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 hot flushes, hirsutism, PMT, painful breasts, infertility, osteoporosis, and peri-menopause.
Natural progesterone for hot flushes
In a new study from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, "natural" progesterone was shown to be effective for hot flushes.According to lead author Dr Prior, "This is the first evidence that oral micronized progesterone, which is molecularly identical to the natural hormone, is effective for women with symptomatic hot flashes."
"Women improve very quickly on oral micronized progesterone," she said. No serious side effects were noted. Progesterone may be suitable for women that cannot take oestrogen. (1)
Natural progesterone for oestrogen-dominance
Oestrogen dominance is the ratio of too much oestrogen compared to progesterone. It is caused by estrogen-mimicking pollutants in our environment, use of the birth control pill, over-production of stress hormones, and poor liver detoxification of oestrogens.
Symptoms include heavy periods, PMT mood swings, fluid retention before the period, breast tenderness, fibroids and weight gain on the hips.
Natural progesterone is also effective for:
- Endometriosis
- PCOS
- Breast cancer prevention
- Infertility
- Migraine headaches
- Fibroids
- Anxiety and depression
- Premenstrual tension
Is it safe?
Why are French women so lucky? Their doctors have no problem because prescribing Natural Progesterone.
Natural progesterone has been used in France and other parts of Europe for many decades. It has a well-established safety record, and that is starting to become more apparent in the research.
The "E3N cohort study" is a French health study that is following over 100,000 menopausal women over many years. It has provided some interesting information about HRT and the benefit of natural progesterone (micronized progesterone) vs conventional progestin. First of all, the E3N study found that unlike progestin, natural progesterone does not increase the risk for breast cancer. (2) Now, the latest information from the E3N study is that micronized progesterone is far safer than progestins when it comes to cardiovascular disease. Unlike progestins, which are a stroke risk, micronized progesterone may actually reduce the risk for stroke. (3)
Natural Progesterone MaY not be 'alternative' for long
The alternative therapy "Natural Progesterone" will likely become standard hormone therapy in the coming years. The science is soundly behind it as a more effective, far safer treatment than conventional HRT progestins.
The same change has already happened with oestrogen. Only 10 years ago, horse oestrogen tablets were the standard. Horse oestrogens were rife with side effects and cancer risk. Now, most doctors are happy to prescribe the safer and gentler bioidentical oestradiol in a patch or gel. The only problem is that it is still combined with a progestin drug. (Bioidentical means "identical to human" hormone).
At the moment, if a woman wants bioidentical progesterone, she must obtain it through an alternative route (and possibly risk a scolding from her doctor).
As a alternative health practitioner, I will welcome the day when all doctors are on board with progesterone. Women will be the biggest winners.
How much should be used?
As Naturopaths, we recommend a low-dose approach to natural hormones. 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 the appropriateness of that.
Appointments at Sensible-Alternative
For professional advice regarding the safe use of natural progesterone, please make an appointment with one of our Naturopaths.
Locations in Crowsnest Pass, Canada and Sydney, Australia.
1) Dr Lara Grinevitch - Crowsnest Pass, Canada
Lara sees patients on Mondays.
Phone Crowsnest Clinic: 1 403 563 3334. (Clinic phone is attended Tuesday-Friday)
Text message or leave a voicemail on Lara's cell: 1 587 880 4436
2) Biljana Koga or Deborah Gibson - Sydney, Australia
Two Sydney locations: Chatswood - Cronulla
Sydney phone number: 02 8011 1994
To email our Sydney head office: click here.
References:
- News-Medical.net. June 22, 2010. http://www.news-medical.net/news/20100622/
- Fournier, A et al. Breast cancer risk in relation to different types of hormone replacement therapy in the E3N-EPIC cohert. Int. J. Cancer 2005: 114: 448-454
- Canonico M, Fournier A, Carcaillon L, "Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy and Risk of Idiopathic Venous Thromboembolism: Results From the E3N Cohort Study," Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2010;30:340.
