Are there any known undesirable side effects of using natural hormones?
Hi Catherine,
Are there any known undesirable side effects of using natural hormones?
Thank you,
Donna
Dear Donna,
There is a great safety margin with progesterone creams because they contain the hormone identical to that produced by the human ovary.
Natural progesterone is referred to as ?natural? because it represents the same (bio-identical) molecule naturally occurring in the body. It can, therefore, be introduced into the body with relative safety and minimal apparently benign side effects because the body recognises it. You’re not going against Mother Nature!
If experienced these may include breast tenderness and swelling, fluid retention or slight vaginal bleeding. Dizziness, nausea, fatigue, headaches and light headedness have been reported occasionally and usually disappear with adjustment of dose.
Research has shown natural progesterone is safer than all over-the-counter pain medications currently available, and there has never been a single case of anyone being admitted to hospital due to a poisoning from this hormone.
Rudel and Kincl (International Encyclopedia of Pharmacology and Therapeutics: The toxicity of progesterone, 405-409), in their review of the international literature, noted that “Nowhere … is the oral toxicity of progesterone reported.” They therefore undertook a study with rats, administering various doses of progesterone both orally (via gavage) and by subcutaneous injection for 26 weeks. Their only finding was an increase in the body and liver weight of female rates receiving parenteral progesterone.
Empirical evidence suggests the self-medication of micronised progesterone creams only poses a concern when women:
- are not made aware of how much progesterone is contained in their jar (or tube) of cream
- use cream that is supplied without the manufacturer’s application instructions
- require a more individualise approach to hormone balancing
- have a medical condition that is contraindicative of progesterone use
- are using prescription medication and opt not to inform their doctor that progesterone supplementation is now part of the equation
- or when cream quality, safety and efficacy are not of the highest standard.
Progesterone should not be used by women with any of the following conditions:
- Severe liver disease ie. cholestatic jaundice, hepatitis, Rotor syndrome or Dubin-Johnson syndrome
- Any unexplained or abnormal vaginal bleeding
- History of herpes gestationis, jaundice of pregnancy
- Known sensitivity to progesterone creams or any of their individual components
Feedback provided to this Network suggests overdosing can occur when women apply cream a little too liberally without monitoring progesterone uptake, and fail to reduce their dose to the least amount of progesterone they can manage while achieving sustained symptom relief.
If your progesterone levels exceed the normal reference range, then STOP using cream and begin monthly monitoring of your progesterone levels. Do not resume progesterone supplementation unless medically indicated. Washing progesterone out of the system can take months, even years.
High doses of progesterone can lead to suppression of natural hormone production and can promote abnormal actions in the body. Progesterone cream can accumulate in our body and contribute to disruption our adrenal hormones. That’s why it’s imperative you monitor how your body metabolises progesterone cream, particularly regular evaluation of the adrenal and female hormones.
Nonetheless, progesterone appears by all accounts to be relatively safe if used responsibly but you need to always keep in mind that you are in fact ‘tinkering’ with your endocrine system … so proceed with caution.
