Progesterone has many other functions, among them protecting against breast fibrocysts, helping the body use fat for energy, and helping to normalize blood clotting and blood sugar levels. Today, many health professionals claim that the symptoms associated with PMS and menopause are due not so much to estrogen, but to a deficiency of progesterone and an overabundance of estogen. It is believed that progesterone balances estrogen and that an over production of estrogen can lead to health problems. Too much estrogen is know as estrogen dominance.

Estrogen dominance is the term used by many health practitioners when estrogen and progesterone are out of balance; generally there is more estrogen relative to the progesterone. It is important to remember that this does not mean that there is too much estrogen; simply that estrogen levels are relatively higher than progesterone levels. According to Raymond F. Peat in "Nutrition for Women", among the side effects of estrogen dominance are face puffiness, feet swelling at night, excessive uterine bleeding, PMS symptoms, increased fat storage, low blood sugar, and memory loss.

Estrogen dominance, and its side effects manifested in PMS and menopausal symptoms, may be more prevalent today because of the synthetic estrogen found in foods and the many chemicals prevalent in our environment that have estrogen-like effects.

Natural Progesterone and PMS

Many people believe that progesterone is the culprit in PMS because PMS occurs about ten days before a woman's period — when progesterone levels are high. However, according to John Lee, M.D., women with PMS tend to have lower progesterone levels than normal at this time in the cycle (when progesterone is supposed to be dominant). This means estrogen is dominant and that the two hormones are not in balance. Using natural progesterone can help restore the balance.

Natural Progesterone and Menopause

The prevailing belief is that menopausal symptoms are due to an estrogen deficiency. However, estrogen levels drop 40 percent to 60 percent at menopause, while progesterone levels drop to nearly zero. This great drop in progesterone means that the two hormones are unbalanced. Using natural progesterone can help restore the balance.

Natural Progesterone and Osteoporosis

Estrogen and progesterone also contribute to osteoporosis. Estrogen is often used to fight osteoporosis after menopause because a lack of estrogen speeds up bone loss. However, Dr. Lee theorizes that progesterone is more important than estrogen in treating osteoporosis.

In a summary of his own report on osteoporosis reversal (original report published in the June 1990 issue of the International Clinical Nutrition Review), Dr. Lee states that, in a program including small amounts of estrogen and a 3 percent progesterone cream, "a 5-10 percent increase in bone mineral density was found to be routine during the first year." In Natural Progesterone, The Multiple Roles of a Remarkable Hormone, Dr. Lee states that "Postmenopausal osteoporosis is a disease of inadequate osteoblast-mediated new bone formation secondary to progesterone deficiency. Progesterone restores osteoblast function."

Natural Progesterone, Wild Yam, and Progestins

Many people confuse natural progesterone products, wild yam products, and synthetic progestins. (See table below). In natural progesterone products, such as ^AIMRenewed Balance^®, diosgenin, a phytoestrogen (plant estrogen) is derived from the wild yam or soy plants. The diosgenin is converted into natural progesterone in a three-step process. This natural progesterone has the same molecular structure as the progesterone created by the body and can be used to supplement and balance the body's progesterone and estrogen levels.

A wild yam extract also uses diosgenin from the wild yam plant. However, it is not converted to natural progesterone and thus does not have the same molecular structure as the progesterone produced by the body. Although wild yam extract products do have progesterone-like effects, they cannot be considered natural progesterone products. The active ingredient in a wild yam product is diosgenin, not natural progesterone.

^AIMRenewed Balance^® is a natural progesterone, not a wild yam extract. This may be confusing. Just remember this: In ^AIMRenewed Balance^®, the diosgenin from wild yam and soy plants is converted to natural progesterone. In wild yam extract products, the diosgenin from wild yam in not converted to natural progesterone.