Natural Progesterone - Just the Facts, Please

by Dr. Loretta Lanphier, ND, CN, HHP

Sixty years ago, progesterone was found to be the main hormone produced by the ovaries. Since it was necessary for fertility, and for maintaining a healthy pregnancy, it was called the "pro-gestational hormone." It's the most protective hormone the body produces, and the large amounts that are produced during pregnancy result from the developing baby's need for protection from the stressful environment. Normally, the brain contains a very high concentration of progesterone, reflecting its protective function for that most important organ. The thymus gland, the key organ of our immune system, is also profoundly dependent on progesterone.

Research Results

In experiments, progesterone was found to be the basic hormone of adaptation and of resistance to stress. The adrenal glands use it to produce anti-stress hormones, and when there is enough progesterone, the adrenals don't have to produce the potentially harmful steroid cortisone. During progesterone deficiency, which occurs most frequently during long term stressful situations, menopause, PMS and andropause, the body produces too much cortisone. Excessive cortisone causes osteoporosis, aging of the skin, damage to brain cells, and the accumulation of fat, especially on the back and abdomen.

To name a few benefits outside of pregnancy that this hormone offers the body, experiments have shown that progesterone:

• Relieves anxiety
• Improves memory
• Protects brain cells
• Prevents epileptic seizures
• Promotes respiration
• Corrects emphysema
• Prevents bulging veins by increasing the tone of blood vessels
• Improves the efficiency of the heart
• Reverses many of the signs of aging in the skin
• Promotes healthy bone growth
• Relieves many types of arthritis
• Helps a variety of immunological problems
• Stimulates bone-building and helps protect against osteoporosis
• Alleviates mood swings

This list only names a few benefits. There are many, many more discussed in additional articles available on this Web site.

Need for Progesterone

Progesterone is needed in HRT for many reasons, but one of its most important roles is to balance or oppose the effects of estrogen. Unopposed estrogen creates a strong risk for breast cancer and reproductive cancers. Estrogen levels drop just enough to stop the menstrual cycle while progesterone levels may drop to near zero in some women.

Because progesterone is the precursor to so many other steroid hormones, its use can greatly enhance overall hormone balance. Natural progesterone is safe and non-toxic. It helps to balance the effects of estrogen, and has a calming effect on the nervous system.

Caution

Beware of products that are synthetic and make statements that they are similar to natural or derived naturally. If they are patented, they are synthetic, and can be harmful to the body. If you are on HRT that is not progesterone only, you may be ingesting harmful estrogens into your system and causing long-term health risks. You can slowly decrease this program and go onto natural progesterone, under supervision of a health care provider. Be sure under any condition concerning hormones, your hormones are completely tested, not just one or two, to determine whether your hormones are imbalanced or not, and to what degree.

Using Progesterone

At Oasis Advanced Wellness hormonal levels can be tested with a simple and inexpensive saliva test you can even take at home. The use of natural progesterone in combination with lifestyle changes often improves symptoms and general health.

I require of my clients using natural progesterone that they have their progesterone levels checked yearly. Progesterone can build up in the system. What we are working towards is hormonal "balance," not just shifting from one hormonal over-load to another. This is why it is always good to seek out advice from a trusted healthcare professional and to test the hormones.

Be Proactive

You can find out more about progesterone in my eBook, Balancing Your Hormones Without Drugs-You Can Feel Good Again and in the articles posted on this Web site.

Take responsibility for your health. Practice prevention. Ultimately, YOU are the one in charge and the only one who can make the necessary changes.