The truth is, we should never underestimate the power of progesterone. It's time this little hormone got the recognition it deserves!

Progesterone is a naturally occurring steroid hormone produced by the ovaries along with estrogen. Progesterone levels rise dramatically at ovulation, falling when and if fertilization does not occur. This sudden fall in progesterone is what signals menstruation and another cycle to begin.

If fertilization of an egg does occur, progesterone levels continue to rise, and it is this rise in progesterone that prevents shedding of the uterine lining (menstruation), preserving the embryo. Eventually the placenta takes over for the ovaries and produces the higher amounts of progesterone needed to sustain the pregnancy for a full nine months. If for one reason or another a woman fails to ovulate, progesterone also fails to be produced and estrogen is unopposed.

Progesterone then, not only plays a big role in pregnancy and fertility, but what is most important to understand about the role of progesterone is that it is constantly keeping estrogen in balance. That is, it essentially works at opposite times and stimulates opposite processes to estrogen. Estrogen, for example rises at the beginning of the menstrual cycle, stimulating ovulation, and declines when progesterone takes over for the last half of the cycle.

Symptoms of PMS and Menopause are often blamed on high levels of estrogen or estrogen dominant conditions. But, if we want to look at it from another perspective, these are also progesterone deficient processes. The body innately uses progesterone to oppose the power of estrogen, but if for one reason or another our bodies are unable to produce progesterone in adequate amounts, estrogen is free to run wild and wreak havoc on our bodies. Estrogen dominant hormonal imbalances play a role in the development of everything from PMS to some female cancers.

During Menopause, estrogen levels decline to about 40% of their original levels, thus inhibiting ovulation, and also causing a decline in progesterone levels, in some women down to 0%. Once again, this allows estrogen to dominate unopposed and most likely is responsible for some of the more common menopausal complaints such as hot flashes, insomnia and irritability.

Whether it be due to the normal process of menopause or another abnormality in progesterone levels, both pre and post menopausal women may benefit from bioidentical hormone replacement. Natural progesterone is available in both an oral (oral micronized progesterone) and cream form. Less common forms of progesterone delivery include vaginal or rectal suppositories and injection. Only the cream form is available without a prescription. Natural progesterone is derived from extracts of Mexican wild yam or soybean and the progesterone molecules that result from a manufacturing process are identical to the progesterone produced by a woman's own ovaries. It is important to understand that it is a laboratory process and an individual cannot ingest wild yam or soybean and expect the body to convert these to progesterone.

The benefits of natural progesterone versus the synthetic version (progestins) is that they are often better tolerated. Breast tenderness, edema, irritability and abdominal cramping are all frequent complaints from individuals using synthetic progestins. Natural progesterone has the added benefit of maintaining the patency of coronary arteries and improving cholesterol panels. Both natural progesterone and synthetic progestins are highly recommended for every woman on estrogen therapy (unless you have had a hysterectomy) to protect the uterus from hyperplasia and cancer. Oral progesterone is more effective and more widely used with women on estrogen therapy due to these protective effects. Progesterone cream is more widely used with women who are not on estrogen therapy and who are looking for relief from either PMS or menopausal symptoms, especially those not improving with lifestyle changes alone.

When buying a progesterone cream, it is important to look for wild yam creams with bio-identical progesterone added. There is a wide ranges in dosage. Higher concentrations, up to approximately 400 mg/per ounce seem to be more effective. Base your dosage on the severity of your symptoms and always consult a healthcare practitioner to ensure that you are using both the oral and cream forms properly in order to ensure the best results.