Progesterone is usually calming but can produce a paradoxical anxiety response in some women. It’s called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) or neurosteroid change sensitivity and affects about one in twenty women.
It happens because progesterone interacts with GABA receptors in the brain and normally has a calming effect. The same natural level of progesterone can have a stimulating effect in women with PMDD due to a problem with the GABA receptors.
Read moreWhy Progesterone Is Both Good and Bad for Mood (and How to Treat PMDD)
The progestins in hormonal birth control are not progesterone.
Progesterone is beneficial because it lightens periods. It also reduces inflammation, regulates immune function, and supports healthy thyroid, brain, bones, and breasts.
In your forties, you may find you don’t cope as well with stress. It happens because losing progesterone during perimenopause can