- Preventing or Treating Osteoporosis - “Opposing” Estrogen
Progesterone is one of the two primary female hormones. As the
name implies, progesterone prepares ("pro") the womb for
pregnancy (gestation). Progesterone works in tandem with
estrogen ; indeed, if estrogen is taken as a medication without
being balanced by progesterone (so called unopposed estrogen),
there is an increased risk of uterine cancer. However,
progesterone is not well absorbed orally. For this reason,
pharmaceutical manufacturers developed "progestins," substances
similar to progesterone which are more easily absorbed. Most of
the time, a woman prescribed "progesterone" is really being
given a progestin. Two of the most commonly used progestins are
medroxyprogesterone and norethindrone. However, it has been
suggested that actual progesterone may offer benefits over
progestins, such as fewer side effects. Progesterone can be
absorbed through the skin to some extent, and some alternative
practitioners have, for years, promoted the use of p