IMPORTANT NOTE: I briefly made the "under the tongue" progesterone recommended in this article available through this site, but while exploring supply issues, learned that the FDA will be regulating the sale of ALL progesterone -- including progesterone creams and pills -- as by prescription only. Knowing this is forthcoming, I have decided not to offer "under the tongue" progesterone for sale here, but do recommend you discuss progesterone therapy and my recommendation with your physician.

Progesterone is a naturally occurring hormone in the human body, essential for a variety of vital functions. In women, progesterone balances the estrogen hormones, and is produced mainly by the ovaries when ovulation occurs. Women approaching menopause produce lower, and often insufficient, levels of progesterone. What’s more, in our culture, even women in their childbearing years tend to be estrogen-dominant for a number of reasons. Many American women are, in other words, deficient in the progesterone hormone.

The Essential Benefits to You

The progesterone tablets I recommend and administer in my office are natural progesterone, meaning they are "bio-identical" to the progesterone your body produces. They are dissolved under the tongue, not swallowed, so they bypass the liver and kidneys where acids can dilute their potency, and instead enter the bloodstream directly. These are not the synthetic replacements known as a "progestins," and are therefore non-toxic, rarely have any side effects at all, and are considerably less expensive than any progestin or progesterone cream or ingested pill.

With my patients, I have found that this natural "under the tongue" progesterone, which helps to balance estrogen hormones, leads to:

• Relief from PMS and menopause symptoms
• A normalized menstrual cycle, including relieving menstrual-related allergies
• Relief from breast pain and tenderness

There is also research and medical theory indicating the appropriate balance of progesterone:

• Reduces the risk of breast cancer
• Protects the uterus from estrogen-induced endometrial hyperplasia (an overgrowth or thickening of the uterus lining)
• Reduces the risk of osteoporosis
• Helps to manage affective disorders such as depression

Progesterone, which plays a crucial role in brain function, is often called the "feel good hormone" because of its mood-enhancing and antidepressant effects.

Patients who complain about anxiety and irritability often notice that a corrected balance of progesterone vastly reduces or eliminates these feelings.

Safer, More Effective and Less Expensive than Creams and Pills

I now recommend progesterone that dissolves under the tongue over progesterone cream, because these tablets are safer, less expensive, and more effective than the cream. Progesterone is highly fat soluble, and with repeated applications of the cream to the skin, progesterone can build up in a woman’s fat tissue, especially if you are using a prescription-strength form.

I used progesterone cream for many years but ceased several years ago because, when I measured many of these women for progesterone, their levels reached up to 5,000 or even 10,000 (100-300 is normal).

Over time, this can lead to elevated levels of the hormone, contributing to disruptions in adrenal hormones such as DHEA, cortisol and testosterone. (If you continue using progesterone cream, I encourage you to be tested once a year for any build-up or imbalances it may be causing.)

I also recommend "under the tongue" progesterone over any swallowed progesterone, as women require doses of these swallowed pills or liquid that are ten times higher than their body requires for enough to bypass the digestive system and obtain effective levels.

The progesterone I recommend, meanwhile, easily dissolves under the tongue and, because it will not be destroyed by stomach acid or broken down by the liver, fully enters the bloodstream where it can be fully utilized by your organs. If taken as indicated, it's virtually impossible to overdose on "under the tongue" progesterone.

Natural progesterone is safe to use during pregnancy and may likely prevent many first trimester spontaneous abortions but should be used with caution in nursing as it may stop lactation.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I briefly made the "under the tongue" progesterone recommended in this article available through this site, but while exploring supply issues, learned that the FDA will be regulating the sale of ALL progesterone -- including progesterone creams and pills -- as by prescription only. Knowing this is forthcoming, I have decided not to offer "under the tongue" progesterone for sale here, but do recommend you discuss progesterone therapy and my recommendation with your physician.

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