Male fertility pills can change a man’s hormones (the endocrine system) in many ways. These medications can get your fertility back on track by increasing the amount of bioavailable testosterone and decrease the amount of estradiol (a form of estrogen). The drugs used for this purpose are the following:
- Clomiphene or Clomid
- Anastrazole or arimidex
- hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) or hMG (human menopausal gonadotropin)
Most of these fertility drugs are taken by mouth except hCG and hMG, which are injections. As with any medication, these drugs do have side effects, but don’t worry, our goal is to find the best medication for your body and its needs.
WHAT IS CLOMIPHENE?
Clomid is the brand name for clomiphene and is currently FDA-approved for female infertility, but doctors can also prescribe clomid for men for off-label use. It’s usually given to men who have a low sperm count caused by low testosterone levels.
How Does Clomiphene Work?
The pituitary gland in your brain secretes certain hormones into your blood stream to help your reproductive system. Clomiphene is used to increase the hormones released from the pituitary gland, which in turn, stimulates the production of testosterone and sperm within the testes. Boosted levels of these reproductive hormones will reduce the symptoms of hypoandrogenism (low testosterone), increase sperm count, and potentially help to improve non-obstructive azoospermia, a blockage that prevents the sperm from entering the semen.
