Progesterone is the most popular and well-known bio-identical hormone. Natural progesterone is exactly identical to the progesterone made by your own body. This is very different than the "progesterone" in the Pill and conventional HRT, which are progestin drugs. Progestin drugs have many side effects, and are fundamentally a completely different thing than natural progesterone.
Natural progesterone can be used effectively to treat many hormonal problems including PMT, painful breasts, infertility, osteoporosis, and peri-menopause.
Is it safe?
The safety of natural progesterone has never been in question. Unlike oestrogen and progestin drugs, natural progesterone may actually protects against breast cancer.
In parts of Europe, 'micronised progesterone' (natural progesterone) has become standard care in gynaecology.
How much should be used?
We recommend that you use the minimal dose necessary for relief of symptoms. Founders of progesterone therapy like Dr John Lee used only 10-20 mg of progesterone per day. This is about what the ovaries would make under normal circumstances. Some Australian doctors have been prescribing up to 10 times this amount. As a patient, if you are using more than 1/2 gram of a 3% cream, or more than 0.5 of a 70mg troche, you need to reconsider what you are taking.
For more information about bio-identical hormones generally, click here.
