7 things you didn't know about progesterone
Sex hormones
Men and women have them but what do they do? For sure, the most popularly known ones are testosterone and oestrogen. But there are others that we commonly overlook that have just as much effect on our wellbeing.
The sex hormones oestrogen and testosterone are produced in higher quantities by either the testes or the ovaries. However, they are also produced by adipose tissue (fat tissue) and the adrenal glands in smaller quantities. These glands tend to ‘take over’ during the life stages such as the andropause and menopause when the sex glands start to slow down and produce less of their hormones.
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What do these sex hormones do?
Our sex hormones control a lot of our biology such as the onset of puberty, bone growth and development, growth of pubic hair, muscle mass, onset of menstruation and they also play a vital role in reproduction and the growth of the foetus.
Did you know?
That both men and women have the same sex hormones? Yep, that’s right! Women have testosterone and men have oestrogen. We just have them in different quantities to manage our biology uniquely, due to our sex.
The hidden hormone
Alongside oestrogen and testosterone, there is progesterone. This sex hormone gets a lot less press but is just as important to our wellbeing. Unlike oestrogen and testosterone which are produced mainly by the sex glands, progesterone is produced in another special way.
Here are 7 things you didn’t know about progesterone:
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Progesterone is also produced by the placenta
Both oestrogen and testosterone are made in their highest quantities in the ovaries or testes, depending on if you’re male or female, with the adrenals producing smaller quantities. Progesterone is also produced by these same glands, however, it is secreted by the uterus and also produced in the placenta when a woman is pregnant. The placenta progesterone helps to maintain the pregnancy.
It prepares the lining of the uterus for potential pregnancy
Progesterone plays a key role in ensuring the uterus is ready for a potential pregnancy after ovulation. Without this hormone (or with it in good quantities), the uterus wouldn’t be ready to receive and accept the fertilised egg. Pretty amazing, huh? It does this by triggering the uterus lining to thicken.
It stops muscle contractions
If progesterone wasn’t involved in helping the uterus to receive and accept a fertilised egg, by instructing the uterus walls to thicken, your body would instinctively reject the egg. The muscles of the uterus would contract causing the egg to be rejected. Progesterone stops these contractions so the egg can survive.
It feeds your baby!
Once a fertilised egg has been accepted by the uterus, progesterone becomes the hormone that supplies the foetus with nutrients via the bloodstream. Progesterone stimulates the body to provide the blood vessels of the uterus that will ultimately feed the baby.
It’s the calming hormone
Progesterone is the calming hormone for us. It helps us during pregnancy as it is a feel-good hormone. The levels of progesterone during pregnancy can be up to two hundred times higher than normal. This hormone plays an important part in brain function as it has mood-enhancing and anti-depressant qualities. When our progesterone levels are at a good level, we feel calm, happy and have less anxiety. The reverse is true if our levels are too low.
When levels of progesterone drop, breastmilk production can begin
While we generally want the levels of progesterone in the body to be good, there is one situation when we actually want these levels to drop. This is after birth for breastfeeding. While the body has high levels of progesterone, breastmilk will not be produced. It is when the levels of progesterone drop (to menopausal levels!) that women see breastmilk come through. When progesterone takes a backseat, it allows the hormones required for breastfeeding to come through quicker.
Men need it to produce testosterone
Similarly to if women didn’t have progesterone their body wouldn’t be able to accept a fertilised egg, men need this hormone to be able to produce their dominant sex hormone, testosterone. Without testosterone, men would not be able to produce sperm and ultimately, therefore, they wouldn’t be able to reproduce.
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A high-five to progesterone
So you see, progesterone is just as important as the two other commonly talked about sex hormones. It always seems to me to be the one less spoken about so I wanted to draw attention to its importance in our wellbeing and reproductive function as a species. I hope this article helps you to see the wonderful things the hidden hormone does for us.