Friday, October 1, 2010

Progesterone: The First Hormone to Drop

As menopause approaches, progesterone production may not reach adequate levels during a particular menstrual cycle. In fact, during some months progesterone isn’t even made at all. These are the months that you can skip your period entirely and experience symptoms of estrogen build-up. When estrogen dominates, PMS becomes worse. Symptoms felt just before or during a period (i.e. cramps, aches, bloating, migraines, etc.) are often due to a lack of progesterone. Young ladies or peri-menopausal women who experience severe PMS-like symptoms may benefit from bioidentical progesterone about a week or two before their period starts.