Both men and women produce progesterone throughout their lives. As we age, progesterone levels decrease significantly in both sexes.
A woman’s progesterone begins declining at age 35 and a man’s progesterone begins falling at age 45. The decline of progesterone is associated with mood disorders, anxiety and depression, poor sleep, osteoporosis, breast and uterine cancer, prostate cancer, as well as aging of the brain and nervous system.
To slow the aging process both men and women should test their progesterone levels regularly and take a natural progesterone supplement if their levels get too low. Progesterone is the natural counter balance to the harmful Estrogen known as Estradiol.
Excess Estradiol / Deficient Progesterone
Estradiol is the principal estrogen found in both men and women. A small amount is necessary for optimal function. However, too much Estradiol is associated with causing cancer of the breast, uterus and prostate.
Estradiol is fed to beef cows in the U.S. to make them put on more weight so that they can get them to market sooner and sell for more money. Estradiol is also concentrated in milk due to modern dairy farming techniques designed to boost milk production, including feeding cows hormones and milking pregnant cows until very late in their pregnancy.
Unfortunately, the trade-off we suffer is a higher rate of Estrogen induced disease, including cancer, which is not recognized or at least not admitted by the Dairy and Beef Industry.
Estrogenic Compounds in Plastics Linked to PMS and Cancer
Polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), the main ingredient in the plastic bottles most widely used for water, sodas, fruit juices, sports drinks, ketchup, mayonaise, peanut butter, vinegar and just about every other food you can think of, has been found to leach harmful estrogenic chemicals into the bottles’ contents. Known as phthalates, these chemicals have now been linked to the disruption of both male and female hormones and may be a significant reason for the dramatic increase in PMS, uterine fibroids, endometriosis and cancer.
To learn more about how PETE plastics may affect your health, click here.
Progesterone Deficiency in Women
In women, a deficiency of Progesterone and/or an excess of Estradiol is associated with PMS, uterine fibroids, endometriosis and Osteoporosis, as well as Breast, Ovarian and Uterine Cancer. Progesterone is the natural counter-balance to Estradiol. Progesterone activates Tumor Suppressor Protein (p53) to suppress excessive cell growth that can lead to cancer.
Progesterone and PMS
A deficiency of Progesterone and/or too much Estradiol causes excessive menstrual bleeding and cramping. It also causes PMS moodiness, bloating, acne, and breast tenderness. By raising your progesterone levels you can totally eliminate the symptoms PMS. Here’s how it works.
Progesterone and Mood/Sleep
Progesterone has a calming effect on the nervous system through its action on GABA, the calming neurohormone. Progesterone produces a valium-like effect on the stressed nervous system and creates a healthy EEG sleep pattern in the brain similar to that produced by valium.
Progesterone and Cancer
Progesterone increases the Tumor Suppressor Protein known as p53, the “guardian of the cell” and decreases the cancer activating protein known as bcl-2.
The Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 guards against cellular mutations that can cause cancer in the following ways:
- Activation of DNA repair
- Stops Cell growth when necessary to allow DNA time to repair
- Initiates programmed cell death (apoptosis) when DNA damage is irreparable
Estradiol, on the other hand, does the opposite of progesterone. It causes a decrease in p53 and activates bcl-2, the opposite acting protein that promotes cancer cell growth.
Here’s the take home message: Breast cancer cells do not multiply when women have a sufficient supply of progesterone. Progesterone likewise also prevents cancer of the ovaries and uterus as well as the lungs.
Progesterone in Men
Men make about half as much progesterone as women. However, it is extremely important for men as well as it is for women. Progesterone gets converted into Testosterone. Most men know that the loss of Testosterone is associated with aging and causes decreased libido and erectile dysfunction. It is also associated with prostate cancer.
Progesterone preserves natural stores of Testosterone by preventing it from being converted into Di-Hydro-Testosterone (DHT), which blocks the prostate and causes Benign Prostate Enlargement and it’s bothersome symptoms including frequent urination, hesitancy, feeble urine stream and night-time urination. Too much DHT also blocks the hair follicles and is the principal cause of male pattern baldness.
A deficiency of Testosterone, in men or women, is associated with a loss of muscle mass, joint pains, heart disease and the tendency to put on excess abdominal fat. Taking supplemental natural progesterone can boost your Testosterone level.
Progesterone and Prostate Cancer
Men typically make a very small amount of Estrogen: about 1/10th the amount of a woman. If however, the ratio of Estrogen to Progesterone gets out of balance, prostate cancer develops for the same reason breast or uterine cancer develops in a woman. Progesterone protects against cancer growth and Estradiol activates cancer cell growth.
Progesterone Protects the Brain and Nervous System
Progesterone also protects and preserves the nervous system. Progesterone and Testosterone work together to prevent neurodegeneration of the central nervous system. Therefore, any age-related decline in progesterone may have a negative impact on brain, memory and nerve function. Additionally, progesterone and the natural, bio-identical estrogen known as Estriol, help reduce age-associated abnormalities of the myelin sheath that covers the nerves. New research indicates that supplementing these natural hormones could help prevent Multiple Sclerosis.
What is the best form and dose of Progesterone?
The most effective form of progesterone is the oral, sub-lingual form. Transdermal progesterone creams are less effective long term. The skin is designed to be a barrier, not to absorb hormones. It works well for a short while, but eventually progesterone applied to the skin gets shunted into fat cells and begins to build up. Eventually this excess progesterone can cause side-effects including moodiness and irritability.
The mucous membranes of the mouth however, were designed for absorption. When progesterone is absorbed in the mouth, it is absorbed and transported through the blood stream directly to the ovaries, uterus and receptors on the pituitary gland, before it is broken down in the stomach or the liver and excreted from the body. I have found this method to be very effective without any excess buildup over time.
The sublingual form is safe to take for extended periods. The usual sublingual dose is 50 to 100 mg of natural progesterone daily depending on the individual. To determine the correct amount that is right for you, I recommend saliva or blood testing before and after one to three months of natural progesterone therapy. Once the correct dose is found, you should make sure you get your progesterone level tested every twelve months to make sure your levels remain in the optimum range.
