Most of us know that hormones are important for a healthy, balanced body and some of us know the havoc that hormone imbalance wreaks. Understanding the role each hormone plays in this fine balance and how our hormones interact can be very helpful in determining whether your hormones are working for you!
This is the first of a five part hormone health series. Part 1: Progesterone
Who’s got it: both men and women but women have more
What releases it: Ovaries (women only), adrenal glands (men and women) and the placenta during pregnancy
Roles of Progesterone:
- Regulate menstrual bleeding
- Decrease fat storage
- Anti cancer (especially breast)
- Prevents hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis)
- Improves brain function and memory
- Increases metabolism
- Helps regulate water retention
- Important for fertility
- Mildly sedating (helps calm nervous system)
- Stimulates new bone formation
- Anti aging to skin
- Natural antidepressant
- Facilitates healthy thyroid function
- Normalizes blood sugar
- Reduces anxiety
- Functions to regulate the immune system
- Increases libido (sex drive)
- Precursor to steroid hormones (cortisol)
- Blocks effects of excessive estrogen
- Increases exercise endurance
- Reduces carb and sugar cravings
- Restores normal sleep patterns
Symptoms of Progesterone Deficiency:
- Breast pain
- Anxiety, depression
- Fluid retention and bloating
- Weight gain
- Irritability
- PMS
- Hair loss
- Headaches/migraines
- Sleep disturbance
- Endometriosis
- Hypothyroid
- Infertility
- Sleep disturbance
- Irregular bleeding/spotting