It is the Cinderella of hormones. The unsung hero overshadowed by its more famous counterpart, estrogen. If there was ever such a thing as a single natural remedy for the widest number of conditions, natural progesterone would lead the pack. It is a crucial player in women’s health, especially during perimenopause, menopause, and beyond.
I’ve written about this underappreciated hormone hero for years. Long ago, I dubbed progesterone the “feel good hormone” and explained that it is up to 20 times more concentrated in the brain than in the bloodstream. The fact is that progesterone functions as a stabilizing force, counterbalancing estrogen, the dominant hormone. And the effects are nothing less than life-changing for those who understand and take advantage of progesterone’s role.
THE FACTS
Progesterone has a wealth of positive benefits, including its ability to promote fat burn, normalize blood sugar and cell oxygen levels, and act as a natural antidepressant – to name a few. (Before The Change)
Almost EVERYONE we’ve tested is deficient in progesterone. And research backs it up. According to this study published by Harvard research, it is estimated that by age 35, the typical woman is already deficient in progesterone. Some of the common complaints include bloating, circles under the eyes, depression, and insomnia. But the list doesn’t end there. Low progesterone levels can also contribute to these commonly reported symptoms:
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Headaches and migraines
- Memory problems and “brain fog”
- Unexplained fatigue
- Loss of muscle mass
- Hair loss
- Decreased libido
- Osteopenia or osteoporosis
In fact, there are so many symptoms of progesterone deficiency, that it is difficult to list them all.
Protective Role Against Estrogen’s Negative Effects
If you’re someone who has unexplained and unresolved health symptoms, then read on!
When your hormones are in harmony, your skin glows, you have a pep in your step, your moods are on an even keel, your sleep is oh-so-satisfying, and your weight stays steady. This may sound like a pipe dream, but I assure you it’s entirely possible.
The solution is simple. You must balance estrogen with progesterone. And once you do that, you’ll be amazed at how quickly the uncomfortable symptoms you’ve been struggling with become a distant memory. And you’ll have the added advantage of decreasing your risk of a host of dreaded debilitating age-related conditions including osteoporosis, heart disease, and cancer.
- Enhancing Oxygen Utilization. That’s a fancy way of saying goodbye to fatigue and brain fog, two of the most common complaints we see. Progesterone enhances oxygen utilization within cells, making cellular oxygen utilization essential for warding off degenerative changes related to age. It’s absolutely essential for alleviating common menopausal symptoms like fatigue and brain fog.
- Supporting Metabolism and Energy. Oh, those hot flashes and night sweats! No one can understand what it’s like until you experience it. The remedy? Progesterone boosts metabolic rate and helps maintain normal body temperature for quick and lasting relief.
- Bone Health. Contrary to the widespread belief that estrogen protects bones, progesterone is the true hero in maintaining bone density and preventing osteoporosis. Progesterone supports bone formation and prevents the bone loss that is often associated with estrogen dominance and aging. If you are deficient in progesterone, you run the risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis.
- Anti-inflammatory Properties. Progesterone counteracts estrogen’s disastrous pro-inflammatory effects. And because chronic inflammation is one of the root causes of many chronic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, and cancer, it is easy to see why this humble hormone is SO important to overall health.
- Managing Stress Response. I call progesterone the hormonal “stress buster.” When progesterone levels are low and estrogen dominance happens, largely due to long-term stress, symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, and irritability begin to appear. These can cascade into a wide variety of health conditions. However, these debilitating symptoms can just as easily make a disappearing act when countered by Progesterone.
- Cardiovascular Health. Heart disease is the #1 cause of death for Americans, so you don’t want to mess around with this. Unlike estrogen, which can raise blood pressure, progesterone acts as a natural diuretic and vasodilator, helping to lower blood pressure and reduce the strain on blood vessels. This is a huge advantage as you age!
Helps Prevent Breast Cancer. A big risk factor for breast cancer is estrogen dominance. In order to avoid estrogen overload, you must balance it with progesterone. According to the University of Kansas Cancer Center: “Seven out of 10 breast cancer cases are hormone-receptor positive, meaning the cancer cells grow in response to estrogen and/or progesterone. The link between these hormones and breast cancer has been known for decades, and scientists continue to explore this relationship to develop better, more effective therapies.”
Choosing The Right Form of Progesterone is Key
As someone who has studied hormones and written about the subject for years, I understand the importance of selecting natural progesterone. That’s why I helped to develop UNI KEY’s ProgestaKey, an all-natural Progesterone Crème sourced from wild yam for menopausal and peri-menopausal support and considered by many to be the best product on the market. Each pump of this topical hormone balance creme conveniently delivers the recommended dosage of 20 mg of USP progesterone and is scented with lavender essential oil.
Plant-based progesterone has the same identical structure as the progesterone a woman makes naturally in her body. The physiological dose of 20 mg per day can reduce the uncomfortable symptoms, improve libido, enhance the immune system, increase hair on the scalp, elevate the metabolic rate with resulting weight loss, act as a natural diuretic, boost the thyroid, and stimulate the production of bone while relaxing smooth muscles and promoting the strength of the myelin sheath.
Check out this link to read more about exactly where on the body and how often to apply; can you use it with other Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT); when to start and stop the crème, etc.
Choosing The Right Form of Progesterone is Key
Progesterone’s protective effects against estrogen, its role in enhancing metabolism, bone health, cellular protection, and its overall support of women’s health during menopause make it a crucial hormone that deserves greater attention and appreciation.
Supplementing your well-being with natural hormone helpers like progesterone can make the difference between a body out of whack both physically and emotionally and a body on track to greater health and well-being.
Learn More:
Take Control of Hormone Havoc. In this blog, I’m sharing with you my most successful methods to make menopause less miserable.
Before The Change: Taking Charge of Your Perimenopause. My NY Times bestselling guide designed to help you cruise through perimenopause, the first complete DIY program for managing perimenopause, with natural remedies.
