Each of them gave a blood sample twice (at the beginning and end of the study) to analyse their hormonal background, cholesterol levels and other parameters.
In the group of men who received the high dose of DMAU (400 mg), there was a moderate suppression of testosterone synthesis and two other hormones that are essential for sperm production. According to previous long-term studies, this suppression of sperm production provides an effective contraceptive effect.
Despite the reduction in testosterone levels, the study participants did not experience any symptoms characteristic of male sex hormone deficiency.
The drug also had side effects: all the subjects who took DMAU gained weight and their blood levels of “good” cholesterol – high-density lipoproteins – decreased. But these phenomena were only mildly pronounced. Levels of enzymes signalling kidney and liver health were normal.
At present, larger and longer studies of the efficacy and safety of the new drug are planned.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal “Eternal Youth” http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on Endocrine Society materials: Dimethandrolone undecanoate shows promise as a male birth control pill.
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Key takeaways
- DMAU is described as an experimental male contraceptive pill intended to be taken once a day
- The study involved 100 healthy men aged 18 to 50 years, and 83 completed the trial
- Participants received one tablet daily with meals for 28 days
- The 400 mg dose moderately suppressed testosterone synthesis and two hormones essential for sperm production
- Kidney and liver enzyme levels remained normal, while larger and longer safety studies were planned
Published
July, 2024
Duration of reading
1-2 min
Category
Endocrine system
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