Creams containing progesterone, widely available at health food stores, are recommended by some practitioners for use in treating or preventing a variety of conditions including menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and osteoporosis. It is not clear how effective progesterone creams are in treating menopausal symptoms, and research has not successfully validated many of the claims put forth by progesterone cream advocates.
Progesterone Basics
Progesterone is a steroid hormone normally produced in the body that, in women, plays a role in pregnancy and the normal menstrual cycle. Progesterone is synthesized from cholesterol and in turn is synthesized into estrogen and testosterone. Progesterone levels naturally vary across the normal menstrual cycle, with a peak after ovulation and a nadir just before menses commence. If pregnancy occurs, the placenta produces progesterone, which serves in this case to prevent the body from casting off the uterine lining and thus preserve the pregnant state. Progesterone levels decline over time as a result of the aging process and menopause.
Estrogen Dominance
During the normal menstrual cycle, estrogen and progesterone interact and balance each other with their respective functions. According to Dr. John R. Lee, who coined the term, "estrogen dominance" occurs when there is too much estrogen in the body relative to progesterone, resulting in the manifestation of a variety of adverse effects and conditions including, but not limited to, PMS and Osteoporosis. Dr. Lee advocated the use of natural progesterone cream to treat conditions he attributed to estrogen dominance.
Recommended Application of Progesterone Cream
Dr. Lee's website recommends that progesterone cream be applied to areas of the body where skin is thin such as the face, neck or inner arms. Premenopausal women are advised to apply the cream twice daily, starting at around the time of ovulation and ceasing just before menses commence. Postmenopausal women are advised to apply the cream twice daily for 24 days of each month.
Progesterone Cream and Hot Flashes
There are many anecdotal reports of women obtaining significant relief from hot flashes and night sweats through the use progesterone cream. A 2009 randomized double blind study published in Menopause International, however, found that progesterone cream was no more effective than a placebo in alleviating menopausal symptoms.
Progesterone Cream and Osteoporosis
Dr. Lee reports on his website that he observed a 15 percent increase in bone mineral density in his postmenopausal patients treated with progesterone cream for three years. Research to validate this claim, however, has revealed that treatment with progesterone cream has no effect on bone density.
References
- The Official Website of Dr. John. R. Lee
- John Lee, MD Solutions: ProgesterAll Natural Balancing Cream
- "Menopause International"; A double-blind placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effect of progestelle progesterone cream on postmenopausal women; B. Benster et. al.; 2009
- "Menopause"; Transdermal progesterone and its effect on vasomotor symptoms, blood lipid levels, bone metabolic markers, moods, and quality of life for postmenopausal women.; B. Wren et al.; 2003
