- Progesterone balances estrogen's growth effects on breast and endometrial tissue, reducing cancer risk and helping regulate fat storage in hips and thighs.
- Test your progesterone and estradiol levels before starting cream because low progesterone (estrogen dominance) causes symptoms like insomnia, bloating, mood swings, and breast tenderness.
- Use progesterone cream transdermally on rotating body sites (forearms, neck, inner thighs, lower abdomen) to avoid dermal fatigue that stops the cream from being absorbed.
- For menstruating women, apply cream only during days 14-28 of your cycle to mimic natural progesterone peaks. For menopausal women, use daily with regular breaks.
- Dosing requires trial and error between 20-40mg per day, and combining progesterone with estrogen-metabolizing supplements like DIM can make it more effective.
Progesterone is an essential and critical hormone involved in many important processes in the female body.
Normal progesterone levels are required for fertility, mood, weight maintenance (1), to balance estrogen levels, and much more.
One of the benefits of progesterone is, unlike other hormones, how available it is.
Progesterone USP (bio-identical progesterone) is available for purchase over the counter in the United States.
Does that mean you should start taking it?
Well, not necessarily, but in this article, we will help you determine if it’s helpful for you.
Should you use Progesterone Cream?
Why is progesterone so important?
One of the most important reasons is that Progesterone helps to regulate and balance estradiol (2) in the female body.
Without a balance of both hormones, women may experience symptoms ranging from weight gain to depression and even infertility.
You can think of estradiol (and other estrogens) as growth hormones in the body.
They primarily act to increase the size of specific target tissues.
For example:
High estrogen activity on breast tissue will cause an enlargement (3) of the glandular tissue and increase the size of the breasts (and make your breasts tender which tends to occur around the menstrual cycle).
Estrogen also causes the endometrial tissue to grow (another important part of the menstrual cycle) and unopposed estrogen is a risk factor for the development of both breast and endometrial cancer (4).
In addition, estrogen also increases the growth rate of fat cells in the body.
Under the influence of estrogen, fat cells enlarge in specific areas of the female body – mostly the hips, thighs, and the gluteal (butt) region.
The characteristic physiologic “shape” of women who have high estrogen tends to be the “pear” shape.
So where does progesterone fit in?
Progesterone helps to perfectly balance the effects of estradiol on the tissues.
So while estrogen helps fat cells grow, progesterone helps regulate these fat cells and may help with weight loss.
Progesterone also counteracts the effects of endometrial and breast tissue growth (5).
This may sound interesting – especially if you suffer from some of the symptoms I’ve outlined above, but it doesn’t mean you should just jump into supplementation.
It’s the ratio of estrogen to progesterone that is actually important.
One of the reasons that supplementation with progesterone has become so popular is that many women in recent days have a tendency to have more estrogen relative to progesterone.
The name for this syndrome is known as estrogen dominance and it is meant to imply an improper ratio of estrogen to progesterone in the body.
There are many reasons that women suffer from low progesterone (and high estrogen) including the following:
- Exposure to endocrine disruptors that latch onto and trigger estrogen receptors (6) (EDCs are ubiquitous and they are found in plastic food ware, cosmetic products, foods, and in water bottles – you come into contact with these on a daily basis)
- Excessive fat or obesity (7) (extra fat cells increase the conversion of androgens to estrogens in a process known as aromatization)
- The use of birth control medications and other synthetic hormones
- Age (starting at around age 35 progesterone levels tend to fall more rapidly than estrogen levels)
- Other hormone disorders such as hypothyroidism which leads to low progesterone
- Menopause (8)
- Excessive stress (social, physical, or emotional stress)
- Cellular progesterone resistance syndromes (9) (commonly seen in conditions such as PCOS and endometriosis)
These conditions are actually quite common which is why many women suffer from low progesterone.
Symptoms of Low Progesterone
What kind of symptoms may be associated with low progesterone?
Luckily low progesterone is easy to identify through symptoms and can be confirmed through basic serum lab testing (discussed below).
Symptoms of low progesterone include:
- Inability to fall asleep at night
- Water retention and bloating
- Roller coaster emotions (especially unexplained irritability, depression, or anxiety)
- Changes to your menstrual cycle (missed cycles, heavy bleeding, etc.)
- A personal history of conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or fibrocystic breast disease
- Decreased libido (low sex drive)
- Breast tenderness (especially during your menstrual cycle)
- A known diagnosis of PMS or PMDD
- History of multiple miscarriages or issues with infertility
If you are experiencing 3+ of the symptoms listed above then your next step should be to consider assessing your serum levels of both progesterone and estradiol (I recommend doing this before supplementation).
Some of these symptoms are also associated with other hormone imbalances and other medical conditions which is why it’s important to confirm the diagnosis through testing.
How & When to Use Progesterone Cream
If you do decide to use progesterone cream, then there are several things you need to know in order to get the best results!
First and foremost, it’s important to find a cream that contains the active ingredient of progesterone USP.
Progesterone USP is the bio-identical version (10) of progesterone and the exact same hormone that your body produces naturally.
Note: Just because your body produces it naturally doesn’t necessarily mean that it will work for you though!
Next, you need to make sure that you use it correctly.
In general, it’s best to use progesterone cream over oral pills because of the way that your body absorbs the hormone.
Under normal conditions, progesterone is secreted directly into your blood cells and then makes it to your tissues before it is metabolized by the liver.
When you consume progesterone orally you bypass this system and send it directly to the liver first.
This produces high levels of the progesterone metabolite pregnanediol and it’s not known if this metabolite is harmful long term.
Because of this, it’s best to use the transdermal (or application through the skin) first.
While there are advantages to using the transdermal route, there are also potential disadvantages.
Among those is the concept of dermal fatigue.
Dermal fatigue basically refers to a situation in which all of the adipose tissues in a specific application site have become saturated to a point that reduces further absorption.
Basically, this means that if you use the same spot to apply progesterone on your body for an extended period of time it may no longer work.
You can bypass this by simply alternating the spot where you apply progesterone on your body.
Potential application spots include the neck, the forearms of both arms, the lower abdominal area, and the inner thighs.
It’s best to alternate either daily or every other day for the best results.
In my experience, the forearms tend to be the best place for transdermal absorption due to the network of veins that are very close to the surface (and the small amount of fat tissue in the area).
The next step is to make sure you are using it at the right TIME of the month.
When to apply progesterone if you are menstruating:
If you are menstruating (meaning you are NOT menopausal) then the time that you apply progesterone is important.
Whenever possible, and whenever we are using powerful hormones, it’s always best to try and mimic what the body does naturally.
By following this advice we see that progesterone tends to peak in the last 2 weeks or so of the traditional 28-day menstrual cycle.
Because of this, it’s best to use progesterone on days 14-28 of your cycle or during the luteal phase.
It’s not advisable to take progesterone throughout the entirety of your cycle (days 1-28) because you may interfere with the traditional hormone fluctuations associated with the menstrual cycle.
This obviously becomes more difficult if you do not have a standard menstrual cycle or if your cycle is unpredictable.
In these cases, you can try to find a midpoint of your menstrual cycle and then use the progesterone until your cycle starts.
When to apply progesterone if you are postmenopausal:
Women who are menopausal should use progesterone differently than those who are menstruating.
Menopausal women no longer experience the cyclical changes to progesterone and estradiol that menstruating women do.
Instead, their hormones tend to reach a “steady state” with very little fluctuation in hormone levels over time.
For this reason, menopausal women can get away with near-daily dosing of progesterone (usually in lower dosages).
You can do this in 2 separate ways:
- #1. Use daily on days 1-28 of the month and take a 3-day break before restarting on the 1st of the next month.
- #2. Use 6 days and take a 1-day break every 7 days (so 4 days of “rest” each month).
There is no preference on which method you use, instead, try to find what works best for your schedule and stick to it.
Progesterone Dosage:
The dose of progesterone that you use each day will vary (sometimes significantly) from person to person.
I’ve found the average dose to be somewhere between 20 to 40mg per day.
Having said that some women need much more and some women need much less.
It’s worth spending some time playing around with your dose to figure out what works best for you.
You can use this list of low progesterone symptoms and high progesterone symptoms to help adjust your dose.
If you use 40mg and still experience low progesterone symptoms then you may consider increasing it.
Conversely, if you use 20mg and start to experience symptoms of high progesterone that may mean you need even less!
Just remember:
Finding your dose may take some trial and error.
Where to apply progesterone cream:
We went over the application sites previously, but I wanted to include a list here as well.
If possible you will find the best results by alternating the application site each day that you use progesterone.
You can alternate between the following sites:
- Left inner thigh
- Right inner thigh
- Neck area
- Left forearm
- Right forearm
- Lower abdomen
- Vaginal/Labial area
Another important point is to avoid using the same site for different hormones!
For instance:
If you are using testosterone vaginally, then you don’t want to also use progesterone vaginally.
It’s often better to break up your compounded hormones and use individual hormones rather than double or triple hormone “stacks”.
The Best Progesterone Cream
When purchasing progesterone cream over the counter I recommend using a product that is paraben and fragrance-free like this one.ย
Alternatively, you can also use compounded progesterone cream from your pharmacy if your physician is willing to prescribe it.
In my experience, I haven’t seen a huge difference in pharmaceutically compounded progesterone vs. over-the-counter progesterone cream.
Side Effects of Progesterone Cream
Will using progesterone cream have side effects?
The short answer is maybe, but not if you use it correctly.
The reason I’ve spent so much time discussing the proper way to use progesterone cream is that it matters quite a bit.
Some women may seriously benefit from using progesterone cream but due to one bad experience (from overdosing or wrongful application) may never try it again.
Most of the side effects that women experience from progesterone have to do with using too much for their bodies (which is a fairly easy fix).
Occasionally (but more rarely) women simply don’t tolerate progesterone at all.
Some of the symptoms you may experience when using progesterone cream include:
- Weight gain (stop using progesterone if you experience this side effect or dramatically lower your dose) – this weight is usually due to fluid changes and NOT fat mass but it is still concerning to women when it occurs
- Fluid retention
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Groggy sensation or fatigue
- Increased irritability or feeling “tense”
- Not feeling like yourself
- Headaches
If you experience negative symptoms associated with progesterone cream use you will most likely experience them rather quickly (within 1-2 weeks).
Also, one potential pitfall of progesterone use is that some women may not tolerate progesterone cream but may still benefit from the use of progesterone pills.
If you are confused about what is causing your symptoms then you should consult with a physician to help guide you through this process.
Will Progesterone Help with Weight Loss?
One reason that many women want to use progesterone cream is that they believe it will help with weight loss.
While some women do experience weight loss while taking progesterone I don’t think you should expect it or use it for this purpose.
I’ve written extensively about how progesterone can help with weight loss in this post.
The short story is that progesterone can be used to augment weight loss if it’s also combined with existing weight-loss strategies and therapies.
But by itself, it’s not a very effective weight loss hormone or medication.
In addition, some women actually experience weight gain (if they don’t use it correctly) while taking progesterone cream.
Progesterone Cream vs. Progesterone (Prometrium) Tablets
Bio-identical progesterone cream is available over the counter from places like Amazon, but this should be differentiated from prescription progesterone tablets.
Bio-identical progesterone tablets are also available under the name Prometrium.
These should NOT be confused with synthetic progestins or progestogens (11) which are synthetic pharmaceutical versions of the progesterone compound.
Prometrium IS a bio-identical oral progesterone medication and the only difference between progesterone cream and Prometrium is that Prometrium is taken orally (as a tablet).
Some women actually tolerate progesterone tablets better than progesterone cream.
The reason likely has to do with absorption issues and the difference in each person’s ability to absorb hormones transdermally.
If you find that progesterone cream just isn’t working for you, despite changing your dose, then it may be worth considering a trial of Prometrium.
In order to get Prometrium you will need to get a prescription from a physician, however, so keep that in mind.
The average dose of Prometrium is around 50 to 100mg per day.
Progesterone Cream vs. Birth Control Medications
Progesterone cream should also be differentiated from birth control formulations.
Birth control formulations usually consist of progesterone-like compounds known as progestins or progestagens.
These compounds are NOT bio-identical which means they are not metabolized exactly the same way that progesterone is in your body.
Pharmaceutical companies can not patent biological hormones and compounds so they generally opt to produce synthetic versions of various hormones.
The idea is that these synthetic versions look similar to the naturally occurring progesterone compound and they, therefore, are metabolized in a similar way.
This isn’t entirely true and is one of the reasons that birth control medications may cause various symptoms that bio-identical progesterone does not.
The metabolism of birth control pills results in compounds that the body is not used to producing and they may have some activity on both progesterone and estrogen receptors in various tissues.
For the sake of this article, it’s important to realize that progesterone cream and birth control medications are completely different compounds and should not be considered the “same”.
Some studies suggest (12) that the use of bio-identical hormones should be the “standard” due to their safety profiles, especially when compared to synthetic hormones.
Supplements to Boost Progesterone
In many cases, women will benefit from the concurrent use of progesterone cream and certain supplements.
While low progesterone is a problem for many, this issue is often accompanied by high estrogen.
The use of progesterone cream can help “balance” out the ratio of progesterone to estrogen in the body, but it may not be the ultimate treatment for the high estrogen.
In cases such as these, you may benefit from the use of supplements designed to help clear out estrogen which can also make more effective your dose of progesterone.
Supplements that help reduce estrogen include:
- DIM or Indole 3 Carbinol – DIM is a special compound that helps increase the metabolism of estrogen in the body. This compound is found in brassica vegetables and can help alleviate the symptoms of excess estrogen. Take 100 to 300mg per day for best results.
- Calcium D glucarate – Calcium D glucarate also helps directly increase estrogen metabolism by increasing glucuronidation in the liver. It can be combined with DIM. Use up to 3,000mg per day (at least 1,000mg per day).
- Maca root – Maca root is a plant-based powder that has long been used for menstrual and sexual-related issues. Many people find great benefits while using maca even though studies show that it doesn’t alter serum levels of sex hormones. Use 1-2 tablespoons per day.
- Ashwagandha – Ashwagandha is an adrenal adaptogen that has been shown to help balance estrogen levels by down-regulating estrogen receptors. Use up to 500mg per day.
Final Thoughts
Progesterone cream is a safe and effective hormone that is available over the counter for use in women who suffer from low progesterone.
Progesterone cream can be used to help balance the actions of estrogen in your body and may dramatically reduce the symptoms of excess estrogen.
While many women suffer from excess estrogen and low progesterone not everyone should use progesterone cream.
In addition, the use of progesterone cream may take some trial and error as you figure out how to apply it and what dose to use.
Now I want to hear from you:
Are you using progesterone cream?
Is it working for you?
Why or why not?
Leave your comments below!
Scientific References
#1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7039319
#2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14667967
#3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3652894/
#4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17113977
#5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4038907/
#6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19496976
#7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11511861
#8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3987489/
#9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28423456
#10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4116364/
#11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4960754/
#12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19179815
Hi! I took a month of clomid and letrozole and landed up with a 5.1 ovarian cyst, high estrogen levels, and low progesterone levels. My doctor wants me to start a birth control pills to ” stop my brain from talking to my ovaries” to hopefully decrease the estrogen and shrink the cyst so I can regulate my cycle (my cycle had always been regular prior to this). After reading your blog, I am wondering if using the cream and something to help eliminate estrogen in my body would be beneficial instead of the OCP?
Thanks,
Hi Kim,
I personally believe that there are better ways to reduce estrogen, so yes I would say that there are better options available. OCP does reduce estradiol levels in the body but it only does that because it pumps your body full of synthetic estrogens instead.
Hello Dr. Childs,
I am 40 years old and have been using a biogenetical progesterone cream for the last few years. It really helps lower the amount of headaches that I was getting and pms symptoms. I was using an over the counter 20mg lotion and then I didn’t feel it was working that well after a year so I went to a new GYN and she recommended 100mg. That was working ok, but I told her I still felt “off” so she put me on 150mg about 6 months ago. I don’t know if I am getting too much or if I need more, but I am now starting to experience PMDD (self diagnosed) about 3 days prior to my cycle and then about 3 days into it. It was so bad this last time I thought I would have to go to the psych ward at the hospital. I felt so depressed. Where are you located? Are you accepting new patients? Or where can I find someone who specializes in this sort of thing. I am happy my GYN can prescribe the bioidentical progesterone, but she really doesn’t seem to know how I should be taking it. She tells me to just put it on every night before bed. She said it makes it easier to track if I just do it every day, but now I see your caution about doing so above. Also, I always put it on my arms…maybe it’s not working there anymore? I don’t know. I feel so confused. If you have any advice I welcome it. Thank you. Ps. I have 5 children, I could stand to loose 5-10 lbs, I have a diagnosed anxiety disorder anyway and have had depression issues in the past, but I know this stuff is made worse around the start of my cycle. I also have very heavy periods and they range from every 23-30 days with the occasional skip or very early one and bleeding lasts a week. Thanks for any help you can offer.
Hi there,
Can you quickly explain the ‘cycle’ – what day are we counting from? My period is long and mostly light, so can be 10-12 days total. (Yes I have had it checked with my doctor and all ok.) So it’s easier for me to think of stages of my period not the ‘cycle’.
I take progesterone cream occasionally at the start or end of my period but I’m not sure if that timing is correct.
Thank you.
Sunny
Hi Sunny,
The 28-day cycle is the standard run of the mill cycle that we use to talk about menstrual cycles. If you aren’t sure when you ovulate then you’ll need to use an ovulation kit to help you determine (this is helpful for people with longer or shorter cycles than the 28 days outline here). Once you figure out your ovulation date then you can determine when is the appropriate time to use progesterone. Some women don’t ovulate every month and have what is called anovulatory cycles which can make the picture a little bit confusing. This may or may not be contributing in your situation.
Good Evening Dr. Childs:
I was diagnosed with estrogen dominance and low progesterone. My functional doctor prescribed me custom dosed bio identical 7 keto DHEA progesterone cream, 1/2 ml. After reading your post, I obviously was applying incorrectly for a year. Although you indicate most tend to gain weight with progesterone, does the addition of 7 keto DHEA act as a weight loss or metabolism accelerator, in other words, could it be acting also as a weight loss drug/supplement? Wondering if it could contribute to pulmonary hypertension?
Also note: my thyroid levels are ‘normal’/ ‘optimal’ except for TPO’s. Along with the progesterone, I’ve been supplementing with 12.5 mg iodine every other day (was deficient). First time sent my thyroid levels to hyper thyroid TSH at .18 and then diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension and moderately enlarged right ventricles. The hyperthyroid Could be from the iodine. The PH could be from hyperthyroid + the 7 keto DHEA ?
Out of fear, I have cut the iodine to 2 times a week and quit the progesterone as my cardiologist suggested PH can be caused by weight loss supplements. She was skeptical of the progesterone cream, estrodim ( ortho molecular brand), phosphatylserine (integrative) and ashwagandha I take. I am getting thyroid labs, iodine labs done this week.
I am still not sure of the bio identical 7 keto DHEA progesterone cream and its side effects.
Thank you for any insight.
Nancy
When is the best time to dose progesterone cream? Morning? Mid-afternoon? Thanks!
Bioidentical progesterone cream got me through some very bad perimenopausal symptoms and I used it for a few years. Now I am 62 and this last 9 months, have had almost disabling anxiety, night sweats, unexplained purpura and more. Would it hurt to try the progesterone cream once again? It all seemed to start up when I was given a steroid injection for bronchitis last spring and it seemed to throw off my whole system. Other than prescribing benzos, my doctor has been at a loss on this.
Hi Missy,
It sounds like you need to be evaluated by an HRT physician and to undergo a complete exam + lab/hormone testing before you make any treatment decisions.
What about progesterone for increased breast size? Has anyone seen a difference? Iโve been self-conscious for years about the size of my breasts, particularly the left one which is significantly smaller and kind of looks underdeveloped. Wondering if HRT will help even them out or help grow fuller breasts.
Hi Sarah,
I’ve never seen progesterone fix that particular issue.
Hi Sarah, I am 1.5 cycles into using Progesterone cream, and i have increased in breast size significantly. I used to be one flat palm of breast volume, and now I am a curved palm and 2 finger joints in volume (when i use my hand for measure). I am not sure about evening out breast sizes.
Will this help lengthen a short luteal phase? Iโve been having a 6 day luteal phase. Iโm waiting for a referral to a specialist but my GP wonโt prescribe progesterone.
How long do you recommend using it for in regards to balancing hormones/regulating cycle? And can you stop using it “cold Turkey”?
Hi Mary,
Each person is different. I wouldn’t say there is a standard in terms of how long you should be taking it. Further, you never really don’t want to stop any hormone cold turkey as that would be less than ideal, though it’s technically possible to do so.
Dr. Childs, I love this website! Lots of thorough information!
I have a question about starting hormones. I am 45, have had extreme anxiety since late 30โs and pmdd, insomnia, extreme irritability, very heavy and painful periods. First doc prescribed low dose BCP, which erased anxiety and insomnia, and lightened my periods. Unfortunately I developed serious depression in just a few months.
New doc did more lab work, estrogen and FSH levels are normal, but thyroid and testosterone are low. Also I have an enlarged uterus due to adenomysis. Got the testosterone pellet. I was prescribed natural progesterone pills (100mg) for mood and sleep and low dose armour thyroid. Started last night. I feel like Iโve taken Valium! It was nice to sleep more than five hours, and I donโt feel tired really, but kind of spacey. At least I donโt feel confrontational today!
Could it take a week or two for my body to adjust to these meds? Also, could the progesterone help with adenomyosis?
Hi Lisa,
Yes, it can take several weeks to take root. And yes, progesterone may help with adenomyosis but it’s not a guarantee.
Could Progesterone Cream (USP) help alleviate my joint and muscle soreness?
I have been experiencing extremely sore/tight joints and muscles after being still, and in bed in the middle of the night. This extreme version started about 4 months ago but was sort of there for a few years before that. This is including my hands and as a piano player this is distressing. I had an x-ray and there is no arthritis. I had basic blood work, that came back normal. When I move I still have full range of motion again after warming up. (I looked up other joint/muscle diseases and my symptoms don’t seem to fit anything in particular)
I am 56 and had regular periods until about 8 months ago. Missing some since then, and now the last period was three months ago. I was diagnosed with low progesterone about three years ago but did not treat it. I have recently started having a few hot flashes a day as well.
I just started applying progesterone cream. 40 grams twice a day. (this is the highest recommended dosage on the jar) Is this worth continuing in an attempt to alleviate my joint/muscle issues or is this not normally related?
Thank you!
Hi Anna,
The short answer is yes, it *potentially can alleviate muscle pain, but there are so many other causes of muscle pain that upping your progesterone dose without addressing these issues is probably not advisable. If you overdose on progesterone you will have a whole new set of symptoms to deal with: https://www.restartmed.com/high-progesterone-symptoms/
Iโm confused about what seems to be conflicting advice/info. If you suffer from hot flashes and night sweats, experts say that progesterone cream will help. But then I see where you say that hot flashes call for estrogen, not progesterone. So can progesterone cream help? Estrogen cream does nothing. Iโm Postmenopausal, age 68, and still bothered with the night sweats and hot flashes.
Thanks!
Leigh
Hi Leigh,
I would say the problem is in the binary thinking associated with estrogen and progesterone. Progesterone has a small chance to reduce hot flashes due to how estrogen and progesterone interact at the same receptor (progesterone with much lower affinity, obviously) but this does NOT mean that progesterone is the ideal treatment for hot flashes.
It is uncontroversial to say that estrogen is the predominant driver of hot flashes in women. The reason progesterone is used frequently is because it is considered to be both safer than estrogen and it’s also available over the counter whereas estradiol is not.
There are, of course, also nuances and individuals who don’t fit the mold but these are the exceptions rather than the rule.
Is there a certain time of day I should use Progesterone cream?
Curious if Doc or anyone here has experienced EXTREME hormonal cystic acne breakouts when taking compound pharmacy progesterone pills & creams?
My estrogen dominance is thru the roof and progesterone is nil (on dutch test and serum) despite healthy diet, lots of broc, DIM supplementation and a clean household and beauty routine.
I also have insulin resistance, and have gained 40 lbs and cannot lose a lb 5 years after thyroidectomy no matter diet or exercise.
I’m working with an integrative doc, but I am not exactly thrilled with her ability to get to the root cause of my hormonal issues. HELP!
(I really wish you were taking patients, hint hint ๐
Hi SF,
Yes, it’s actually quite common for some people to develop cystic acne with the use of pregnenolone, progesterone, and DHEA.
Dr. Childs, what is the best way to test your hormones (estrogens, progesterone, testosterone, etc)? As far as I know, hormone levels fluctuate not only during the month but also during the day.
We did a DUTCH test for my 14-year old daughter and it showed off the charts high estrogen, extremely low progesterone and high testosterone. She was prescribed DIM, and Calcium D-glucarate plus 1 ml daily of Progest-Avail progesterone serum (I’m so happy you recommend some of these supplements yourself!!)
Given that the test was expensive and time consuming, and we’ll probably need to repeat it soon, is there a different alternative? Will blood test give us accurate information? Is there a reliable saliva test?
Thank you!!!
Hi Victoria,
No test is perfect but the serum blood tests are the cheapest and easiest to get so I prefer to use them. I will occasionally use DUTCH or 24 hour urine but not frequently.
A doctor said to me that prescribed doses of progesterone cream start close to 100mg per day. She said over the counter is too low. My blood test showed low progesterone and I was wondering if we need to use a lot more of the over the counter cream? Most of them provide only 20mg per 1/4 teaspoon.
Hi Melissa,
It’s the exact opposite, actually ๐ The standard oral capsule doses are too high for what most people need. You really shouldn’t dose progesterone based on the serum progesterone level or you’ll almost always end up overdosing: https://www.restartmed.com/high-progesterone-symptoms/
Hi Dr. Childs,
I have been researching on how to fix my hair loss.
I am 32 and l feel like I am going bald!! Ive tried everything else – vitamins, supplements, going healthy keto, managing stress, but nothing is working!
I was trying to do my own “research” and read somewhere that taking progesterone could inhibit the 5 alpha-reductase and could potentially help my hair grow back.
What are your thoughts?
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all those questions.
I am 79 years old and have had a complete hysterectomy due to endrimetrios. I have been on and off taking a natural progesterone cream. Someone told me that if I have had a hysterectomy, I do not need to be taking progesterone. Is this true. I am not taking it now……
Hi Linda,
Nope! That is not true at all. You can still benefit from progesterone even without a uterus ๐
Hi Doctor Childs!
For 3 months I was using Now progesterone cream (at that time I was also using Vitex 1200 mg) โ 2 cycles I had during this time shortened to 26 days (and sometimes it lasted 150 days). In the third month, I increased the dose of the cream twice to 30 mg and no menstruation occurred. I took a 14-day break and introduced the 20 mg cream again (I stopped Vitex because it led to depression), during this time my body weight started to increase slightly (I did not change anything else, I am a dietitian, I take great care of my diet and physical activity) After a week, I stopped using the cream for fear of this water retention. Bleeding started after 2 weeks, but the water remained. After another 2 weeks, I reintroduced the cream, the weight tended to increase again, I stopped after 5 days, the bleeding started immediately โ it lasted 3 days. The water has not come off. For these 2 months I have been holding 2 extra kg (I am very slim, it feels a lot). If it was too little cream that led to an estrogen advantage (before I started the cream, I was low in both estrogen and progesterone), will I see it in the test results? What can I do to get rid of this residual water? After this experience, I donโt want to go back to the cream. How long can I feel its effects? I really hope for some answer. I would be very grateful for any tip. Greetings!
Progesterone cream saved me!!! I was suffering severely from my hormonal IUD, and after applying the cream, I realized for the first time that I didnโt have to suffer such severe chronic anxiety anymore. It literally made me euphoric the first month and a half I took it!! I slept like a baby, it gave me energy I never knew I had. I got the IUD out, and was diagnosed with Hashimotoโs. But I still take anywhere from 224-400 mg of progesterone every day, because my progesterone is still very very low and my body still hasnโt figured out how to ovulate (Iโm 28). It does not seem to effect my estrogen rise and fall at all.
Eventually I may experiment more with taking it at certain times and not taking it at others. But Iโve been on birth control for nine years, and had my ovulation suppressed for a good chunk of that time. Itโs going to take a while before my body figures out how to ovulate again. Fingers crossed it does tho!! I want to be fertile. I want to have a period and cycle normally. I want all of these things. Hopefully time and getting the Hashimotoโs under control and my antibodies down will help with that!
Hi Dr Childโs. I live in the UK and my sister suggested I visit your site regarding Hashimotoโs which my brother has. I also struggle to lose weight but readings in UK always come back โnormalโ and I think UK doctors use different โnumbersโ and have a higher threshold before recommending medication. So itโs been great to read your articles on thyroid, diets and hormone imbalances.
I have also self-medicated with natural progesterone cream since my mid-40โs when travelling abroad a lot and couldnโt get to see a doctor. I am now 67 and have stopped and started over the years with the cream, which I order from the USA. I wonder if I have been under using my 2% serenity cream as they say to use it days 1-24 and a pea-size amount morning and evening, and you advise days 1-28. I have also used it on the underarms and face and buttocks which I read to use on a UK site but you have not mentioned and wonder if that is why I have โbat wingsโ. Although it could be other hormonal imbalances too. So a lot more for me to read on your site but I am more hopeful of sorting myself out. I used to do the Atkinson diet when I was younger and it worked but not so since being post-menopausal. Thanks.
Hello! Does progesterone affect facial hair in women? a few years ago I was using the cream because I heard it could help prevent postpartum depression. around the same time I got a couple chin hairs. I was 31 at the time which seems early to get chin hairs. I hought that was for older ladies–60s and up. Coincidence or was it the progesterone?
Iโm not sure if you, Dr Childs, are still answering? But here it goes: I always used BHRT progesterone transdermal cream. It seemed to be not enough for me. I was put on oral instead. 25mg to 50mg to 75mg. All was good until 75mg. I was also put on organic biest oils. One drop in the am and pm. My question is: what form or way of delivery does NOT mess with your digestive system. I have SIBO/Ibs-C and Iโm a mess. It is slowing down my digestive tract really bad. Is it the biest or progesterone or both? Will transdermal creams do this? Or is there a less likely chance of this side effect with transdermal cream for progesterone and trans vaginal for estrogen?
Okay what is going on? If I don’t take progesterone cream my muscles become very weak and I have no muscle strength? This all started after taking DIM at age 54, 100 mg for 30 days, it screwed me up badly. Oh sure it stopped my histamine issues and gut slowness, but I would gladly go back to that to get my muscle strength back. My muscles were very strong before I took DIM. So after DIM destroyed me I went on HRT cream, estrogen and progesterone, but if I stop using it my muscles become very weak! With is going on. I’m assuming the thyroid can’t work because high estrogen blocks it, so progesterone is helping the thyroid to work. But why does my body have no progesterone!