Natural Progesterone Cream Side Effects
About Hormone Levels
Progesterone is a naturally occurring female hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands and the corpus luteum of the ovary. This hormone: 1) prevents breast cancer and cancer of the reproductive system by opposing the effects of estrogen; 2) protects women from osteoporosis by stimulating bone building; 3) helps control abnormal menstrual bleeding; 4) enhances hormone balance, as it is a precursor to other steroid hormones, and; 5) helps prevent symptoms of PMS if used during anovulatory months.
A decrease in the progesterone levels is usually associated with the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause. During ovulation, progesterone levels may be low if the ovaries produce an insufficient quantity of the progesterone hormone. Once a woman reaches perimenopausal stage, an imbalance in the estrogen and progesterone becomes more pronounced. This is caused by the slowing down in the production of progesterone that takes place in the ovaries. The lowest levels of progesterone is greatly experienced by postmenopausal women, once menstruation stops completely and the ovaries no longer produce the same quantity of progesterone.
There are several treatment options for low levels of progesterone hormones. Oral contraceptive, progesterone suppositories, injections, and progesterone cream are proven effective to supply the needed amount of progesterone. Dr. John Lee, an internationally acknowledged pioneer in the study and use of progesterone, believes that the use of transdermal progesterone cream is the safest among all hormone therapy treatments. It offers numerous health benefits, and natural progesterone cream side effects are rare and easily tolerated by the body.
Natural Progesterone Cream
Transdermal progesterone is available over the counter and is marked as a cosmetic. The most potent non-prescription ones contain 450 mg progesterone per one ounce cream. A higher dose of progesterone, which is 900 mg per ounce, is formulated by compounding pharmacies and are given by prescription only.
Progesterone cream is applied thinly and massaged on the skin. It is fat-soluble, thus making it easily absorbed through the skin. Absorption of the medication is best when applied on the following areas: neck, chest, wrist, face, breasts, inner arms, and the palms of the hand. According to Dr. John Lee, the usual dose for premenopausal women is 15-24 mg per day for 14 days, and application of the cream is stopped on the day of the menses. Postmenopausal women may take 15 mg a day for 25 days. He also recommends the use of cream that has 450 - 500 mg of progesterone per ounce.
There are many good side effects that goes with the use of natural progesterone cream. Among these are the following:
- healthy mood caused by balanced hormones
- regular menstrual cycles and normal periods
- better sleeping patterns
- less episodes of hot flashes, headache, bloating
Adverse side effects are rare in natural progesterone cream. However, it is important to take the right dose each day so as not to experience an overdose. Going above the recommended and safe dosage can cause bad side effects such as weight changes, moodiness, hair loss, growth of facial hair, and fatigue.
Resources
FAQ’s about Progesterone Cream, From
https://www.johnleemd.com/store/faqs_progest_crm.html
Natural Progesterone: What Role in Women’s Health Care, From
https://project-aware.org/Resource/articlearchives/Progesterone_Murray2.shtml#transdermal
