This article is for educational and general wellness purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you are experiencing symptoms, please consult a knowledgeable healthcare provider.

Progesterone has over 400 known roles in the body — so it's no surprise that researchers have been curious about what happens to mood and wellbeing when hormone levels shift during the menopause transition.

One area of active research is the relationship between hormone therapy use and mood-related outcomes in perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women. A randomized clinical trial published in JAMA Psychiatry found that women using transdermal estradiol and intermittent micronized progesterone reported different mood-related outcomes than those who were not using hormone therapy.

Research has noted that mood changes are commonly reported during the menopause transition and early postmenopausal period — something that makes intuitive sense given how many systems in the body progesterone is involved in. Some research has also explored the relationship between hormone therapy and mood support during menopause, though scientists note there is more work to be done in understanding these connections fully.

If you're curious about the study's full methodology and findings, the published research is available here:

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2668205