But, Why?
Because progesterone levels drop before estrogen levels, there can be an imbalance for 15 years (or more) in some women. It is this difference that leads to PMS and perimenopause symptoms we come to loathe.
You may be familiar with the term ‘estrogen dominance’ (it’s often with its buddies menopause, hot flashes, and murderous rage). It refers to an imbalance between the amount of estrogen and progesterone a woman has. Think of a teeter totter with estrogen on one side and progesterone on the other. When progesterone starts to drop - often in the mid 30’s onwards, it gets out of balance with estrogen.
When it comes to those horrible symptoms we mentioned earlier, well we could just list them, but we thought we would make them more palatable with this...
Ode To Progesterone
You might be missing more than three periods in a row,
You might have mood swings that make you say ‘whoa’,
Hair loss, irritability and weight gain?
Trust us, vaginal dryness is the real pain!
Feeling sad? Feeling mad?
Want to kill the next person who says
‘hot flashes aren’t that bad’?
Heavy periods, no wait, now they’re light…
You’d feel better if you could sleep through the night.
You can’t concentrate, nor can you pee,
and now you’re starting to moan,
Well, the answer is progesterone.
Wouldn’t that make a great jingle for a progesterone super-heroine?
Progesterone is what is known as a steroid hormone. In women, it is made primarily in the ovaries. Progesterone is released throughout your monthly cycle, surging after ovulation and through the second half. One of progesterone’s functions is to slow the growth of the uterine lining and start directing it to mature into a dense nutritious mass.
Without progesterone to put the brakes on, estrogen continues to send a message to the uterine lining to grow. This can lead to heavy, painful periods, and an increased risk for both endometriosis and endometrial cancer.
What Can Progesterone Do For You?
Progesterone really does have some incredible side effects such as;
- Promotes normal sleep patterns
- Helps the body use glucose well and improves insulin resistance
- Helps the thyroid gland work effectively
- Balances out the effects of estrogen in the breasts
- Helps maintain memory, Helps burn fat for energy
- Works as an antidepressant and mood enhancer
- Reduces irritability, Helps maintain bone strength
How Do I Use It?
Before you go crazy looking for every type of Progesterone product on the market, remember: just enough is the right amount. Too much can cause excessive sleepiness, weight gain, increased acne, facial hair, headaches, and breast tenderness.
An important thing to remember is progestins are not progesterone. Progestins are synthetic compounds which have a different molecular structure to the hormone progesterone. Synthetic progestins are found in birth control pills and synthetic hormone replacement medications. Progestins do not have the same effects as bioidentical progesterone and have some negative side effects. 1
So there you have it, Progesterone, an all-round superstar, saving our butts 24/7. To read more about how Wonder Woman deals with menopause, or learn more about some of the science in this article, you can follow the links to more juicy info from Parlor Games. You can also buy our bestselling Vibrant Third Progesterone Here!
