Will progesterone help improve thyroid function?

A good number of women who approach the Natural-Progesterone-Advisory-Network.com website present with symptoms that indicate possible thyroid dysfunction and yet, according the info provided, thyroid tested results are all clear. A few months on progesterone cream and, remarkably, all their apparent ‘thyroid’ symptoms appear resolved.

Evidently estrogen dominance not only contributes to lethargy, fluid retention and weight gain, it has a negative impact on thyroid performance. Therefore, if you have been diagnosed with a thyroid problem, are on thyroid medication and now want to incorporate natural progesterone into your regime, there’s no reason why you can’t providing you do so under the strict supervision of your treating physician.

Your thyroid medication, however, may require regular adjustment as progesterone exerts an influence upon the thyroid gland.

Thyroid function can be improved with supplementation of trace minerals such as selenium, iodine, zinc and manganese. Selenium particularly has been known to ‘enhance’ thyroid medication.

Therefore, if you are unsure whether your thyroid is functioning optimally (this can be characterised by an inability to lose weight, puffy and swollen body appearance, lethargy, muscle weakness, dry skin, hair loss and constipation), you might be well advised to ask your doctor to order the appropriate tests.

This includes blood profile to measure the levels of both thyroid hormones, T4 and T3, and also TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone). A shortage of T4 would be administered in the form of thyroxine tablets. In the USA, thyroid replacement therapy is available in cream form by way of natural thyroid hormone replacement using bio-identical hormones.