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FOLD FOLD FOLD DO NOT PRINT DO NOT PRINT DO NOT PRINT Overland Park,KS66282 WHAT IS ? PO Box12004 Like , which gets much more public attention, progesterone is a female sex . Women produce it in the and adrenal , and during in the . With all the talk about estrogen, progesterone is sometimes left behind as the forgotten female hormone. UNDERSTANDING WHAT ARE AND HOW DO THEY WORK? IS PROGESTIN THE SAME THING AS PROGESTERONE? Hormones are our bodies’ chemical messengers. PROGESTERONE They travel through the bloodstream to trigger certain No. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, activities or changes in the body. Hormones work by they do not mean the same thing. Progesterone refers binding to specialized areas of cells known as to the hormone produced in the body, or produced sites. There they initiate a chain of events in specific from a source but still chemically identical to cells or organs. For example, progesterone has been human progesterone. In contrast, progestin is a known to initiate a calming effect in the , hormone that is synthetically produced and may differ reducing anxiety. in structure to progesterone. You may also have heard of . This is a general term that applies WHAT DOES PROGESTERONE DO? to the category of both natural and synthetic hormones that act like progesterone in the uterus. See the During the reproductive years, progesterone prepares difference in the molecular structure depicted below. the uterine lining (or womb) for pregnancy. Each month, progesterone levels rise following . Unless HERE’S WHAT THE “NATURAL” PROGESTERONE you become pregnant, the progesterone levels drop HORMONE LOOKS LIKE: and trigger a monthly menstrual period. Progesterone CH3 can also play an important role in balancing out the effects of estrogen and other hormones. If you have too much estrogen and not enough progesterone, C 0 your body may be thrown out of balance. During hormone imbalance can lead to symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, , vaginal dryness, irritability, or decreased sex drive. During the reproductive years, hormone imbalance may PROGESTERONE MOLECULE cause premenstrual complaints such as water retention, tenderness, or mood swings. PROVIDED BY HERE’S WHAT THE ALTERED MOLECULAR STRUCTURE WHAT IS "NATURAL" OR "BIO-IDENTICAL" OF A LOOKS LIKE: PROGESTERONE? CH3 Progesterone is a hormone produced in the body. The term "natural" or "bio-identical" progesterone C 0 0 refers to progesterone that is identical to the progesterone that the produces. 0 C CH3 Natural or bio-identical progesterone is formulated from a substance found in Mexican wild yams and other . These similar plant hormones are PROGESTIN MOLECULE further modified in a laboratory to become identical in chemical structure to the human progesterone produced in a 's ovaries. CH3 FOLD FOLD FOLD DO NOT PRINT DO NOT PRINT DO NOT PRINT

ARE PROGESTERONE AND PRODUCTS THAT as in this large French study. As with all hormones, HOW DO I TALK TO MY HEALTH CARE PROVIDER CONTAIN WILD YAM EXTRACT THE SAME THING? they should be considered carefully with the assistance ABOUT NATURAL PROGESTERONE? No. Wild yam is an herbal extract. Whether found in a capsule of your physician or other health care provider. Discuss the range of options and choices with your or cream, wild yam extract the herb, does not convert into health care provider for menopause or other women's IS PROGESTERONE RIGHT FOR ME? progesterone in the body. Products that contain progesterone How can a hormone health concerns. Discuss the information in this “Natural” or “bio-identical” progesterone can be found should be labeled as containing USP Progesterone. connected with pregnancy also brochure with them. in a variety of forms: creams, gels, suppositories, affect my mood after HOW DO SYNTHETIC PROGESTINS COMPARE pills, or patches – and can come in a range of doses. WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT menopause? WITH BIO-IDENTICAL PROGESTERONE? We recommend that you work with your health care PROGESTERONE AND MENOPAUSE? You have progesterone receptor sites provider to find out if you need to supplement your Synthetic progestins do not always act the same in in many parts of your body besides the uterus. Thus Women in Balance is a national, non-profit association hormones with progesterone. Then if warranted, the body as natural progesterone. Synthetic progestins progesterone, or a lack of progesterone, may affect other of women, doctors, health care professionals, and are broken down in the into a variety of aspects of your health, too, such as , work with them to ensure you get the right physi- national organizations dedicated to helping women metabolites, and while some of these bind to proges- sleeping patterns, activity, mood, sex drive, ological, individual dose for you. Progesterone can be achieve optimal health, wellness and hormone terone receptors and thus may mimic some of water metabolism, and health. prescribed by your physician, or progesterone cream balance. Please visit our website for more information, bio-identical progesterone’s effects, others can bind can be purchased at natural products stores or online. resources and research and to sign up for the free to various types of receptors throughout the However, not all progesterone creams are created newsletter at: 1 equal. If you are purchasing them at a local store, body, causing side effects. For example, while and menstrual periods, you may experience other natural progesterone promotes and sustains pregnancy, look for a product that contains USP progesterone symptoms. For example, progesterone has a calming and is supported by clinical studies. www.womeninbalance.org synthetic progestins cannot be used during preg- effect on the , thus a lower level of the nancy due to the potential risk to the hormone may contribute to increased night sweats, Many women find relief from the use of progesterone Every woman will experience changes in her health because of their wider range of hormonal effects. Also, anxiety, insomnia, irritability or mood swings. cream. One research study found that using a cream during her lifetime. Good health, wellness, and clinical trials comparing bio-identical progesterone makes it easier for women to adjust their use to meet hormone balance is the foundation for everything with synthetic progestins are showing a significantly HOW CAN PROGESTERONE CREAM HELP ADDRESS their needs as well as allowing them to use a more women do – from work to taking care of their families better safety profile for the bio-identical progesterone THE HORMONAL IMBALANCES OF MENOPAUSE? efficient, lower dose than with pills, while benefiting to enjoying life. group; in one large trial (PEPI), the bio-identical from a similar therapeutic effect5. However, only you, Progesterone cream is easily absorbed into the progesterone group had a healthier blood profile2. in partnership with a health care professional, can stream through the skin. Progesterone cream may decide what works for you. Be an informed consumer. WHAT HAPPENS TO PROGESTERONE DURING help support progesterone levels and CAN alleviate MENOPAUSE? some menopausal discomforts. Clinical studies have WHAT DOES USP PROGESTERONE MEAN? shown that bio-identical progesterone cream effectively As you approach menopause, progesterone is the first reduces hot flashes3. The United States Pharmacopoeia is a compendium REFERENCES hormone to decrease, followed by fluctuating estrogen of drugs published every year by the United States 1 Stanczyk FZ. All progestins are not created equal. levels. This phase, called perimenopause, may start IS PROGESTERONE SAFE? Pharmacopoeial Convention. Stating USP before the 2003; 68:879-90. as early as your late thirties or early forties and last ingredient, in this case USP Progesterone, means Progesterone has been used in a number of clinical 2 Writing Group for the PEPI Trial. Effects of estrogen or as long as ten years. Your periods may become more that it is a known substance and matches quality applications since 1940. Its early use was to assist estrogen/progestin regimens on disease risk factors in irregular. You may not ovulate some months, and specifications published in this compendium. postmenopausal women. The postmenopausal women with infertility. Progesterone has NOT been thus not produce any progesterone. This may disrupt estrogen/progestin interventions (PEPI) trial. JAMA 1995; linked to increased risk. In fact, a large study 273(3):199-208. the estrogen/progesterone balance, causing a variety of conducted in France to look at the risk of breast symptoms such as bloating, breast tenderness, night 3 Leonetti HB, Longo S, Anasti JN. Transdermal progesterone cancer with hormone replacement found that cream for vasomotor symptoms and postmenopausal bone loss. sweats, anxiety, insomnia, headaches, and irritability. using bio-identical progesterone did not cause any Couldn’t I simply get Obstet Gynecol 1999; 94(2):225-8. After menopause, your ovaries cease to produce increase in , whereas use of synthetic more progesterone by 4 Fournier A, Berrino F, Riboli E, Avenel V, Clavel-Chapelon F. progesterone, but the body will continue to produce progestins did result in a statistically significant eating wild yams? Breast cancer risk in relation to different types of hormone 4 replacement therapy in the E3N-EPIC cohort. Int J Cancer up to 40% of the levels of estrogen you had before increase in breast cancer risk. It is important to note No. Our bodies do not have the ability 2005; 114(3):448-54. menopause. Of course, the level of production that progesterone is often confused with progestins, to convert substances in the wild 5 Leonetti HB, Landes J, Steinberg D, Anasti JN. Topical depends on the individual. Since progesterone affects which have been linked to increased cancer risk as yam to progesterone. It must progesterone cream as an alternative progestin in hormone numerous aspects of your health besides pregnancy evidenced in the Women’s Health Initiative as well be done in a laboratory. therapy. Altern Ther Health Med 2005; 11(6):36-38.