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Progesterone

What is progesterone?

Natural progesterone provides a safe, convenient remedy to a wide range of health problems.

This website has one aim...

"to provide you with clear, jargon free information to enable you to make informed decisions about the benefits of progesterone therapy as they may relate to your particular health problem"


We speak your language! Click here for a translation of this website into your language


There are just as many misconceptions held about this critically important hormone by the medical professions as there are by the rest of us. This may seem like an overly bold assertion but it is based upon years of personal experience.

The number of times I've heard statements such as...

"its only a female sex hormone"

or

"its just another sex hormone"

or (worst of all)

"the only difference between progesterone and progestin is the spelling"

...are too numerous to detail.

This is not meant as a condemnation of medical practioners in general (they're a busy bunch and its a specialised subject) but just as a caution that you should not accept all you hear about progesterone at face value.

However, you've come to the right place for real answers.

Some of what follows may be a bit dry in places but please persist as the big picture that emerges is well worth the effort.

What's the "big picture"? Simply this...

Many of the so-called "modern" diseases can be
prevented
or overcome by progesterone therapy.

Much of the evidence for this is anecdotal which helps to explain the reluctance of some medicos to recognise results.

The real question is not...

"does the evidence conform to the rules?"

But...

"do I feel better?"

If the answer is "yes" and the process in getting there is simple, safe and natural then you can add your "anecdote" to the weight of real evidence.


Now lets answer that question...

"What is progesterone?"

First of all its a hormone that has been around for about 500 million years. That makes it the oldest hormone.

Why is this important?

Because it shows how vital it is to the lives of a great many creatures on the planet.

It is essential to all vertebrates... fishes, reptiles, birds and mammals... including humans.

It has countless functions in both sexes and all ages... regulating blood sugar, developing intelligence, building bones, brain activity and many more.

Our bodies make it all the time.

In the higher animals it is involved in reproduction but, not being exclusively a sex hormone, it does not impart any secondary sexual characteristics. It is converted by the adrenal glands into other hormones such as...

  • cortisone
  • estrogen
  • testosterone
  • and others

William Allen and George Corner first isolated progesterone in 1934 and proposed the name because of its "progestational" activity in the pregnant female. This was an unfortunate choice of name as it has now come to be regarded as a 'female' sex hormone, and it's many other roles having been largely forgotten.

It was not until 1943 that Russell Marker made progesterone from the plant steroid diosgenin. Originally he used the Mexican wild yam (dioscorea villosa) as a source plant. However, diosgenin has now been found in many other plants, including the spice fenugreek and the soya bean.

Once it was established that it could be produced like this biochemists began converting it into other hormones. These include cortisone, testosterone, estrogen and of course the unnatural 'progestins' or 'progestogens' that masquerade as natural progesterone.

There is much confusion in the minds of both the public and the professions between progesterone on the one hand, and the progestins or progestogens and "yam extracts" on the other.

Let me clear the confusion for you. Here are the essentials...

  • progesterone is made in your body from cholesterol. This is broken down into pregnenolone and then into progesterone. Your body then makes the other hormones that it needs from the progesterone.

This is a vital point to understand...

"progesterone is the essential raw material from which your body makes the other hormones"

Its this simple fact that helps anyone appreciate just how wide ranging the effects of a progesterone deficiency can be.

This is why progesterone therapy can be effective in treating such a wide range of health problems.

  • the progesterone your body makes has a unique molecular structure. Here's what the "natural" hormone looks like...

progesterone molecule

  • the progestins and progestogens on the other hand have an altered molecular structure. Here's what they look like...

progestin molecule

  • Spot the difference? They may look similar to the real thing... just as ivy and spinach are both green and leafy (ivy quiche anyone?) Need more proof? Take a look at these...

estradiol, testosterone molecules

  • Not much difference to look at either, but... estradiol tells your body its female and testosterone tells your body its male. There aren't many clearer differences than that! The lesson here is obvious enough... if such small differences in molecular structures have such big real effects then... beware of man made alterations.
  • The fact is progestins behave in the body in radically different ways to progesterone itself. The only similarity between progestins and the natural hormone is their ability to maintain the endometrium (the lining of the uterus). This also means they can be patented and sold for exhorbitant prices.
    • The natural hormone has no toxic side effects. However, the progestins and progestogens are potentially highly toxic because of their altered molecular structure. Some of the known side effects are...
      • an increased risk of abortion and congenital abnormalities if taken by pregnant women
      • fluid retention
      • epilepsy
      • migraine
      • asthma
      • cardiac and renal dysfunction
      • depression
      • breast tenderness
      • nausea
      • insomnia
      • cancer
      • a drop in progesterone levels

    ...and many more.

    • The long term effect of progestins on adrenal, hepatic, ovarian and uterine function is unknown.
    • And now for "yam extracts" and "yam creams"... simply put > "these do not contain progesterone". They do contain the plant steroid diosgenin, but the body cannot convert diosgenin into the hormone itself. The yam creams can have a beneficial adaptogenic effect on the body but, unlike progesterone, they cannot correct hormonal imbalances such as excessive levels of estrogen.
    Important information: A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (June 1999, pages 1504–1511) states that "In order to obtain the proper (effective) serum levels with use of a progesterone cream, the cream needs to have an adequate amount of progesterone in it [at least 30 milligrams per gram]. Many over the counter creams have little [for example, 5 milligrams per ounce] or none at all. The creams that are made from Mexican yams are not metabolized to progesterone by women."

    The key message in answering the question...

    "What is Progesterone?" is simply this...

    "Natural" progesterone... just as your body makes it, is a unique substance with unique properties that cannot be faked and that are essential to good health and...

    ...to life itself.

    To learn more about this essential substance and its therapeutic benefits please follow the links in the left margin menu. Please also subscribe to my newsletter, you'll find a link to the subscription page in the left menu.

    If your interest is more technical or research oriented then please...

    ...click here to find some rather condensed information on the effects of progesterone in the human body.

    A caution... its very dry reading unless you're excited by the science!

    To hear my own personal story... the one that led me to set up this website about the benefits of progesterone therapy please click here.

    Wray Whyte

    PS...

    Have you benefited from progesterone therapy?

    If you have overcome an illness or condition with progesterone therapy then we'd love to hear it. Sharing it will help us all get a better understanding of just how important progesterone is in solving a wide range of health issues.

    Enter Your Title (ex: "Progesterone got rid of my PCOS")

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    (You can preview and edit on the next page)

    Here's what others have said

    Click on the links below to see contributions and comments from other visitors to this page...

    Risk of no periods  Six weeks after giving birth to my son my gyno said that I could start taking birth contol pills.

    I was on the pill for 3 yrs. I thought they were safe....

    Progesterone treatment while pregnant  My doctor prescribed progesterone suppositories and I'm not sure I should continue to take them. I have read about the side effects and precautions and ...

    I have a question  Is 23 too young to begin taking progesterone? What would the effects be? Would it be more beneficial or harmful?

    Does progesterone help with complete period stop?  My period has stopped for almost 3 months now. I went to an OB and she gave me progesterone tablets. How will it help with my problem?

    Long term use of birth control  Someone at a health food and supplement store recommended use of progesterone cream to offset symptoms of long term birth control use. I have been on birth ...

    Infrequent menstrual cycle  I've had an infrequent menstrual cycle since getting off the pill. What natural/herbal remedies are there that would help regulate a normal menstrual cycle ...

    Does Flarex contain steroids similar to progesterone?  I had laser eye surgery 8 months ago.

    I would like to know is it normal and safe to get the therapy with Flucon (Flarex) Fluorometholone Acetate 0....

    Progesterone in early normal pregnancy?  My wife's doctor has advised her to take Progesterone.

    Dosage: 1 Susten 200/daily internally.

    Question: Is it safe and necessary to take this medicine ...

    Testosterone pellet   I just wanted to ask a quick question. I had a testosterone pellet placed two years ago, it has long been dissolved, but I'm experiencing bad side effects....

    Is Progesterone Delaying my period?   I'm 37 years old. Last April I miscarried at 7 weeks. My Doctor suspected low progesterone. I also have very small fibroids in the uterus - less than 2 ...

    Is it safe to continue with Prometrium?  I'm just in the initial stages of researching bioidentical hormones. I'm 58 and suffer from debilitating fatique at the top of my list of symptoms. Both ...

    Is progesterone delaying my period?   I'm 41 years old. Last year I miscarried at 7 weeks. I suspected low progesterone, but the doctors did nothing about it. I also have very small fibroids ...

    Trouble getting off HRT  I recently wrote saying after three months of gradually cutting down to just one Livial a week that I was starting to get irritable and quick tempered....

    Oral contraceptives and progesterone cream  I am interested in trying Natpro to relieve symptoms possibly related to estrogen dominance. I am, however, on oral contraceptives as I am in a committed ...

    Progesterone help prostate cancer  Please help...

    I went for a normal cervical smear. The result was CIN 1 cells. I've been using Natpro for about 6 months because of my periods being ...

    Should I use progesterone cream?  I am 67 years old. I would like to know if using progesterone cream would be alright for me. I seem to be very down a lot of the time. As well as very ...

    I am still irritable  I have been using Natpro for 3 months now whilst tapering off my Livial. I now only take one every 5 days so another couple of weeks and I should be off ...

    Progesterone works but need help  As I am not sure which events are linked, I have put down
    everything that might be relevant in chronological order.

    All the problems have manifested ...

    Total Hysterectomy and on HRT  I am 36 years of age. I had a total abdominal hysterectomy in 2006, and since then have been taking Premarin 1.25 mg/day.

    I have noticed weight gain,...

    Progesterone and skin problems excema  During all my pregnancies, I suffered with a dermatitis-excema rash on my hands and face which disappeared afterwards. Now I am starting menopause and ...

    Progesterone saved my sanity  For years, doctors thought I was depressed even though I kept telling them my problem was somehow hormone related. I only knew that because my PMS was ...

    Where can I get progesterone?  Just read your website... sounds interesting. I was diagnosed with PCOS and I'm on birth control pills. Just wondering where can I get progesterone from....

    Does the method of progesterone therapy make any difference?  My first pregnancy was perfect. I am carrying my second pregnancy. In the 8th week I had some bleeding, like dark clots. My doctor recommended bed rest ...

    PCOS and low progesterone levels  I'm 28 years old and my husband and I have been trying to concieve unsuccessfully for the past 4 years. During that time I have seen a specialist only ...

    Progestrone injections during pregnancy  How important is it to take take progestrone injections during pregnancy?

    Progesterone and cancer and hormone receptors  Does progesterone block our hormone receptors like estrogen and testosterone? What is the relation between excessive progesterone and cancer? Is it true ...

    Foods containing progesterone  I have been on the internet for 4 hours looking for actual foods containing progesterone... not creams... or pills... the actual food. All I found was ...

    Does progesterone help with blood sugar and anxiety?   I am 42 and according to blood work I am post menopausal. I started experiencing anxiety and panic attacks one year ago, shortly after my diagnosis of ...

    No period for 3 years  I am 25 years old and haven't had a period in 3 years. I have been to numerous doctors and they have put me on Provera and said that it is quite normal....

    Progesterone and thyroid  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism (specifically, Hashimoto's) with a TPO of 1262. In range was 0-35. I was put on synthroid and my TPO (thyroid peroxidase ...

    Are progesterone tabs safe?  I am pregnant by about 5 weeks. My gyno has prescribed me gestone tablets (progesterone 200 mg). Is it safe to consume it? Since I am 26 yrs of age, is ...

    Progesterone helped me  I am 33 years old and have had 2 live births and 6 losses that I believe are progesterone-deficiency related. The last pregnancy/loss I used progesterone ...

    Life after YAZ birth Control Pill  I am 25yrs old and took YAZ, under the recommendation of my OB/GYN to decrease the activity of my ovaries and thus increase my chances of conception if ...

    Could progesterone cream help?  I am a 54 year old female, and one year ago I had surgery to remove endometrial tissue from my intestines. I had no symptoms of endometriosis until I ...

    Always tired  I am 37 years old and wiegh 140 lbs. After a blood test and compaints to my doctor of always being tired, very hard to lose weight ( exercising like crazy)...

    Taking 200 mg of progesterone  I was released by a fertility clinic over a month ago to my OBGYN
    He has not taken me off the progesterone yet and I am 14 weeks pregnant. I am questioning ...

    Progesterone and Hypertension  I had 3 3 month Depo Provera shots plus a Lupron injection before my endometrial ablation 6 weeks ago. I had been taking progestin BC pills a few months ...

    Progesterone and hair loss  I am very concerned my hair has been shedding for quite some time. I was told that white flour and white sugar "would destroy me" but lately the problem ...

    Additional benefits of progesterone  I gave birth several months ago and, as most people know, when pregnant the mother's hair gets thick and luxurious. After birth, my hair has fallen out ...

    Progesterone for ADHD  Hello, I have a friend that has a 14 year old boy with ADHD. Do you have any information on the use of progesterone cream for this condition?
    Thank you...

    Question about progesterone  Dear Wray,

    I was diagnosed with mxoid leiomyosarcoma back in 2004. It has reoccurred 4 times since then. I have done every possible health thing to ...

    Progesterone makes me so crabby and unhappy  I have had severe emotional symptoms relating to menopause -depression and anxiety for the most part. After 2 years of trying to treat them naturally and ...

    Will progesterone tablets increase the risk of abortion?  I'm not quite clear as to the difference between progesterone, progestins and progestogens. My question is, if I consume tablets containing progesterones,...

    Progesterone cream or trouche  Hello, I was just wondering what was better progesterone cream or trouches. I have both 20 mg trouch told to take once a day and I also have natural cream ...

    Hormones and muscles  I have just found your website. I have a question about the effect of estrogen and/or proegesterone on muscles and ligaments. I am post menopausal and ...

    Bleeding During Use Of Progesterone (natural)   I have been using natural progesterone for about a year now. 1/8 of tsp am and pm from day 15 to day 28 of my cycle. Although most of my symptoms have ...

    Need advice on use of Progesterone Cream  Hello Wray

    I have been using the Progesterone Cream now for about 7 - 8 weeks. (I might add here that I have just finished chemo therapy and radiation ...

    Gaining weight on hormones  My doctor put me on the transdermal gel, Estrogel and Prometrium a progesterone. These are to help menopause symptoms and prevention of Osteoporosis. I ...

    Progesterone returned my body to a healthy cycle following chemo.  Hi My name is Maz and this is my second story to add to this wonderful site regarding progesterone.

    After having used Progesterone Cream for nearly ...

    Progesterone healed my radiation burns in days  Hello, my name is Maz and I would like to share my story on this amazing product.

    I was introduced to progesterone Cream at the time I was part way ...

    Will progesterone help a child?  A son of a friend, age two and a half, suffers from...

    1. asthma
    2. nut allergy
    3. Eczema

    I wondered if progesterone cream could be of some help ...

    Progesterone  What is the normal range of progesternoe in our bodies male and female?

    Fibroids during pregnancy  Is is possible to shrink fibroids during pregnancy with the help of progesterone?

    Progestrone in myopathy  Hello, I have a patient - 2 year baby who had need to ventilator therapy for 30 days - in I.C.U with myopathy. I need information for substantial relief ...

    Do I need to take Progesterone?  Hi
    I am pregant and it is my 8th week. When I met my Dr yesterday she asked me to take Susten 200 (Progesterone). It was my first visit after my pregnacy....

    Side effects, does it mean it's working?  Dear Wray,

    I just started on Natpro a week ago. I read in the insert about symptoms getting worse in the beginning. How long typically does this occur ...

    Miren Coil  Is it okay to use natural progesterone with a mire a coil!!!

    Progesterone doesn't work in me!  I'm a 29 year old lady, and work for a family doctor. I'm married and have been trying to concieve for four years. I underwent many IVF (In Vitro Fertilization)...

    Progesterone to avoid miscarriage - caps inserted vaginally  My wife's doctor prescribed progesterone capsules for my wife to help her avoid a miscarriage, after we lost the last two babies within 2 months or less....

    Ovarian cysts & progesterone  My Mother is 76 years old & was rushed into hospital end of June this year with rapid heartbeat. She has a heart murmur & an overactive thyroid, in short,...

    Been told I need natural progesterone??  I need to ask that if I have been told I may have low progesterone and need natural progesterone, what does this mean? Do I need to take tablets or some ...

    Don't know which way to turn  I am 44 years old. I have had a large fibroid removed by surgery 8 years ago. I now have an 8cm fibroid with poor vascularisation and an oedema inside ...

    Progesterone: The key fit  After menopause (cessation of bleeding 15 months) I had kidney pain, severe migraines and body aches at all times. Severe fatigue hit me and I had adrenal ...

    Factor V  I have Factor V leiden disorder. Having thick lining and am post menopausal. Dr. put me on Prometrium 12 days of each month. Is this safe with having ...

    Natpro makes my period come early  I started using Natpro because my periods were getting shorter and because I have premenstrual spotting. As a result, all I got was my period even shorter....

    A question or two...  I have had a hysterectomy (I've kept my ovaries) because of pretty bad fibroids.

    I am wondering: if my problem was caused by a progesterone deficiency,...

    Which hormones to take?  I have been reading for some time now about natural hormone replacement therapy and have tried to find a doctor who truely understands bioidentical hormones ...

    Can you use too much?  I have had hypoglycemia with panic/anxiety for many years. Hashimoto's as well, it seems. With saliva testing I was told I was low in progesterone and ...

    Progesterone for help with Luteal Phase Defect ?  Hi ! I have been tracking my ovulation and find that my luteal phase is between 7 and 9 days. I understand that this is far too few days and it would ...

    Wondering...  In 1983, while working on a yacht in Spain, I began hemorrhaging and was given a number of vials of progesterone by a Spanish physician. Two years later ...

    I think that I have a problem in progesterone hormone  Because I took birth control pills (drospirenone+ethinylestradiol) for 1 month. I stopped it because I had spotting blood for 20 days. Then I changed to ...

    Progesterone reduced my supraventricular tachycardia  I am 53, and post menopausal for about 3 years now. I used progesterone cream during the transition into menopause, and it effectively eliminated all ...

    Feeling desperate  Can you have too much progesterone? I have come off a bio-identical troche but it was prescribed from a blood test. When I did i a saliva test my levels ...

    Ovarian cysts & progesterone  Thank you Wray for your comments regarding my Mothers problem. The progesterone cream is Doctor formulated with 1800mg of natural progesterone. Each 1/...

    Am I using enough, and do I keep applying?  Dear Wray,
    My two questions are - the "pea size" amount that I am applying means that the jar will last me longer than 3 months, I am obviously not ...

    Progesterone - is this the answer to all my problems?  I've filled in a questionare at Emagene's Bfn, and it seems like I need Progesterone

    I want to start using my "Natpro cream" but I'm so scared I'll ...

    Thank you!  Wray, Thank you for your response. I am hoping that it might help. I'm going to give it a try. Vicki

    Progesterone combination  I want to talk with my GYN regarding this hormone, but I do not know if I need a combination of other hormones to help with depression, lack of energy,...

    Hysterectomy and Progesterone Cream  I have had a Hysterectomy over 7 years ago ago and I began using Progesterone Cream for a couple of years to alleviate symptoms. However, I felt better ...

    Enquiry  What are the products containing high or low progesterone? Maybe food substances? Please give examples.

    Is it harmful taking oral progesterone with parlodel?  I have been trying to conceive and been diagonsed as having low progesterone and high prolactin. I have been placed on primolutn (2 tabs per day) and parlodel ...

    Too much progesterone  My saliva test showed my progesterone was 421, and my estrogens were all at normal levels. What can I do to lower my progesterone?

    Progesterone & Testosterone making me feel ill  Have started using 4% progesterone and 1% testosterone. Have been on it for 4 days only (currently using flat 1/4 teaspoon). I woke up this morning feeling ...

    Progesterone cream made my periods late.  I started using Natro progesterone cream about two weeks ago, three times a day, 1/4 teaspoon ten minutes before meals.
    My period is now nine days late ...

    Progesterone and prostate cancer  My husband was treated for prostate cancer 2 years ago with radiation (45 treatments) followed by Lupron injections and Casodex, then no Casodex but Ketoconazole ...

    Transdermal Progesterone vs Oral Progesterone  I am 6 months post surgical menopause. I am currently taking (oral) 1 MG OF estriol at night and 25mgs of oral progesterone twice daily (total 50 mgs), testosterone ...

    Is Progesterone going to save my life ?  Having been ill since 2000, having a full hysterectomy and fibriods in 2002 then getting progessively worse ever since going round a series of Doctors ...

    Does progesterone help an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer?  My PSA level was at 7 andI was told to see a urologist to check for prostate cancer. But someone I know with the same problem said to try prosta-care. It ...

    Dilemma over hormones  My dilemma is as follows. Age 53 and cannot ever be given artifical/drug horomones of any kind due to thrombosis after child birth when I was 24. Up until ...

    Infant asthma  Hi Mary I believe progesterone could help. Interestingly the prevalence of asthma in infant boys is greater than girls. Eczema could possibly be helped,...

    Progesterone and psoriasis  We have had people reporting their psoriasis is better when using progesterone. It has many properties which indicate it should help. Psoriasis is believed ...


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    Although this web site is not intended to be prescriptive, it is intended, and hoped, that it will induce in you a sufficient level of scepticism about some health care practices to impel you to seek out medical advice that is not captive to purely commercial interests, or blinded by academic and institutional hubris. You are encouraged to refer any health problem to a health care practitioner and, in reference to any information contained in this web site, preferably one with specific knowledge of progesterone therapy.


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