Ghost Hormone Progesterone

There is only one hormone that is always mentioned in both in the normal physiology and in the pathology that occur in women of reproductive age: the estrogen hormone. In addition, there is another hormone that is not mentioned much and whose importance is somewhat underestimated and that is the progesterone hormone.

It was a great surprise even for gynecologists to learn that the progesterone hormone, whose main production areas in the female body are the ovaries, adrenal glands and the placenta during pregnancy, is now produced even in the brain. The progesterone hormone is vital for regulating the menstrual cycle, getting pregnant and maintaining pregnancy.

With recent studies, it has become increasingly clear that the function of the progesterone hormone extends far beyond reproduction. These studies reveal very important
effects of the progesterone hormone on the brain and nervous system. One of the most important tasks of the progesterone hormone is to protect the brain from damage
and to promote brain cell repair after damage. It does this by repairing the myelin sheaths of nerve fibers.

Progesterone has positive effects on neurogenetics, namely the development and growthof the nervous system. In addition, its positive effects on cognitive functions, the immune system and inflammation are well-known points today. Allopregananalone, one of the progesterone metabolites, has a calming, anxiety-relieving effect and memory-enhancing effects. Cognitive functions may decrease with decreasing progesterone hormone especially during menopause and even in perimenopause. Progesterone hormone has a
very good sedative and hypnotic effect when supplemented orally. This method also helps with sleep problems in the perimenopausal period.

Progesterone creates a calming effect on the mind by stimulating GABA receptors in the brain, thus it can have positive effects on anxiety, restlessness and mood changes. All these mentioned positive effects are valid for progesterone naturally produced in our body or progesterone preparations taken as bioidenticals. Apart from these, many birth control pills or oral hormone replacement therapy drugs are not natural progesterone but synthetic, unnatural preparations called progestins. Unlike natural progesterone, these synthetic progestins can cause anxiety, depression, breast tenderness, bloating, headaches and sleep problems.