Natural
Progesterone Lotion
Natural
Estriol and
Progesterone Lotion
Natural
Progesterone and Estriol
Questions and Answers
1 What is progesterone?
2 What is the difference between natural
progesterone and progestins like Provera®?
3 What is estrogen?
4 What are progesterone and estriol made from?
5 What is “estrogen dominance”?
6 What causes “estrogen dominance”?
7 What are the symptoms of “estrogen dominance”?
8 What are the benefits of progesterone?
9 When is progesterone recommended?
10 How do I know if I need progesterone alone or
progesterone with estriol?
11 Can estrogens be used without natural progesterone?
12 How much progesterone should I use?
13 Where should I apply progesterone lotion?
14 Where should I apply estriol & progesterone
lotion?
15 Wouldn't it be easier to just take a progesterone
pill?
16 How safe is progesterone supplementation?
17 What are the symptoms of excess progesterone?
18 Who should not use progesterone?
19 Who should not use estriol with progesterone?
20 I am already taking a hormone prescription from my
doctor, why should I change to natural hormones?
21 Can I discontinue HRT?
22 I'm post menopausal, will I start menstruating again
if I use natural hormones?
23 Is natural progesterone and estriol useful after
hysterectomy, oophorectomy (removal of ovaries) and menopausal women?
24 Can I use natural progesterone if there is a family
history of breast or uterine cancer?
25 Can I use progesterone if I am on birth control pills?
26 If natural progesterone has so many benefits, why
don't physicians routinely recommend it to their patients?
1 What is progesterone?
Progesterone is a steroid hormone made by the corpus luteum of the
ovary at ovulation, and in smaller amounts by the adrenal glands.
Progesterone is produced in the body from cholesterol, and is a
precursor to most of the other steroid hormones, including cortisol,
estrogens and testosterone.
In a normally cycling female, the corpus luteum produces 12 to 24 mg of
progesterone daily during the luteal phase (second half) of the
menstrual cycle.
Simplified
pathway for biosynthesis of hormones (graph opens in new window)
2 What is the
difference between natural progesterone and progestins like
Provera®?
Natural (bioidentical) progesterone is preferable to the synthetic
progestins such as Provera, because it is identical with the hormone
produced by human body and has no undesirable side effects when used as
directed.
Progestins are substances similar to, but not identical with
progesterone:
molecular structures of natural progesterone and
medroxyprogesterone acetate
Black circles indicate groups added to natural
progesterone. Because of this “uniqueness” Provera® could be
patented.
Pharmaceutical companies devoted much effort to developing
progesterone-like substances that are patentable. While those
substances are capable of inducing more potent body responses than
natural progesterone, they carry serious side effects: breast cancer,
strokes, fluid retention, migraine headaches, asthma, cardiac
irregularities and depression.
3 What is estrogen?
More accurately estrogens; it’s the name of a group of hormones:
estradiol, estrone and estriol. Estriol is the weakest and safest
estrogen that might even protect against breast cancer*.
Estrogens are to a woman what testosterone is to a man. However,
both women and men have some of each, but in different
proportions. Estrogens are the basic female sex hormones and are
responsible for the development of female characteristics. In
order to maintain good health estrogens should be balanced by
progesterone*.
4 What are
progesterone and estriol made from?
The Progesterone USP and Estriol USP used in natural hormone
replacement (NHRT) are made from a substance called diosgenin, which is
extracted from wild yam (Dioscorea villosa), or from soybeans. In
a laboratory process, diosgenin is transformed into progesterone or
estriol, identical with the human hormones.
Some companies are selling diosgenin, which they label as "wild yam
extract" claiming that the body will convert it into hormones as
needed. While this can be done in a laboratory, there is no
evidence that this conversion takes place in the human body.
5 What is “estrogen
dominance”?
This term coined by Dr. John R. Lee*
relates to a
condition when there is insufficient progesterone in proportion to
estrogen (estrogen is unbalanced or unopposed).
6 What causes
“estrogen dominance”?
Major causes of estrogen dominance:
- non-ovulatory cycles: many women experience them as
many as ten years before menopause. In those cycles enough
estrogen is made to create menstruation, but not enough of progesterone
is made to balance it. Even after menopause estrogen continues to
be produced in the fat cells while progesterone production is greatly
diminished
- environmental estrogens; our food is a significant
source of those: livestock is fed estrogens to grow faster and
gain weight by retaining water; crops are sprayed with pesticides that
mimic estrogens.
- birth control pills, ERT and HRT
- impaired liver function
- prolonged intense stress increases demand for
cortisol, which is made from progesterone. The process leaves
less progesterone available for balancing estrogen.
7 What are the
symptoms of “estrogen dominance”?
Symptoms of estrogen dominance include weight gain, bloating, mood
swings, irritability, tender breasts, headaches, fatigue, depression,
hypoglycemia, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, fibrocystic breasts and
PMS. Estrogen dominance is known to increase the chance of
developing cancer of the breast, ovary, endometrium (uterus), and in
men - prostate.
8 What are the
benefits of progesterone?
There are many functions of progesterone in human body, but one of its
most important roles is to oppose the negative effects of excess
estrogen.
John R. Lee, M.D.* lists the following benefits of
progesterone:
- Protects against fibrocystic breast
- Protects against endometrial, breast and ovarian
cancer and in men – prostate cancer
- Helps normalize blood sugar levels
- Helps use fat for energy
- Prevents water accumulation (acts as mild diuretic)
- Helps (normalizes) thyroid hormone function
- Stimulates new bone formation (osteoporosis
protection and even reversal)
- Improves brain function, has antidepressant
properties
- Improves skin problems including acne, seborrhea,
rosacea, psoriasis
- Diminishes muscular aches and pains, has
anti-inflammatory properties
- Improves sleep pattern
- Improves libido.
9 When is progesterone
recommended?
Dr. Lee and other authors* recommend using
progesterone for:
PMS: symptoms that occur
consistently 7 to 14 days before the period and stop with or shortly
thereafter.
Premenopausal/menopausal
symptoms: water retention, breast swelling, fibrocystic breast,
uterine fibroids, loss of libido, mood swings, depression, cravings for
sweets, weight gain, fat deposits at hips and thighs. Light
symptoms resulting from estrogen fluctuations, like hot flashes, night
sweats and vaginal dryness can also be relieved by progesterone.
Osteoporosis: Healthy
bone is being continuously reconstructed: new bone is created while the
old tissue is reabsorbed. After the age of 30 the process of
creating new bone tends to slow down. This imbalance leads to
osteoporosis. After menopause the process of bone loss
accelerates. Progesterone stimulates new bone formation,
preventing osteoporosis; it can even reverse its progress. You
should also supplement calcium and magnesium, vitamin D and
other micronutrients. Include weight-bearing exercise in your
self-care.
10 How do I know if I
need progesterone alone or progesterone with estriol?
Dr. Lee and other authors* explain that if you have
moderate to heavy symptoms resulting from estrogen
fluctuations like hot flashes and night sweats, or overall low level of
estrogens is causing vaginal dryness or “mental fog” that does not
clear with progesterone itself, then use progesterone with
estriol. If in doubt, first try progesterone alone.
11 Can estrogens be
used without natural progesterone?
Dr. Lee and other authors* clearly state that
estrogens should always be used with progesterone.
12 How much
progesterone should I
use?
An appropriate dose is the minimal amount that alleviates hormonal
imbalance symptoms. Do not exceed the dose recommended on bottle
label or information insert.
If you do not have clearly visible symptoms and are taking progesterone
preventively because of its benefits, do not exceed 10 - 15 mg per day
depending on your weight and progesterone deficiency. After about
a year you can reduce the dose to 7 to 10 mg per day. As a guide,
monitor your bone density and have the progesterone level checked by
your physician or use a saliva test.
13 Where should I
apply progesterone lotion?
Absorption is best from face, neck, chest, breasts, inner arms, palms
of the hands and the backside of the knees.
14 Where should I
apply estriol & progesterone lotion?
As described above, except breasts.
15 Wouldn't it be
easier to just take a progesterone pill?
Transdermal application requires much smaller doses than oral because
up to 90% of the oral dose is lost through liver metabolism.
Thus, 200 mg orally is needed to achieve an effect similar to 20 mg
transdermally. Such a high oral dose creates short-lived high
levels of progesterone and unnecessarily overloads the liver.
16 How safe is
progesterone supplementation?
It is very safe because human body can accommodate very high levels of
the hormone. During the third trimester of pregnancy, the
placenta produces about 300 mg of progesterone daily, so one-time
overdose is virtually impossible. You would need to apply more
than 200 drops of ClearPatch 5% lotion to reach 300 mg dose.
17 What are the
symptoms of excess progesterone?
Too much progesterone can cause a few very typical and
temporary side effects, usually a feeling of drowsiness or
sleepiness. By observing these reactions you can adjust optimum
individual dose: reduce the amount or discontinue for a period of time
if they occur.
Long-term excessive use of progesterone may result in signs of estrogen
deficiency, such as hot flashes. If this occurs, reduce
progesterone dose; avoid using higher than the recommended dosage to
avoid hormonal imbalance. More is not better when it comes to
hormone balance *.
Paradoxical response:
According to Dr. Uzzi Reiss*,
there is a very small percentage of women who respond paradoxically to
progesterone. They are usually the same women who have
difficulties tolerating birth control pills or HRT. For those
women, an otherwise normal dosage of progesterone produces a reaction
opposite to the one described above. For example, they might
experience feeling anxious and have difficulty sleeping. The
reaction does not pose any danger. They can discontinue using
progesterone or use the very small amount they can tolerate, because
even a small dose is usually enough to achieve the benefits that would
require a much higher dose in other women.
Persons responding paradoxically often have an underlying condition
e.g. systemic candidiasis. Treatment of this condition usually
resolves progesterone paradox.
18 Who should not use
progesterone?
Who should not use progesterone?
Do not use progesterone while using hormone-based birth control.
Consult a doctor in case of a serious health condition, taking
prescription medication, when using hormonal therapy, pregnant,
planning to become pregnant or nursing.
Health care professionals experienced in natural hormone replacement
therapy can be found at:
www.altmednetwork.net/whealth/doctors.html
19 Who should not use
estriol with progesterone?
Contraindications to estrogens use include the following:
- Suspected or previously diagnosed
estrogen-dependent neoplasia (breast or advanced stage uterine cancer)
- Active thrombosis or embolic disease
- Undiagnosed uterine bleeding
- Active liver disease or severely impaired liver
function
Do not use estriol with progesterone while using hormone-based birth
control, if pregnant, planning to
become pregnant or nursing. Consult a doctor in case of a serious
health condition, while taking prescription
medication or using hormonal therapy.
20 I am already
taking a hormone prescription from my doctor, why should I change to
natural hormones?
There are many side effects to synthetic hormone replacement therapy,
which are dangerous to your health, especially if taken without
progesterone. Estrogens (estrone and estradiol) without
progesterone increase the chance of developing endometrial (uterine) or
breast cancer *. Unbalanced estrogens interfere with
thyroid function and cause water retention, fibrocystic breasts and
even fibroid tumors of ovaries. These effects and potential
problems caused by unopposed (unbalanced) estrogens are greatly reduced
or even eliminated by the presence of progesterone *.
21 Can I discontinue
HRT?
Many women taking estrogen or estrogen combined with progestins were
able to discontinue their HRT. It is best to consult a medical
professional before doing so, preferably one with NHRT (natural HRT)
experience.
In his books*, Dr. Lee gives guidelines for
replacing HRT with natural hormones.
22 I'm post
menopausal, will I start menstruating again if I use natural hormones?
In his books*, Dr. Lee explains that occasionally,
upon initial use of progesterone or estriol you may experience
menstrual flow. This is a normal response and is not a cause for
alarm. Even progesterone alone is capable of re-sensitizing
estrogen receptors and that in turn occasionally stimulates uterine
shedding - thus the bleeding. If this occurs for more than a few
months, consult your health care practitioner.
23 Is natural
progesterone and estriol useful after hysterectomy, oophorectomy
(removal of ovaries) and menopausal women?
Many women experience hot flashes following hysterectomy and complete
removal of ovaries, as in the beginning of the natural onset of
menopause.
Dr. Lee and other authors* recommend natural
progesterone for relief of mild hot flashes and other symptoms in most
women within 3 to 8 weeks. If hot flashes are not completely
relieved, estriol with progesterone can be used. Consultation
with a health care practitioner is recommended.
24 Can I use natural
progesterone if there is a family history of breast or uterine cancer?
Dr. Lee and other authors* point to estrogen dominance as factor
contributing to breast and uterine cancer. According to the
authors, restoring hormonal balance with natural progesterone reduces
cancer risk.
If
you have history of
cancer - never use any hormonal preparations without medical
supervision.
25 Can I use
progesterone if I am on birth control pills?
Birth control pills usually contain synthetic progestins. It is
not recommended to take them together with natural hormones.
Birth control pills have been known to cause many health problems when
taken over a long period of time.
26 If natural
progesterone has so many benefits, why don't physicians routinely
recommend it to their patients?
Progesterone is a natural substance and as such cannot be patented for
sale at high profit margins. That makes pharmaceutical companies
uninterested in marketing and promoting natural products such as
progesterone. If pharmaceutical representatives don't market a product
to physicians, many physicians are simply unaware of its existence.
* Information
on this page is based on the following books, which offer detailed
explanation of women's hormone balance issues, hormone balance
programs, as well as detailed descriptions of how to use natural
hormones:
John R. Lee, M.D. What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About
Menopause: The Breakthrough Book on Natural Progesterone
John R. Lee, M.D. What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About
Premenopause: Balance Your Hormones and Life from Thirty to Fifty
Uzzi Reiss, M.D., O.B.-GYN. Natural Hormone Balance for Women:
Look Younger, Feel Stronger and Live Life with Exuberance
Joseph McWherter, M.D. Avoiding Breast Cancer While Balancing
Your Hormones. The FEM Centre Breast Cancer Program. Book
available online at www.femcentre.com
Information in this publication is not
intended to replace any medical treatment
prescribed by your physician. For those with chronic medical problems
or taking a regularly prescribed medication, please consult your health
care practitioner.
Statements in this publication have
not been evaluated by the
Food and Drug Administration
The products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent
any disease.
All providers of
natural
remedies are required to post the following statement:
The information stated here has not been evaluated by the Food and
Drug Administration. The product is not intended to diagnose,
treat,
cure or prevent any disease.
11/05