Comparison of Progesterone and Progestogens (Progestins in the USA) - Sunshine Coast Alternative medicine Hypnotherapy Acupunture Bio-identical hormones Anti ageing Nutrition Spectrum Health Queensland

Comparison of Progesterone and Progestogens (Progestins in the USA)

This is a very complicated and difficult subject. Over the years, progestogens (which had been made by drug companies and are not the same as the hormones in your body) have been falsely called Progesterone. This is still occurring in medical literature, and I have seen two examples of this in recent medical press -- ironically, one of which was issued by the Australian Menopause Society.

Since GPs are being advised by specialists and drug company representatives, who don't always get the nomenclature correct, many GPs may still not understand the difference between Progesterone and progestogens. There is a big difference, and the following may help you understand that.

	Progesterone
1.	Made by the ovary after ovulation and is in large amounts in the pregnant women and is there to enable the baby to survive
2.	Is a natural diuretic helping the kidneys get rid of fluid
3.	It is a natural antidepressant, and lessens anxiety
4.	May increase libido
5.	Promotes natural cell growth and death and decreases the effects of oestrogen in causing cells to change towards cancer
6.	Increases cognitive function (makes you think more clearly)

	Progestogen
1.	Does not promote gestation, and if given in the early part of pregnancy can have harmful effects on the baby
2.	Increases sodium and water retention
3.	Likely to cause depression
4.	Adverse cardiovascular effects
5.	Increases breast cancer risk
6.	Increases hair loss

Bio-Identical Hormones After a study was released in 2002 - indicating there may be a higher risk of breast cancer, and heart disease in women taking synthetic HRT - many women went off HRT, or refused to to start HRT in the first place. At this time of writing, there have been no long-term studies done using natural or now, more commonly called bio identical HRT.

Therefore, any information that we give you on natural HRT must include the warnings of the risks related to the unnatural or synthetic HRT - although a bio-identical hormone is exactly the same hormone as you would produce in your own body (hence a certain logic says that this should be less hazardous than taking a synthetic product).

Read more about Bio-identical Hormones -