What Is the Relationship between Progesterone and Menopause?

Progesterone and menopause are interrelated because the hormone’s levels drop dramatically as a woman’s body enters the menopausal phase. Progesterone is one of two major hormones associated with the female reproductive system. The other associated hormone is estrogen; both hormones work together in a feedback cycle that keeps the level of each hormone at appropriate levels. As levels of progesterone drop, estrogen levels tend to become excessive. Symptoms of estrogen excess are thought to be responsible for the majority of distressing symptoms associated with menopause.

Low progesterone and menopause become apparent when a woman begins to experience symptoms like hot flashes, irritability, and vaginal dryness. These symptoms can begin in perimenopause, which is the earliest stage of menopause, and can be traced to a woman’s cycle becoming anovulatory, meaning that no egg is released from the ovaries, but menses is still present. Progesterone levels can drop to almost zero when a woman experiences an anovulatory cycle. As progesterone levels drop, estrogen levels tend to decrease only slightly. Without progesterone present to balance the effects of estrogen, symptoms associated with menopause become apparent.

The relationship between progesterone and menopause has been debated for decades. Some researchers claim that menopause is largely an estrogen-deficiency disease, but as research continues in women’s reproductive health, progesterone is being identified as a co-culprit in more instances. Progesterone was thought to be mainly responsible for the creation and maintenance of the placenta in pregnant women; the term “progesterone” means “support of gestation” in Latin. The hormone is made predominantly in the ovaries from the sterol, pregnenolone, and then stimulates the growth of an abundant endometrial lining.

Research has shown that progesterone has many other functions not directly related to pregnancy, however. Progesterone and menopause are additionally related in the area of sexual drive. As a woman begins to enter menopause, she may experience a decreased libido. Progesterone can be linked more strongly to this symptom than even estrogen. This fact has led researchers to look for other ways in which the hormone may be related to menopausal symptoms. The discovery of progesterone receptors in other places in the body, like the brain, have further reinforced progesterone hypotheses.

The connection between progesterone and menopause can be seen in patients who begin supplementation with the hormone at the onset of the phase. Women who have suffered from symptoms like hot flashes and palpitations while on medication that only contains estrogen report a significant decrease in symptoms when progesterone is added to the regimen. Progesterone can be taken in oral form, as a cream, or by injection.