Do men taking testosterone supplements increase their chances of developing prostate enlargement and cancer?
No. In fact, studies show that men with the lowest levels of testosterone and higher than normal levels of estrogen are at greatest risk for prostate enlargement and cancer. Thus, it is not testosterone, but actually estrogen that increases prostate size and causes cancer. That’s why young men, who have the highest levels of testosterone, but lower levels of estrogen, don’t get prostate enlargement and cancer. As men get older, however, their testosterone levels decrease, and their estrogen levels increase. Estrogen is a “growing” or “proliferative” hormone that causes many body tissues to grow and get bigger. This increased amount of estrogen is also not properly balanced by progesterone, the “anti-estrogen” hormone that normally prevents cells from growing too much in response to estrogen. Therefore, men exposed to increased estrogen without the protective effects of progesterone will experience prostates that get larger, or “hypertrophy.” In women, estrogen not balanced by progester
