1. Question: What is the
difference between natural and synthetic progesterone?
Answer: Progesterone
was first crystallized in 1934, and today is available from plant
sources. Natural progesterone is an exact chemical duplicate of
the progesterone that is normally produced by the ovaries. Synthetic
progesterone, called progestogen, mimics the action of the progesterone,
but the body does not respond in the same way. Studies have shown
that progestogen actually reduces the level of progesterone in the
blood stream.
2. Question: Are there side
effects with natural progesterone?
Answer: Natural
progesterone combines with progesterone receptor sites, and elicits
biological effects without many of the undesirable effects that
are seen with the synthetics forms. Perhaps the only disadvantage
to natural progesterone is that it is short-acting and to maintain
adequate blood levels it has to be dosed four times daily. A small
number of women may experience transient lightheadedness or drowsiness.
3. Question: How does oral natural
progesterone work?
Answer: The oral
route of progesterone administration has long been considered impractical
because of poor absorption and short biological half life. Contrary
to traditional teachings, recent reports ** confirm that significant
serum progesterone levels can be achieved with new modifications
in the preparation of progesterone for oral administration, including
micronized and dissolution in oils
**Absorption of oral progesterone is influenced
by vehicle and particle size, "Joel T. Hargrove,M.D., Wayne
S. Maxon, M.D., and Anne Colston Wentz, M.D., American Journal of
Obstetrics and Gynecology, October, 1989.
4. Question: Is the oral form
of progesterone approved by the F.D.A.?
Answer: Natural
micronized progesterone has F.D.A. approval. The oral form of natural
progesterone is compounded from a physician's prescription by a
licensed pharmacist using F.D.A. approved ingredients. Therefore,
it does not require separate F.D.A. approval.
5. Question: Isn't it true that
natural progesterone taken orally is destroyed by stomach acid? How
does the oral progesterone you compound achieve adequate blood levels?
Answer: Natural
progesterone in powder form is destroyed by stomach acid. But, when
compounded in an oil base, the progesterone is so firmly held by
the oil base that it is actually absorbed through the lymphactic
system first, thereby allowing a couple of passes through the the
body before being cleared via the liver.
6. Question: What is Progesterone
and what is its relationship to estrogen?
Answer: Progesterone
is one of two primary hormones produced by the female body. When
a woman's monthly cycle is functioning correctly, estrogen is the
dominant hormone during the first two weeks after the start of her
menstrual cycle. In response to ovulation, estrogen levels drop
and progesterone levels rise and assume dominance for the final
two weeks of the month. When progesterone levels drop the next menstrual
cycle begins in about 48 hours. Progesterone is used by the body
for the production of estrogen and cortisone.
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