Many doctors believe that menopause symptoms are due to a lack of estrogen in the body. However, new research and quite a few doctors support the cause of menopause symptoms could actually be a deficiency in progesterone and not estrogen. This is thought to actually cause an excess of estrogen. The theory has some merit, but there is no definitive answer yet.

To begin with, the theory is supported by the fact that women will continue to produce estrogen for the rest of their lives. The levels are lower than in their 20s, but still range from 40 to 60 percent of the highest levels. On the other hand, production of progesterone drops considerably after menopause and it has been discovered that often times the levels of progesterone in post menopausal women is even lower than levels in men.

There is no scientific reason to think that only estrogen plays a role in menopausal symptoms, but it is the only hormone that has been faulted. Neglecting to keep in mind the role progesterone plays in the menstrual cycle is like leaving a piece out of the puzzle and still acting as if you can see the whole picture.

There are many functions of progesterone in women. It is an antidepressant and natural diuretic in addition to stimulating the growth of bone. Progesterone causes the opposite effect of estrogen in some situations. For example, progesterone neutralizes cortisol while estrogen causes cortisol, the stress hormone, to release. Progesterone is a diuretic and estrogen causes bloating.

As a result, it is possible that heart disease, osteoporosis, and other menopausal symptoms may not be due to a deficiency in estrogen rather a deficiency in progesterone that causes an excess in estrogen.

Many women are prescribed hormone replacement therapy with progestin, which although it sounds like progesterone it actually is not. In fact, these synthetic progestins can cause many side effects that women are unaware of. Some of these side effects include blood clots, cervical erosion, depression, fluid retention, breast tenderness, stroke, and heart disease. There are no known side effects caused by natural progesterone and it has shown to provide relief to hot flashes , PMS, and other symptoms caused by menopause.

Posted in Menopause

Related Articles: