I just saw a press release this week announcing the release of a natural progesterone cream by a nutraceutical company, and it got me thinking that, with all the focus on estrogen, progesterone is often a forgotten female hormone. So, I’d like to refresh your memory about the many important jobs of progesterone in your body.
Estrogen and progesterone balance each other out, which is why it is often used as part of a hormone replacement therapy regimen. For example, estrogen elevates your mood, while progesterone has a sedative effect on mood. And one of the major jobs of progesterone is to prevent menstrual bleeding from become too heavy or long-lasting (which often happens as a result of estrogen dominance). It also prevents the uterine lining from becoming too thick, which can lead to uterine cancer.
How do you know if your body is making enough progesterone? I’ve provided a checklist in the past, which I encourage you to review. If you and your doctor determine that you are a candidate for progesterone replacement to relieve your menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, I recommend that you look into natural progesterone replacement.