Why Progesterone is Important
Not having an adequate progesterone level in the body is a problem for many women.
Why? Because a number of problems can result from low progesterone including irregular menstrual cycles, miscarriage and increased cancer risk from unchecked oestrogen.
We know that progesterone is a hormone created within a woman’s ovaries which helps to prepare the womb each month for acceptance of a fertilized egg, and attachment of a foetus. But do you know that the body has many more uses for progesterone and low levels can cause many effects.
It is extremely important to a woman’s overall health during her entire lifetime (not just during her reproductive years) that her body produces and maintains normal levels of progesterone. The most important reason for this is so that it properly counterbalances the effects of oestrogen.
What Can Cause Low Progesterone Level
Progesterone levels can be adversely affected by a number of environmental factors including stress, prescription hormones, and hormones used in commercially produced and processed dairy products and meats.
What are some signs to look out for
Here are some clues:
Breast tenderness
Fibrocystic breasts
Decreased/Low sex drive
Depression
Obesity
Night sweats
Bone loss
Irregular menstruation
Excessive bleeding during menstruation
Uterine fibroids
Water retention
Sleeplessness
Vaginal dryness
Thyroid dysfunction
Unclear thinking
Infertility/Miscarriage
Headaches
Endometriosis
Many of these symptoms don’t seem particularly alarming when considered separately, and therein lies the danger.
Because they may appear harmless signs are not specifically noticed or interpreted as reasons for concern.
However, when you have noticed these symptoms occurring simultaneously, they should certainly be a signal that something in the body is not normal. This is then reason for a higher level of concern, and should warrant further investigation.
This site has some great resources about the use of natural progesterone for treating low progesterone level