Hormone Replacement Therapy
Why Progesterone is Vital
to a Woman’s Health
Produced by the ovaries and the adrenal glands, progesterone is a sex hormone essential for menstruation and pregnancy. Women who experience fertility issues may have low progesterone levels that interfere with ovulation.1
In addition to performing many functions beneficial to our reproductive health, progesterone further acts as a neuroprotective hormone that supports brain cell signaling and general cognition. Some research suggests that low progesterone in menopausal women may develop early-onset Alzheimer’s, ovarian cancer, and osteoporosis.2
Progesterone enhances the ability of estrogen to support bone density. During adolescence, progesterone is needed to achieve an ideal bone mineral density in girls.
Women require progesterone between the ages of 20 and 40 to help reduce bone loss during perimenopause and menopause. Reproductive age women who experience problems with ovulating and having irregular periods should have blood tests to determine if they have abnormally low progesterone levels.
What Causes Progesterone Levels to Drop in Women Over Age 45?
As the ovaries prepare for menopause and the end of a woman’s reproductive years, they gradually stop making progesterone and estrogen. Egg production also decreases as ovulation gradually diminishes. Menopause is clinically diagnosed when a woman does not have a period of one year. The adrenal glands will stop releasing progesterone before the ovaries stop entirely.3
Signs of Low Progesterone During Perimenopause and Menopause
Throughout a woman’s reproductive years, progesterone and estrogen interact to promote ovulation, embryo development, lactation, and general well-being. Symptoms of low progesterone before actual menopause are similar to symptoms of low estrogen in post-menopausal women.4 They include:
- Hot flashes/night sweats
- Low sex drive/pain during intercourse due to lack of lubrication
- Depression/anxiety/moodiness
- Headaches and worsening migraines in women who have migraines
- Weight gain/cravings for salty or sugary foods
- Bloating/fluid retention
- Difficulty remembering and concentrating (brain “fog”)
Bioidentical Hormone Therapy for Replacing Progesterone:
What Is It and How Does It Work?
Years ago, a seminal research study published by the Woman’s Health Initiative reported high breast cancer occurrences in women who opted for hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Since then, women have been searching for an alternative to HRTs that use laboratory-made hormones containing horse estrogens. Doctors think the molecular structure of these synthetic hormones is incompatible with hormone receptors designed to accept hormones produced by the body. This incompatibility is believed to cause a low-grade, systemic inflammatory response that may promote cancer cells’ development.5
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) provides progesterone, estrogen, and other hormones derived from plant sources such as yams or soy. Molecular studies have shown that plant-based hormones’ molecular structure nearly matches the structure of hormone receptors in the body. Consequently, they are readily accepted by the body and do not cause systemic inflammation underlying specific cancer types.
Science supports the safety and efficacy of BHRT as well. A meta-analysis of several studies involving nearly 87,000 menopausal women found that using BHRT correlated with significantly lower breast cancer rates compared to women who took synthetic progesterone.6 Authors of the meta-analysis report that low progesterone levels in premenopausal women have also been implicated in higher breast cancer risks.
Moreover, maintaining sufficient levels of progesterone is associated with a reduced risk of colon and uterine cancer. Ongoing research also suggests that progesterone may help decrease a woman’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and neurodegenerative conditions.7
Renew Health and Wellness offers BHRT and a comprehensive variety of natural health enhancement treatments to support your overall health before, during, and after menopause. Call today to schedule a consultation appointment about BHRT and how it can help you restore energy and equilibrium to all aspects of physical and psychological health.
References
- https://www.healthywomen.org/your-health/progesterone
- Progesterone and neuroprotection – ScienceDirect
- https://www.medicinenet.com/low_progesterone/article.htm
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/perimenopause-rocky-road-to-menopause
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3127562/
- https://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2094168
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29055286/
Why Progesterone is Vital to a Woman’s Health
Produced by the ovaries and the adrenal glands, progesterone is a sex hormone essential for menstruation and pregnancy. Women who experience fertility issues may have low progesterone levels that interfere with ovulation.1
In addition to performing many functions beneficial to our reproductive health, progesterone further acts as a neuroprotective hormone that supports brain cell signaling and general cognition. Some research suggests that low progesterone in menopausal women may develop early-onset Alzheimer’s, ovarian cancer, and osteoporosis.2
Progesterone enhances the ability of estrogen to support bone density. During adolescence, progesterone is needed to achieve an ideal bone mineral density in girls.
Women require progesterone between the ages of 20 and 40 to help reduce bone loss during perimenopause and menopause. Reproductive age women who experience problems with ovulating and having irregular periods should have blood tests to determine if they have abnormally low progesterone levels.
What Causes Progesterone Levels to Drop in Women Over Age 45?
As the ovaries prepare for menopause and the end of a woman’s reproductive years, they gradually stop making progesterone and estrogen. Egg production also decreases as ovulation gradually diminishes. Menopause is clinically diagnosed when a woman does not have a period of one year. The adrenal glands will stop releasing progesterone before the ovaries stop entirely.3
Signs of Low Progesterone During Perimenopause and Menopause
Throughout a woman’s reproductive years, progesterone and estrogen interact to promote ovulation, embryo development, lactation, and general well-being. Symptoms of low progesterone before actual menopause are similar to symptoms of low estrogen in post-menopausal women.4 They include:
- Hot flashes/night sweats
- Low sex drive/pain during intercourse due to lack of lubrication
- Depression/anxiety/moodiness
- Headaches and worsening migraines in women who have migraines
- Weight gain/cravings for salty or sugary foods
- Bloating/fluid retention
- Difficulty remembering and concentrating (brain “fog”)
Bioidentical Hormone Therapy for Replacing Progesterone: What Is It and How Does It Work?
Years ago, a seminal research study published by the Woman’s Health Initiative reported high breast cancer occurrences in women who opted for hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Since then, women have been searching for an alternative to HRTs that use laboratory-made hormones containing horse estrogens. Doctors think the molecular structure of these synthetic hormones is incompatible with hormone receptors designed to accept hormones produced by the body. This incompatibility is believed to cause a low-grade, systemic inflammatory response that may promote cancer cells’ development.5
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) provides progesterone, estrogen, and other hormones derived from plant sources such as yams or soy. Molecular studies have shown that plant-based hormones’ molecular structure nearly matches the structure of hormone receptors in the body. Consequently, they are readily accepted by the body and do not cause systemic inflammation underlying specific cancer types.
Science supports the safety and efficacy of BHRT as well. A meta-analysis of several studies involving nearly 87,000 menopausal women found that using BHRT correlated with significantly lower breast cancer rates compared to women who took synthetic progesterone.6 Authors of the meta-analysis report that low progesterone levels in premenopausal women have also been implicated in higher breast cancer risks.
Moreover, maintaining sufficient levels of progesterone is associated with a reduced risk of colon and uterine cancer. Ongoing research also suggests that progesterone may help decrease a woman’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and neurodegenerative conditions.7
Renew Health and Wellness offers BHRT and a comprehensive variety of natural health enhancement treatments to support your overall health before, during, and after menopause. Call today to schedule a consultation appointment about BHRT and how it can help you restore energy and equilibrium to all aspects of physical and psychological health.
References
- https://www.healthywomen.org/your-health/progesterone
- Progesterone and neuroprotection – ScienceDirect
- https://www.medicinenet.com/low_progesterone/article.htm
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/perimenopause-rocky-road-to-menopause
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3127562/
- https://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2094168
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29055286/
