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Progesterone Excess

by Rosalind
(Brisbane, Australia)

I've been taking Progest E Complex which is made up of a natural vitamin E oil, vegetable triglycerides, and natural progesterone.

I recently did salivary hormone tests for the sex hormones and my results showed my progesterone levels to be greater than 15900 pmol which is incredibly high.

My information about testing progesterone with salivary hormone tests is that saliva is formed by selective secretion, and it isn't an accurate reflection of non-water soluble substances in the blood. The components of the blood that distribute progesterone through the body don't appear in the saliva, and progesterone isn't water soluble.

So what do the results I see represent?

Comments for Progesterone Excess

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Oct 18, 2013
 Progesterone Excess
by: Wray

Hi Rosalind It is high, although I've seen higher. In fact it can go much higher. But the only criteria is do you feel well? We do have a page which will hopefully explain your query, see here. Take care Wray
Oct 18, 2013
 Thanks for answering but
by: Anonymous

when I clicked on the 'here' there was no link.

Could you add the link please.
Oct 18, 2013
 Thanks for answering, but
by: Rosalind

There is no link to follow. Could you add that please.

I feel good, actually. The concern is that on the same test, E1 showed as very high as well (148). Progesterone is a precursor to E1. E1 is a hormone that is dangerous when high as it can convert to E2 and vice versa.

In some ways it's fortunately that I'm post menopausal because my E2 is very low (5) but perhaps you can see why I'm concerned - high progesterone driving high E1 that can convert to E2 equals ???
Oct 19, 2013
 There is no link to follow. Could you add that please.
by: Wray

Hi Rosalind Apologies! I see I left off one of the tags when copy/pasting the link. I have corrected it in my comment above. Your oestrone is within range, 1.5-5.5 pg/mL or 55-204 pmol/L. We also have a page on Hormone Testing you could look through. E1 is formed via two pathways, one via progesterone, the other via DHEA. Both convert to androstenedione, which is converted to E1 by the enzyme aromatase. Genova Diagnostics have an excellent chart. You'll notice E1 and E2 can convert into each other. But our fat cells are another source, and it seems these can overproduce after menopause, see here. Has anyone checked your aromatase levels, or your DHEA levels? Factors known to increase aromatase activity include age, obesity, insulin, the gonadotropins LH and FSH, IGF-1 and alcohol. Progesterone is an aromatase inhibitor, see here, here, here, here, here, and here. There are a number of other inhibitors too, see here, here, here and here. Take care Wray
Oct 21, 2013
 Thank you
by: Rosalind

I really appreciate the lengths you have gone to in order to explain everything.

I feel much more at ease, especially knowing the E1 is in normal range.

I've just had serum blood tests done for all the hormones including DHEA (which was 'normal' when previously tested) and should have the results today.

Fingers crossed.

Rosalind
Oct 22, 2013
 Thank you
by: Wray

Hi Rosalind Glad it helped, let me know the results. Take care Wray
Oct 24, 2013
 Blood Test Results
by: Rosalind

Hi Wray.
My blood test results are:

Progesterone < 1 nmol/L.
Oestradiol 50 pmol/L
FSH 15 U/L
Luteinizing Hormone 50 U/L

As you can see the progesterone result is ridiculously lower.
Rosalind
Oct 31, 2013
 Blood Test Results
by: Wray

Hi Rosalind Yes your progesterone is in the menopausal range, as if you were not touching the stuff. Your ratio is 20:1 now. What's made it drop I don't know, unless the first test was inaccurate, which is puzzling. But high LH and FSH does suppress it. Strange they did these tests, knowing you were in menopause, they would be high. High testosterone also suppresses progesterone, and they don't seem to have done that test. After menopause the ovaries produce testosterone, see here and here. It could be because you use an oil, presumably under the tongue, it affects saliva far more than blood. Puzzling! Take care Wray

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