Beyond the Pill: A Revolutionary Program for Hormone Balance, Reversing the Side Effects of Contraception, and Reclaiming Your Health

by Jolene Brighten

What Happened to Male Birth Control? A 2016 trial of injectable male contraceptive was suspended after determining that the risks to men’s health outweighed the benefits. What brought researchers to that conclusion? Out of 320 men, 20 said they couldn’t tolerate the side effects, which included pain at the injection site, acne, and depression. Yes, based on 20 men saying they were uncomfortable with these symptoms, researchers discontinued the

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trial despite it being 96 percent effective. For the record, in early birth control trials in women, 15 percent of women had side effects and three women died . . . without investigation. And these side effects? They are the exact same symptoms women experience at a higher rate when taking the pill and other forms of hormonal birth control. Well, not the exact same symptoms. While most women experience a low or absent libido using oral contraceptives, these men experienced an increase in libido. Many women—about 100 million worldwide—opt for hormonal contraceptives, which deliver the same side effects and more compared to the male version yet are deemed completely acceptable for women. Side effects women have dealt with since the FDA approved the first birth control pill. Side effects over which women have voiced concern. Side effects that are often dismissed. Now, I’m not about to advocate that we start giving hormones to the men in our lives, but I do think we should be asking why we aren’t improving our options for women.