Progesterone - a serious case of mistaken identity (part 1)

I never like to single out a particular hormone because the truth is hormones never act in isolation. Each hormone is one part of an intricate web of communication. They also never have one single role but rather work on multiple functions and areas in the body.

In the case of progesterone, I want to highlight the importance of this hormone, for health, beyond fertility.

In order to that I also need to make it abundantly clear that progesterone is different to progestin medications given in hormonal birth control and hormone replacement therapies.

Let’s clear up one of the greatest cases of mistaken identity I witness amongst health professional and women.

Progesterone = the hormone created by our body , in large amounts by our ovaries, after ovulation in cycling women, and by the adrenal glands in a lesser amount by women (even if not cycling) and men.
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The body naturally produces progesterone, each month, mainly via the main event of our menstrual cycle which is {insert drumroll}, ovulation. That’s right friends, ovulation, not menstruation, is the main event of this monthly show, that is, our cycle. ⠀
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For ovulation to occur each month, a lot has to come together, to allow this rather masterful event to occur. After all, this event, has the potential to form new life, if that released egg is fertilised. Ovulation, is kind if of a big deal and is now being recognised as vital sign of health.⠀
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Even if an egg being fertilised, is not your goal, ovulation, still results in a nice healthy dose of progesterone each month, for 10-14 days (the lifespan of the corpus luteum, a temporary endocrine organ the body “whips” up, from the ruptured follicle, that then secretes progesterone until either a). the placenta takes over or b) it breaks down, towards the end of the luteal phase, resulting in a decline in progesterone, that results in menstruation). ⠀
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It’s true that progesterone is really important for pregnancy, after all, “pro= for; gestation = pregnancy” but progesterone has other effects in our body (hormones RARELY act in isolation):⠀
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Some of these include:⠀
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- Increasing bone formation ie. builds bone⠀
- Increasing thyroid function (T4), heating things up, and boosting metabolism ⠀
- Promoting sleep ⠀
- Calming the nervous system and stabilising our stress response system⠀
- Modulating the immune system + reducing inflammation (important for autoimmune conditions)⠀
- Counterbalances the stimulating effects of oestrogen on both breast and uterine tissue⠀
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Endogenous progesterone IS NOT the same as progestin medications found in the pill, HRT or hormonal IUD. They are different, structurally and functionally in the body.⠀
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To get the wonderful benefits from our own naturally occurring progesterone, the key questions to ask is 1. “are you ovulating” and 2. if you suspect you are not, “why not?”⠀
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We’ll explore more on progesterone (and how it gets’ mistaken for “progestins”) in the next posts …. ⠀

Was this helpful? Stay tuned as we dive deeper into progesterone + ovulation. If you are interested in working one-on-one to dig into things more deeply and take a holistic approach, you can visit HERE .

* I have been offering my services at a discounted price so that I can continue to accommodate my clients and those needing support through this time. I am happy to discuss this together. Chantel xxx