Increasing Progesterone Production
For best results during perimenopause, it is not
enough to reduce estrogen levels in your body. You also have to
promote more frequent ovulation. This will move you from estrogen
dominance back to hormonal balance.
Nutrients to increase progesterone
Natural
vs. Synthetic Progesterone
Flaxseed oil or milled flaxseed not only
reduces the influence of estrogen in your body, but also promotes
more frequent ovulation, which helps increase the amount of progesterone
your body produces. Along with flaxseed nutrients, make sure you’re
getting enough B3
(25-200 mg), B6
(50 mg twice daily), zinc
(15-30 mg daily) and magnesium
(200-400 mg daily), all of which help convert the fatty acids in
flaxseed into prostaglandins.
Vitex agnus castus, or chasteberry.
This herb improves the estrogen-to-progesterone ratio in the body
by increasing progesterone production during the second half of
your menstrual cycle. It works slowly, so don’t be surprised if
it takes three to four months before you see the full benefit.
Power Nutrients for Perimenopausal Symptoms
Although the imbalance of estrogen and progesterone
contributes to numerous menopausal symptoms and effects, certain
nutrients that help with these side effects do so in ways that actually
have nothing to do with the reproductive hormones themselves. Click
on the symptom to read about nutrients that may help with:
Bladder and urinary tract infections
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Soy isoflavones: 50-100 mg daily. However, recent questions about the effect of purified isoflavones on breast tissue in older women may make other options better, particularly if you have a strong history of breast cancer in your family. |
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Black cohosh, an herb, (80-160 mg daily of a standardized extract). |
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Vitamin E as d-alpha tocopherol (800-2,000 IU daily) |
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Buffered vitamin C (1,000 mg) and citrus bioflavonoids (750-1,500 mg). |
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Testosterone therapy, available with a doctor’s prescription, is one of the most beneficial treatments for restoring libido. Very low doses of testosterone in pill or topical cream form can be quite helpful. |
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Estrogen cream. Not only will estrogen creams rebuild vaginal cells, but it helps restore clitoral and cervical sensitivity as well as the intensity of orgasm. An added bonus: it helps reduce bladder infections. Premarin cream is most frequently prescribed for this use, although natural estriol, a weaker and less toxic form of estrogen, can be just as effective. Apply one-half to a full applicator, which delivers 1.25-2.5 mg of estrogen directly to vaginal tissues. Use daily at the beginning of treatment, but taper off after you begin feeling more comfortable having sex. Use the lowest possible dose to treat your symptoms. (Estriol or natural estrogen is also available as a topical cream from compounding pharmacies.) Estrogen creams are a little messy and you may experience tender breasts or mild fluid retention early in treatment. That will go away. But remember, estrogen vaginal creams don’t supply sufficient estrogen to keep your bones, heart, and brain healthy. If you choose this route, make sure you also take a course of progesterone therapy at least three to four times a year if your uterus is still intact. I recommend a natural progesterone cream formulated without mineral oil such as ProGest. Rub ¼ to ½ teaspoon onto your skin for three weeks per month of use. |
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DHEA. You don’t need a prescription for this hormonal precursor, which converts to testosterone and estrogen in your body. Try it at 15 mg daily for two months or so. |
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Vitamin E oil applied to the vagina may help to build up vaginal tissues, particularly when combined with a low dose of estrogen. You can also use a lubricating jelly just before intercourse to make penetration less painful. |
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Avoid eating lots of pungent and spicy herbs like cinnamon and ginger, which are a double-edged sword. While they may increase vaginal sensitivity and boost libido, they’re extremely dehydrating to vaginal and other tissues. |
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Valerian root. Taking 150-300 mg of this herb in capsule form about 45 minutes before you go to bed has a mild sedative effect. It may not work for everyone, and it also may dry tissues further. |
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Passion flower. This herb maintains blood levels of serotonin, the blood substance that promotes sleep. Drink a tea made with 1 tsp. of dried passion flower leaves just before you go to sleep. |
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Chamomile. This time-honored herb calms nerves and promotes sleep, a benefit scientifically documented since 1950. For sleep, steep 1 to 2 heaping teaspoons of chamomile flowers in one cup of boiling water. |
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Kava root. Some women have great success with kava. A potent sedative and anti-anxiety herb, kava is also used to relax tense muscles. Try 140 mg before bed. |
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Melatonin. This hormone, produced by the pineal gland, sets and regulates the timing of our body’s natural rhythms, including waking and sleeping. For melatonin to work, your bedroom needs to be dark since light suppresses its release. Begin with a small dose of 1 mg at bedtime to improve sleep. |
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5-HTP, or 5-hydroxytryptophan. This is the precursor to serotonin, the brain chemical that has a calming influence on mood and aggressiveness. Try 50-100 mg to help you sleep. |
Bladder and urinary tract
infections:
As many as 15 percent of women over 60 have frequent
bladder infections that may eventually cause chronic bladder irritation
and inflammation. And 25 percent of women harbor bacterial infections
without even knowing it because they are symptom-free. In the worst
cases, bacteria infect the kidneys, and you may need to be hospitalized.
Topical estrogen cream helps build up tissues
and make them healthy to prevent infection. Use 1.25 to 2.5 mg topical
estrogen cream daily. Estriol, or natural estrogen, is also available
as a topical cream from compounding pharmacies. This does require
a physician’s prescription, so work with your doctor to get what
you need. Many women have seen great improvement in two weeks; if
you have severe atrophy, it may take a month or so to realize the
full benefit.
Buffered
vitamin C, 2,000-6,000 mg daily in divided doses, will help
boost your immune system during the acute phase of the infection.
Reduce that to 1,000 mg daily for prevention.
Perimenopausal mood swings
and anxiety
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Bromelain and Papain Bromelain, an enzyme derived from pineapples, and papain, derived from papayas, can reduce the pain and inflammation of endometriosis when taken between meals. Also, taking it with quercetin helps your body better absorb quercetin. Try 5001,000 mg daily of bromelain and 200400 mg daily of papain, taken at least an hour before mealtime. (Note that if you’re taking bromelain to aid digestion, you should take it with meals. Don’t exceed 4,000 mg daily.) |
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Vitamin E |
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Iodine (150 mcg daily) |
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Vitamin A, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, vitamin E, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, chaste tree berry, turmeric, silymarin or milk thistle, EFAs, and anti-inflammatory digestive enzymes such as bromelain, papain, and pancreatin. |