Abstract Currently available and effective contraceptive methods for men are condoms and vasectomy. Because of the shortcomings of these methods, efforts have been made to develop additional forms of male contraception. The most promising approach is hormonal, which requires administration of exogenous testosterone. When administered to a normal male, testosterone functions as a contraceptive by suppressing the secretion of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone from the pituitary, thereby depriving the testes of the signals required for normal spermatogenesis. After 2–3 months of treatment, low levels of the pituitary gonadotrophins lead to markedly decreased sperm counts and effective contraception in most men. Male hormonal contraception appears safe and fully reversible; however, spermatogenesis is not completely suppressed in all men. Because of the failure of testosterone alone to completely suppress sperm production in some men, researchers have combined testosterone with progestogens and/or gonadotrophin-releasing antagonists to further suppress pituitary gonadotrophins and optimize contraceptive efficacy. Current hormonal combinations completely suppress spermatogenesis without severe side-effects in 80–90% of men, with significant suppression in the remainder of individuals. Recent trials with newer, long-acting forms of testosterone combined with progestogens have yielded promising results and may soon result in the marketing of a safe, reversible and effective hormonal contraceptive for men.