Bladder Function and Natural Progesterone

As estrogen levels decrease, vaginal tissues become thinner, drier, and more fragile. This can cause itching and burning, as well as painful sex. In addition, the vagina becomes more alkaline and less acidic, making it more susceptible to overgrowth of bacteria or yeast.

Estrogen loss also causes a thinning of the tissues at the base of the bladder and lining the urethra, as well as a loss of tone in the muscles that control the bladder. The result can be urine leakage and recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs).

There can be many sources of urinary tract problems. Some women with urinary urgency or incontinence have stretched-out pelvic ligaments and muscles. The most frequent cause of the stretched or weakened tissues are difficult births or multiple births of large babies, followed by hormone imbalance, particularly low testosterone.

Some women with urinary urgency and incontinence have chronic, low-grade inflammation or infection of the urethra. This is particularly true in postmenopausal women, many of whome have chronic recurring urinary tract infections.

Some women develop urinary urgency and incontinance from food sensitivites. In particular, coffee and other high-caffeine products can become irritants to the bladder.

Low dose estriol cream (applied as a vaginal cream) is remarkedly effective in preventing urinary tract infections in postmenopausal women. Estriol treatment may result in the reemergence of friendly Lactobacilli bacteria, and the near elimination of colon bacteria, as well as restoration of normal vaginal mucosa and normal low pH, which inhibits the growth of many germs.

Progesterone also plays several roles in preventing vaginal and urinary tract infections. The presence of progesterone primes estrogen receptors, opposing signs of estrogen deficiency such as vaginal dryness and hot flashes, as well as estrogen dominance symptoms.

When progesterone is restored to normal physiological levels, estrogen receptors become more sensitive and signs of estrogen deficiency disappear.

Some basics

An average adult urinates about five or six times a day, and a typical urination is about 300 ml, so almost two one-liter bottles daily is the normal output. By middle age it is not uncommon for both men and women to get up once at night to urinate. If you are urinating more often than this, (a condition called "frequency"), it is usually due to either increased urine flow out (which means the body is making more urine than normal) or a decreased bladder capacity (which means the bladder holds less urine than normal).

Several things can prompt the body to make more urine than normal — especially drinking alcohol and caffeine or taking diuretic drugs. Urinating frequently can also be a sign of diabetes. Decreased bladder capacity almost always due to an irritation. The biggest offender here is caffeinated beverages, especially coffee, which is a notorious bladder irritant, particularly in women. Switching to decaf is not a solution, because it still contains other irritating components of the coffee bean.

Drinking more rather than less water is generally a good idea here, as it will help dilute irritating factors in the urine. Anxiety can also cause urinary frequency by affecting the nerves that control the bladder.