How does progesterone cream work

Date range from. Date range to. Article type. Author's surname. First page. Issues by year. Article types. Research letters. Guidelines and statements. Narrative reviews. Ethics and law. Medical education. Clinical update. Volume Issue 5. Transdermal progesterone creams for postmenopausal women: more hype than hope?

Med J Aust ; 5 : Topics Endocrine system diseases. Women's health. Abstract Various claims have been made about the benefits of transdermal progesterone creams for relieving symptoms of menopause. Transdermal progesterone creams Over the past 70 years, hormonal therapy for postmenopausal women has evolved from unopposed synthetic compounds with oestrogenic activity diethylstilboestrol to complex regimens containing bio-identical oestrogen plus a progestogen.

Claims The claims made about transdermal progesterone cream included that it: 9 , 10 , 13 inhibits endometrial growth, reduces uterine cancer, increases osteoblastic stimulation resulting in fewer fractures , improves libido, controls flushing and sweating, reduces fibrocystic breast disease, reduces breast cancer, increases metabolism of fat for energy, acts as a natural antidepressant, facilitates thyroid hormone action, normalises zinc and copper levels, helps restore proper oxygen levels, and acts as a natural diuretic.

Evidence Eight studies of transdermal progesterone have been published in peer-reviewed journals Box. Conclusion The claims for transdermal progesterone creams and the hypothesis on which they are based have been founded on anecdotal information rather than on sound scientific research. Studies involving transdermal progesterone cream Study Number of patients Dose Result Cooper et al 14 20 20—40 mg daily No significant increase in plasma progesterone Leonetti et al 21 20 mg daily Reduction in flushes No effect on bone Burry et al 22 6 60 mg Slight increase in plasma progesterone Wren et al 23 27 16, 32, 64 mg Slight increase in plasma progesterone No inhibition of proliferation of endometrium High and variable saliva levels of progesterone Lewis et al 17 24 20—40 mg Slight increase in plasma progesterone High and variable saliva levels of progesterone Carey et al 24 24 40 mg Slight increase in plasma progesterone Leonetti et al 25 37 20—50 mg Inhibition of mitosis Wren et al 26 80 32 mg Slight increase in plasma progesterone No effect on flushes, moods, libido, bone metabolism, lipid levels.

View this article on Wiley Online Library. Competing interests:. Risks and benefits of estrogen plus progestin in healthy postmenopausal women. JAMA ; Association of exogenous estrogens and endometrial cancer.

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BMJ ; 1: Reduced incidence of endometrial cancer among post-menopausal women treated with progestogens. Am Geriatric Soc ; The cyto-dynamics of endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma: a review. Ann Pathol ; 3: The ovary from conception to senescence. In: Clinical Gynecological Endocrinology and Infertility.

Chapter 4. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, Highlights from an interview with Dr. John Lee. Lee JR. What your doctor may not tell you about menopause. Transcript of a lecture given by Dr Lee in Available at: allonhealth. Osteoporosis reversal with transdermal progesterone [letter]. Lancet ; Use of Pro-Gest cream in post-menopausal women [letter]. Lee JR, editor. Avoid these products. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life.

Fugh-Berman A, Bythrow J. Bioidentical hormones for menopausal hormone therapy: variation on a theme. J Gen Intern Med.

Protective effect of progesterone during pregnancy against ovarian cancer. J Cancer Prev. Progesterone and bone: actions promoting bone health in women. J Osteoporos. Management of menopausal symptoms. Obstet Gynecol. Regidor PA.

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Over-the-counter progesterone cream produces significant drug exposure compared to a food and drug administration-approved oral progesterone product. J Clin Pharmacol. Br J Dermatol. Prior JC. Progesterone for symptomatic perimenopause treatment - progesterone politics, physiology and potential for perimenopause. Facts Views Vis Obgyn. Update on medical and regulatory issues pertaining to compounded and FDA-approved drugs, including hormone therapy.

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National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Database. Updated August 28, Dalal PK, Agarwal M. Postmenopausal syndrome. Indian J Psychiatry. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data.

We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Health Benefits. Side Effects. What to Look For. Recap Earlier studies suggest that progesterone cream can't treat menopause symptoms. Recap Progesterone on its own may not improve bone density.

Recap Talk with your healthcare provider before using progesterone cream. Recap Use the progesterone cream only as prescribed. Natural Remedies for Menopause Symptoms. Frequently Asked Questions How is progesterone cream made? What are progesterone boosters? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! If you get pregnant, your levels should stay elevated to ensure the uterine environment is healthy for the embryo to grow. If you do not conceive, progesterone levels start dropping by the end of the luteal phase, so that your uterus sheds its lining and you get your period.

Although progesterone plays a major part in your cycle and conception, it also plays many other roles throughout your body, including:. When progesterone levels are not adequate post ovulation, you may experience a shorter luteal phase, hormone imbalance sometimes estrogen dominance , spotting before periods, early miscarriages, or infertility.

Some of the most frequent causes of low progesterone include:. If you suspect you have low progesterone, we first and foremost recommend testing your levels via a progesterone blood test or PdG testing. From there, you should consult your doctor on the next best course of action. There are several ways you may try to improve your progesterone levels and luckily, progesterone creams are common and available over-the-counter.

Progesterone cream is a form of hormone replacement therapy, intended to relieve menopausal symptoms. It usually contains bio-identical progesterone and is applied on the skin, in hope of:. Creams were initially marketed to premenopausal and menopausal women, but lack of access to prescription progesterone supplements made creams appealing to women who were trying to conceive and needed to boost their progesterone levels.

So far, despite some anecdotal evidence of success, research shows contradictory results concerning the efficiency of progesterone cream for fertility. First of all, most of the studies on transdermal progesterone cream have been done on menopausal women. This makes it hard to evaluate the necessary dosage needed to sustain a healthy luteal phase and pregnancy.

Second, the skin is a thick barrier, meaning that only a small amount of the cream applied reaches your bloodstream or uterus, where progesterone is needed. How long it takes for progesterone creams to work depends on many factors.

The first — and most important — question is: how much progesterone do you need? If your progesterone deficiency is slight, trying an over the counter cream may be a good first step. However, if your body is producing little to no progesterone, a transdermal cream may not be strong enough to solve your problem.

It also depends on the quality of the cream. This means you may have to do your own research to find the best quality products on the market. On the other hand, a study published in found that women who have been administered progesterone cream in quantities that equaled 40 mg of progesterone daily noticed improvement of menopausal symptoms at their and week check ups.