Progesterone Side Effects

      Occasionally reports will come out listing the harmful side effects of "progesterone". Unfortunately the synthetic progesterone counterfeits are too often referred to as progesterone when they are not. The real names for these counterfeits are "synthetic progesterone", "progestin" or "Progesterone Acetate". There are no reports of any significant side effects or health problems associated with the real hormone "Natural Progesterone". As Dr Lee puts it, "the only side effect is that the guy across the room from you will get a little cuter".

Progesterone may also cause some of the following.

• a feeling of euphoria (based on the amounts used)
• possible acne upon initial use as body adjusts and estrogen receptors become more sensitive
• possible suspension of ovulation if used prior to ovulation
• possible spotting in women just starting menopause
• alteration of cycle time
• may prevent sperm maturation in men when used in excess

In the words of Dr John Lee, M.D. "We know that transdermal progesterone is very affective, very convenient, and very safe. Overdoses do not hurt anybody. They might mess up some bodies period, it could cause the period to change as to when it comes in the month."

TOO MUCH PROGESTERONE
WATCH OUT FOR THE RETURN OF ESTROGEN DOMINANCE
For the initial months of usage women often find that they benefit greatly from natural progesterone when used in large amounts. Large amounts can help to get the body quickly balanced. We've had women tell us that their hot flashes totally went away with the use of 80mg of progesterone each day. However, don't use too much progesterone for too long. Dr Lee had the following to say about using too much progesterone. "You will find that when someone starts on a larger amount, like 1120mg per month. She will tolerate it very well. She may tolerate it for 3 months or 6 months but then you know something funny happens. It begins not working or she begins to get estrogen like effects. When you have more progesterone than you need, it doesn't hurt anybody but what it does is to down regulate all of the progesterone receptors. They cannot tolerate the excessive overload that's occurring and they just shut down. And all of the sudden progesterone starts to not be as beneficial as it use to be."

If after a few months you find that you are not getting the results that you did at first, you may need to decrease the amount of progesterone you are using. This can especially be true for pre-menopausal women whose bodies are still producing some progesterone. Women in this case may find that 10-15mg, on the days they use it, is all they need . So the return of estrogen dominance symptoms doesn't mean that progesterone is not working. It may simply be a sign to use less.

These pages are provided for information only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, sickness or condition. If you require medical assistance please see a nutritionally wise and progesterone friendly health practitioner.