Progesterone - the happy hormone
by Dr. med. Bettina von Seefried
Progesterone, also known as the corpus luteum hormone, is produced mainly in the ovaries and in large quantities after ovulation. Its function in premenopausal women is to prepare the lining of the uterus for implantation of a fertilized egg.
Around menopause, during the menopausal transition, this hormone typically decreases, women ovulate more irregularly, and this often results in a relative excess of estrogen. It is not only the absolute drop in progesterone levels that causes symptoms, but probably also its ratio to estrogen.
Progesterone also has an effect on the central nervous system. This can have a calming and anxiety-reducing effect. Sleep is often described as more restful and deeper, and women know this from the early stages of pregnancy when the progesterone level is particularly high. The combination of better sleep and a calming effect leads to the pleasant feeling of being less irritable and nervous during therapy.
If there are signs of progesterone deficiency, we typically recommend taking bioidentical progesterone in the evening. Bioidentical progesterone can also be taken during the menopausal transition, when the ovaries are still producing hormones (albeit at a slower rate) and the woman is still having periods.
In the case of estrogen replacement therapy, progesterone must always be taken, even when there are no symptoms, to protect the lining of the uterus from the restorative effects of estrogen. If a woman no longer has a uterus, she can take estrogen alone.
Around menopause, during the menopausal transition, this hormone typically decreases, women ovulate more irregularly, and this often results in a relative excess of estrogen. It is not only the absolute drop in progesterone levels that causes symptoms, but probably also its ratio to estrogen.
Progesterone also has an effect on the central nervous system. This can have a calming and anxiety-reducing effect. Sleep is often described as more restful and deeper, and women know this from the early stages of pregnancy when the progesterone level is particularly high. The combination of better sleep and a calming effect leads to the pleasant feeling of being less irritable and nervous during therapy.
If there are signs of progesterone deficiency, we typically recommend taking bioidentical progesterone in the evening. Bioidentical progesterone can also be taken during the menopausal transition, when the ovaries are still producing hormones (albeit at a slower rate) and the woman is still having periods.
In the case of estrogen replacement therapy, progesterone must always be taken, even when there are no symptoms, to protect the lining of the uterus from the restorative effects of estrogen. If a woman no longer has a uterus, she can take estrogen alone.