Progesterone and the Heart

Progesterone’s effect on cardiovascular health is becoming a topic of interest among researchers, who are beginning to realize that the effects of the synthetic progestins on heart function are dramatically different from those of natural progesterone. In short, while progestins can cause heart spasms and cardiac disease, progesterone can protect the heart.

In What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Menopause, Dr. John Lee described the research done with monkeys and humans showing that certain progestins caused spasms in the heart. However, at that time, research showing the beneficial effects of natural progesterone on the heart was sparse.

One of the first researchers to study progesterone’s effect on the heart among women using natural progesterone was Kenna Stephenson, M.D. of the University of Texas at Tyler. An abstract of her study was published in the journal Blood a few years back. In short it found “…no markers for inflammation or clotting indicators for most of the serious diseases related to the used of traditional hormone replacement therapy.” In other words, progesterone didn’t increase biomarkers for stroke or heart attack. Stephenson’s research along these lines is ongoing, and her group continues to find that progesterone’s effects on cardiovascular function are beneficial or neutral.

Helps Maintain Normal Blood...