What is progesterone?
Progesterone is a hormone in the progestogens family that is naturally found in the body. Progesterone is produced and released by the ovaries in women and helps maintain fertility.
Although it is commonly thought of as a female hormone, progesterone is produced by the adrenal glands of both sexes.
How does progesterone work in the body?
Progesterone is an important hormone in the body with a variety of functions. It acts a metabolic intermediate in the production of other sex hormones and corticosteroids. Progesterone, as a prevalent hormone throughout the body, has biological functions on all of the following:
Hormonal Interactions
Due to the presence of progesterone throughout the body and it's involvement in the production of other hormones, progesterone levels can regulate the level of other hormones in the body. One example of this is the ability of progesterone (in elevated levels) to reduce the sodium-retaining properties of aldosterone. A lack of progesterone, alternatively, can cause an increase in sodium-retention properties of aldosterone.
Reproductive System
Progesterone is often called the hormone of reproduction, due to it's role throughout the development of the fetus. Progesterone plays a role during: implantation, gestation, lactation, and possibly the onset of labor.
Additionally, the fetus is able to metabolize placental progesterone in order to produce adrenal steroids.
Skin Health
Receptors for progesterone have been found in the skin, and during menopause the reduced levels of progesterone can cause thinning, atrophy and increased wrinkling of the skin. Skin elasticity, firmness and strength may also decrease. Progesterone creams, like Living Progesterone, are applied directly on the skin and allow for progesterone to act on these skin receptors. Progesterone may also increase the skin's ability to maintain hydrated.
Sexuality
Progesterone, along with it's metabolite allopregnanolone, are highly involved in regulating the libido of women.
Aging
As progesterone is developed in the testes in males and ovaries in females, the shutting down and aging of these body parts can reduce the production of progesterone in both sexes. Previous researchers believed that progesterone was only involved in the aging of women, however progesterone receptors have been found throughout the bodies of both men and women. The location and number of these receptors throughout various body tissues have caused reason to believe that reduction of progesterone is involved in the aging process and deterioration of these tissues later in life.
Benefits of Progesterone
Due to the role of progesterone in these bodily functions, here is a brief list of some of the benefits of progesterone:
- Low Sex Drive
- Elevated Cholesterol Levels
- Abnormal Sleep Patterns
- Restless Leg Syndrome
- Low Thyroid
- Blood sugar Imbalance
- Sluggish Thyroids
- Wrinkles & Skin Aging
To learn more about progesterone, check out Living Health and Wellness's Living Progesterone cream, with one pump delivering 50mg of progesterone!