Two recent studies of progesterone supplementation validate what the Life Extension Foundation® has contended for many years: restoring the body’s supply of natural progesterone confers multiple health benefits, including balancing blood sugar levels, promoting normal sleep, reducing anxiety, and stimulating new bone growth.^1,2

Nature has given progesterone to men and women alike to balance and offset the powerful effects of estrogen. Some of the most common concerns of aging that women have are weight gain, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and migraine. For other women, even more debilitating conditions such as cancer, uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, and osteoporosis now play a predominant role in their lives.

As men age, complaints of weight gain, loss of libido and prostate enlargement top their list of health concerns. Many physicians and scientists are becoming more aware of a common link between these conditions and an imbalance between two sex hormones: progesterone and estrogen.

Instructions

Fasting is not required for this test. Take all medications as prescribed. If you are supplementing with any hormones, we suggest taking them approximately 2 hours prior to having your blood drawn to see peak levels. Hormones are best drawn between 8-10 AM. Hormonal contraceptives can interfere with progesterone and estrogen results.

Pre-menopausal women: For a 28 day cycle, blood should be drawn on day 21 (day 1 is the day that bleeding begins). For longer or shorter cycles, count 8 days back from the day your next menstruation would start.

Post-menopausal women: Blood can be drawn any day of the month.

References:

1. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2005 Jul;96(2):95-108.
2. Ann NY Acad Sci. 2005 Jun;1052:152-69.