The female hormone progesterone helps regulate menstruation and ovulation. Doctors prescribed it to women who are trying to get pregnant, those who suffer menopausal or perimenopausal symptoms, to induce a menstrual cycle and for other reasons, according to Drugs.com. Natural progesterone creams are available over-the-counter; however, it's best to use this hormone under the supervision of a doctor. Progesterone has numerous effects on your body, many of them dose-dependent.
Pregnancy
Progesterone can help you maintain a pregnancy, state the experts at Drugs.com. Progesterone also can be used to prevent pregnancy, according to the Nemours Foundation. That's because depending on how much progesterone you take, it can produce different physical effects. High doses of progesterone can relax your uterus and prevent contractions to maintain a pregnancy. Low doses of progesterone are used to prevent pregnancy. Progesterone-only birth control pills, sometimes called the "mini-pill" work by changing the lining of your uterus and your cervical mucus. The mini-pill sometimes affects ovulation as well, and if you take it, you may not have a period, according to Nemours.
Menstruation
Progesterone affects the physical process of menstruation. After the amount of progesterone in your blood drops, your uterus lining begins to shed and you have a menstrual period, according to the Merck Manuals. Progesterone aids other hormones in starting and stopping your menstrual cycle. It is sometimes prescribed to regulate women's menstrual cycles, such as treating amenorrhea, an unusual halt to menstrual periods, or to treat dysfunctional uterine bleeding, meaning unusual or heavy, bleeding of the uterus, according to Drugs.com. Progesterone also can prevent estrogen from thickening your uterus lining during hormone replacement therapy, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Cancer
Progesterone is used to reduce the risk of uterine cancer during hormone replacement therapy, notes NIH. Your body relies one progesterone to limit cellular growth here, notes Donghai Dai, lead author for a study published in 2001 in the journal, "Cancer Research." Progesterone also may cut the risk of, or help treat, some cases of breast cancer. All breast cancer cells are initially hormone dependent, notes Jorge R. Pasqualini in his book, "Breast Cancer." Progestins are synthetic versions of progesterone or progesterone derivatives. Progestins can be used to change the ability of cancer cells to react to proteins, as well as other hormones that lead to tumor growth, halting tumor growth in this manner, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Weight Gain and Body Temperature
Progesterone can cause weight gain and increase your body temperature, sometimes enough to cause hot flashes, according to Drugs.com. Progesterone also stimulates your appetite. In fact, gynecologists sometimes use it as an appetite stimulant for patients who need to improve nutrition and gain weight as they recover from procedures such as surgery, notes H. Leighton Steward, lead author for the book, "The New Sugar Busters." Progesterone can cause your body to produce certain proteins that lead to the increased appetite. It can be useful in stimulating weight gain and appetite in cancer patients, according to Connie Henke Yarbro, lead author for the book, "Cancer Symptom Management."
Side Effects
Too much progesterone can lead to several issues including depression, sleepiness and digestive problems, according to Dr. John Lee, Santa Rosa, California. Progesterone also can cause physical side effects that require emergency medical attention including sudden numbness or weakness, which is especially concerning if it occurs on just one side of the body; sudden headache or pain behind the eyes; confusion and/or vision, speech and balance issues; chest pain or a heavy feeling in the chest; fast heartbeat; migraine headache; unexpected or unusual vaginal bleeding; jaundice; stomach pain or nausea with low fever, appetite loss, dark urine or clay-colored stools; flu symptoms; depression symptoms; hand, foot or ankle swelling; and breast lumps, according to Drugs.com. Less serious physical side effects may include vaginal itching or dryness, change in weight, mild nausea or diarrhea, bloating, joint pain, increased hair growth, acne, cough, dizziness, a mild headache or stomach cramps. Progesterone can increase the risk for stroke, blood clots, heart attack and breast cancer, notes Drugs.com.
References
- Drugs.com: Progesterone
- JohnLeeMD: Effects of Progesterone and Estrogen, Dr. John Lee, Santa Rosa, California
- "Cancer Research": Progesterone Inhibits Human Endometrial Cancer Cell Growth; Donghai Dai et al.; 2001
- National Institutes of Health: Progesterone
- "Natural Hormone Balance for Women;" Uzzi Reiss, Martin Zucker; 2002
