Dr. Katharina Dalton had pioneered utilizing progesterone in suppositories or injections in massive doses to deal with extreme PMS.(1) These girls confronted month-to-month havoc with excessive anxiousness, fluid retention, sore breasts, feeling suicidal and homicidal, experiencing seizures, and excruciating migraines. Analysis performed by Drs. Hargrove and Maxon, (2) demonstrated that oral use of progesterone was additionally efficient if the progesterone powder was micronized (very small particle measurement) and delivered in edible oil. The minimal beginning dose was 400 mg in divided doses and elevated as wanted to handle the medical signs. Doses might go as excessive as 2500 mg day by day throughout the luteal section and generally into the primary 3 days of bleeding. Ladies used different dosage kinds comparable to lozenges, suppositories, lotions, gels, and rectal options to handle breakthrough signs and administer the quantity of progesterone wanted for symptom reduction.
This remedy was very profitable for many. Nonetheless, there are circumstances when progesterone dosing is troublesome. Listed below are a number of the causes that progesterone dosing may be problematic.
The Dose of Progesterone is simply too Small
We discovered from the extreme PMS instances that utilizing MORE progesterone instantly would resolve temper points, water retention, breast ache and tenderness, and headache simply. Typically these signs are listed as uncomfortable side effects of utilizing progesterone. These signs are all associated to an excessive amount of estrogen impact. Resolving this instantly with further progesterone will carry consolation inside hours. Sadly, many practitioners and their sufferers assume that the answer is to make use of much less progesterone. This may even cease a few of these signs, however all the good thing about progesterone is misplaced. Analysis and assist with estrogen extra may help.
Progesterone Sensitizes Estrogen Receptors
Ladies with hysterectomy are sometimes supplemented with estrogen solely. Their practitioners inform them they not want progesterone since they don’t have to shed the build-up of endometrial tissue. Nonetheless, this dogma ignores the truth that the physique has progesterone receptors all around the physique. Progesterone can also be usually made within the adrenal glands and independently by Schwann cells within the nervous system tissue. Within the mind, progesterone is a neurosteroid and is made independently of the endocrine glands. Progesterone is a precursor of essentially the most highly effective mind hormone, allopregnanolone. These girls have issues with anxiousness and sleep that progesterone use can resolve very simply. When a lady is on estrogen already and progesterone is being added, the stimulation of estrogen receptors magnifies the estrogen impact. (3) Utilizing about half the quantity of estrogen when progesterone is began is prudent or be prepared to make use of extra progesterone instantly if uncomfortable with breast swelling, fluid retention, anxiousness and headache happen. Progesterone is strictly the hormone wanted. Standard observe dooms girls to a long time of sleep-aiding medication, antianxiety and antidepressant medication. Lots of the hysterectomies carried out are resulting from a persistent lack of progesterone. In accordance with Dr. Katharina Dalton, these girls want extra progesterone than these with regular menopause.
Ladies have been propagandized into believing estrogen is an important hormone for ladies, when in actual fact, it’s progesterone that’s the most plentiful, adopted by testosterone after which lastly estrogen.
Progesterone is a Precursor for Hydrocortisone
When girls have had persistent stress, their skill to make the highly effective anti-inflammatory hormones, hydrocortisone and metabolites is diminished. (4) Ladies have had the good thing about plentiful quantities of progesterone created throughout the luteal section every month bestowing extra resilience for the adrenal glands. If this deficiency exists when starting progesterone, the physique will divert that progesterone to revive the depleted hydrocortisone and metabolites. There is probably not sufficient progesterone used to revive hydrocortisone and stability the consequences of estrogen. The anticipated signs of extra estrogen comparable to water retention, breast tenderness, and headache can present up. Utilizing extra progesterone instantly will resolve these signs.
Progesterone causes bleeding
Progesterone is the endometrial secretory hormone. Anticipate that when sufficient progesterone has been used, the amassed tissue will shed. It is a good factor. Within the case of heavy bleeding in perimenopause, progesterone will oppose the extreme build-up by estrogen if used throughout the first half or follicular time of the cycle. Follicular ranges of progesterone are produced by the adrenal glands and are important to stop an excessive amount of endometrial buildup. Heavy bleeding throughout perimenopause is a typical trigger for present process hysterectomy however may very well be simply prevented if progesterone is used. Utilizing further progesterone when anxious conditions happen can forestall later bleeding. When bleeding does happen, the build-up from the estrogen stimulation unbalanced by sufficient progesterone is now being shed. Sadly, at this level, girls search out their practitioners who might discover no endometrial buildup.
Candida is Overgrowing
When the intestine microbiome is disordered, beginning the usage of progesterone permits current Candida colonies to overgrow much more. Signs comparable to mind fog, elevated sinus issues, constipation or diarrhea, vaginal burning and itching, outbreaks within the pores and skin, and blood sugar swings ensue. (5) Progesterone could also be badly wanted however it is going to be vital to handle Candida overgrowth first. When progesterone is added, it might be useful to make use of non-oral administration. Some organisms can produce estradiol. Some organisms or their excretion molecules can intervene with hormone exercise by binding to hormones. Pregnenolone, a progesterone precursor, has much less Candida affect and is value exploring.
Progesterone Causes Sleepiness or Grogginess
One of many metabolites of progesterone is allopregnanolone. Allopregnanolone could also be as sedating as barbiturates. The quantity of conversion varies with people. This appears to happen most ceaselessly with oral administration. Switching to vaginal, rectal, or topical dosage kinds might assist.
Mast Cells Launch Histamine – When Progesterone is Deficit
“Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) causes an individual to have repeated extreme allergy signs affecting a number of physique programs. In MCAS, mast cells mistakenly launch too many chemical brokers, leading to signs within the pores and skin, gastrointestinal tract, coronary heart, respiratory, and neurologic programs. Mast cells are current all through most of our our bodies and secrete totally different chemical compounds throughout allergic reactions. Signs embody episodes of belly ache, cramping, diarrhea, flushing, itching, wheezing, coughing, lightheadedness, speedy pulse, and low blood stress. Signs can begin at any age, however normally start in maturity.” (6) Mast cells include receptors for intercourse and adrenal hormones. A dominance of estrogen tends to favor histamine reactions. Progesterone can mitigate the histamine launch however needs to be in ample quantities to stability estrogen. If inadequate progesterone is used, estrogen is magnified, and histamine-type reactions can happen.
The Estrogen Burden is Extreme
Incessantly practitioners measure estradiol and assume that the outcomes replicate the quantity of estrogen exercise. Excesses of estrogen might be discovered with estrogen metabolites, xenoestrogens from pesticides, pesticides, and heavy metals occupying estrogen receptors. (7) With deficiencies in sulfation and methylation, the liver won’t conjugate estrogen for elimination. Some micro organism overgrowing within the intestine microbiome will secrete beta-glucuronidase. This enzyme removes the conjugates from estrogen and permits estrogen to return into circulation. That is referred to as entero-hepatic recirculation. Figuring out these points and treating them may help restore the stability between estrogens and progesterone.
Heavy Metals block Receptors for Progesterone
When heavy metals comparable to mercury, cadmium, aluminum, lead, and extra are a part of the physique burden launched by amalgams, surroundings, and different intakes.
In accordance with Dr. David Quig: “Hg [mercury] may intervene with progesterone metabolism with out affecting serum ranges of progesterone. In vitro research point out Hg [mercury] binds to a free sulfhydryl group on the progesterone receptor and will thereby diminish progesterone binding and mobile response.” (8)The usage of estrogen alone with out progesterone stability can result in copper toxicity. (9)
Exhaustion of CoFactors and CoEnzymes
Each biochemical response within the physique requires cofactors that are important minerals and coenzymes that are nutritional vitamins wanted to finish the motion. Progesterone metabolism is especially dependent upon vitamin B6 and magnesium. When including hormone supplementation, take note of ample vitamin and/or vitamins. Dr. Man Abraham engineered a nutrient product that he felt addressed the nutrient wants that weren’t at all times met in girls with PMS signs. His paper outlines a number of the dietary wants in PMS. These dietary pointers additionally apply to menopause. (10)
Duped into Believing that Artificial Medication are Progesterone
Prempro and Provera include an artificial progestin referred to as medroxyprogesterone. The Mirena IUD coil incorporates levonorgestrel, the patch, CombiPatch incorporates norethindrone acetate. Activell incorporates norethindrone acetate. These are just some examples. Many are instructed by their prescribers that they’re utilizing progesterone however are actually utilizing these altered molecules. This can immediately affect the progesterone receptor. Typically the impact is progesterone-like, comparable to shedding of the endometrial lining. Typically, the receptor is blocked by the progestin and no progesterone-like impact occurs. Solely precise progesterone achieves the anticipated outcomes and helps stability estrogen.
Allergy to Progesterone
It appears unusual that girls may very well be allergic to their very own hormones. Antigen-antibody complexes are proteins and steroidal hormones like progesterone should not proteins. Progesterone can and does bind to a service protein and it’s this complicated that may turn out to be reactive. Allergy desensitization strategies can be utilized to appropriate this, and a few specialty labs have developed checks to measure this. (11)
This checklist shouldn’t be exhaustive.
The deficiency of progesterone is answerable for a lot distress. Many ladies discover progesterone supplementation life-changing and simple. Nonetheless, there are some girls who discover progesterone supplementation troublesome and declare that they will’t use it. With steering from a practitioner, finding out the underlying causes might carry reduction.