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Actions of Progesterone |
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The Actions
of Progesterone In
women, progesterone is a steroid hormone produced primarily by the ovaries
and adrenal glands. Progesterone has a direct affect on the function of the reproductive
system, the nervous system, the cardiovascular system and the skeletal
system. Blood sugar levels, skin and other tissues and functions are also
significantly influenced by progesterone. Like all
steroid hormones, excessive amounts of progesterone can contribute to a
number of increased health risks. Though
proper progesterone levels are critical for the prevention of endometrial
hyperplasia and endometrial cancer, the actions of this hormone extend far
beyond endometrial health. Therefore it is crucial that proper levels also be
maintained in women who have had a hysterectomy. Following
is a list of some of the actions and functions of progesterone. More
information and references can be found in the book What's Your
Menopause Type? |
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The
Menstrual Cycle and the Endometrium Progesterone prevents development of
endometrial cancer 1. Low
progesterone with unopposed estrogen may be one cause of dysfunctional
uterine bleeding 2. Progesterone may help decrease uterine
contractions, cramping and pain 3, 4. The
Vagina & Urinary Tract Excessive progesterone may increase
urinary incontinence and even counteract the beneficial effects of estrogen
in maintaining urinary control 5, 6, 7, 8. The
Libido Excessive progesterone may decrease
libido due to antiestrogenic and anti-androgen effects 9, 10. As
well as decreasing libido, excessive levels may induce depression 11. |
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Blood
Sugar & Insulin While estrogens help the cells of the
body utilize glucose more efficiently by making them more sensitive to
insulin, progesterone can cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity, having an effect
on blood sugar that is similar glucocorticosteroids 12. This
interference with the action of insulin can interfere with normal glucose
uptake and cause insulin resistance 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. The ability of progesterone to
interfere with proper function of insulin and glucose has since been
associated with gestational diabetes 18, 19, 20 as well as hormone
replacement therapies 21,15, 22, 12 and
has been observed in both synthetic & non-synthetic progesterone 20,
23, 24, 12. Even the high progesterone levels which occur naturally
during the luteal phase can induce insulin resistance in some women 21,
16. |
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The
Brain – Mood & Memory Progesterone
and its metabolites result in increased relaxation and reduced anxiety in a
way that is similar to the effects of benzodiazepines 25, 26 by a
direct effect on neurotransmitter receptors called Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid
type A (GABAA) receptors 27. When progesterone levels drop a
woman can experience withdrawals similar to the withdrawal seen with
benzodiazepine, barbiturate, and alcohol withdrawal 29. Excessive levels may cause decreased
coordination, slowed reflexes, depression and impaired memory and reasoning
skills 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. The sedating effects of excessive
progesterone can cause drowsiness and even induce sleep 35, 32, 36.
The nerve calming effect of progesterone is so pronounced that both natural
progesterone and medroxyprogesterone have both been shown to decrease
seizures in women with epilepsy 37, 38. Progesterone has a protective,
stimulating effect on breathing patterns during sleep, resulting in decreased
incidence of sleep apnea, a serious condition in which the body is deprived
of oxygen 39, 40, 41, 42. The action of progesterone on GABAA receptors
have been associated with an increase appetite and food intake 43, 44, 45. The
Breasts Progesterone insufficiency may play a
role in the development of breast cancer 46,
however progesterone may also play a role in the proliferation of some
progesterone receptor forms of breast cancer 47. This increased
risk is associated with the increased production of IGF-1 by breast cells
stimulated by excessive progesterone 48, 49 - resulting in the
proliferation of several forms of breast cancer cells 50. The
Skin Though progesterone does not increase
skin thickness 51, it does increase blood flow to the skin 52
resulting in an increased ability to sweat and loose the extra heat through
the skin 53. Progesterone can also raise body temperature,
enhancing the ability to tolerate cold 53. Bones
& Osteoporosis Progesterone has stimulating effect
on the bone building osteoblasts resulting in increased bone building
activity 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60. This is due to a direct
stimulation of the progesterone receptors in osteoblasts bone cells 61,
62, as well as an increased secretion of IGF-1 and other growth factors
by the bone cells exposed to progesterone 63, 64, 65. The most
positive effect is seen when estrogen & progesterone are used in
combination 66. The
Heart Natural micronized progesterone may
cause a significant lowering of in blood pressure in postmenopausal women
with mildly to moderately high blood pressure 67, possibly due to
the vasodilating effect of action of progesterone 68. Natural micronized progesterone will
not reduce the good HDL levels that are enhanced by estrogen replacement 69,
and will result in higher HDL than when synthetic progestogens are used 70.
This lipoprotein (a) benefit of
estrogen is not diminished by either synthetic (medroxyprogesterone acetate)
or natural micronized progesterone 71, 72. |
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[Growth hormones and oncogenes in mammary adenocarcinomas induced by
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concentration. PEPI Investigators. Postmenopausal Estrogen/Progestin
Interventions. Circulation 1998 Mar 17;97(10):979-86 |
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