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What Is Progesterone?
Progesterone is one of the body’s most protective hormones. It neutralizes inflammatory substances including excess estrogen and having adequate progesterone levels are essential for the body's production of energy. Our goal in health is to ensure our cells are producing an abundance of energy - that's when repair and healing can take place.
What Are The Symptoms Of Low Progesterone?
When there is a deficiency of progesterone, many different symptoms can arise.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
Anxiety/depression
Irregular menstrual cycles
Heavy and/or painful periods
Edema
Early menopause
Insomnia
Infertility
Varicose veins
Endometriosis
Fibroids
Constipation
Cold hands and feet
Allergies
Blood pressure issues
Headaches
And more.
Bio-identical Progesterone Versus Synthetic Progestins?
Bio-identical progesterone has a chemically and structurally identical form to the body's own progesterone - i.e. the hormone made by the corpus luteam. Synthetic progestins are modifications of progesterone, having atoms introduced into the natural molecule, to create patentable drugs. By virtue of their different chemical structures, synthetic progestins do not always act as progesterone would at the same target tissue. Progestins can be androgenic, causing skin breakouts and hair loss, have been found to worsen anxiety, increase the risk of breast cancer, and promote high blood pressure. Drug companies make progestins because it is not possible to patent a natural substance like progesterone.
What Is The Best Natural Progesterone Supplement?
There are many different natural progesterone products on the market. The one I prefer is Dr. Ray Peat’s Progesterone oil also called Progest-E (Produced by Kenogen). It is made using vitamin E as a solvent for the progesterone. This allows for an effective oral progesterone supplement with very high bioavailability.
Dr. Ray Peat’s Progesterone oil is about 20 times stronger than many other progesterone preparations. Thus high dosages are not necessary, which is often the case with other products.
Find out more about bio-identical progesterone supplementation in my talk on the Wellness Discussions Podcast:
In this episode we discuss:
Difference between progestin & progesterone
Concerns about progestins
Benefits & role of progesterone
Jacqui's journey with progesterone
Carmen's journey with progesterone
Other reasons to take bio-identical progesterone
Considerations before supplementing bio-identical progesterone
Concerns about supplementing bio-identical progesterone
Why ProgestE and a bit about Vitamin E
How and when to take progesterone
When in the menstrual cycle to take progesterone
If you don't know when you are ovulating
Not ovulating
Dosage and how
How long to take it for