Lara Briden - The Period Revolutionary
Leading the change to better periods and hormones
Progesterone is the hormone women make after ovulation and is important not just for fertility but also to help to prevent osteoporosis, stroke, dementia, heart disease, and breast cancer. Regular ovulatory cycles are beneficial for general health. Progesterone can also be taken in the form of micronized progesterone to relieve heavy periods and the symptoms of perimenopause.
When it comes to mood, progesterone is a paradox.
For most women, it’s soothing, thanks to its calming effect on the brain. But for some, it can trigger anxiety, irritability, or even rage. What’s going on?
💡 Also read: Troubleshooting progesterone and Top 6 natural treatments for premenstrual mood symptoms
Body-identical progesterone (also called bioidentical, natural, or oral micronized progesterone) can be an effective treatment for a range of women’s health conditions, including PCOS, PMDD, migraines, endometriosis, adenomyosis, and perimenopause.
To be clear: progesterone is a real hormone (identical to what the body makes) and usually requires a doctor’s prescription. Depending on your country, brand names include Prometrium, Utrogestan, Teva, and Famenita. In some countries, progesterone cream is available over the counter. Cream can help with mild symptoms, but it’s generally less effective than capsules.
The ovarian hormones estradiol and progesterone are highly beneficial for general health, and the only way to make them is with regular ovulation.
Copper IUDs or coils (ParaGard or the new Miudella) are non-hormonal methods of birth control.
The main advantage of a copper IUD over hormonal methods is that it contains no contraceptive medication and therefore permits natural ovulatory menstrual cycles.
Of course, it also has some downsides.