Delivery route choices for progesterone: Oral

NOT a good route for any Steroid hormones

80-90% of oral PROGESTERONE is destroyed in GI tract and liver (so-called “first pass”liver metabolism).   Even when micronized and in oil, or with fatty foods (it does not dissolve in water). PROGESTERONE does not have any natural reason to be in the GI tract, which is not an efficient transport route for any steroid hormone. Swallowed hormones encounter absorbing foods, but PROGESTERONE is not affected by stomach acid. “Survivors”must later be broken down by the liver, and since only 10-20% reaches target cells a dose 5 times higher than utilized is needed.

Simon JA, Robinson DE, Andrews MC, Hildebrand JR 3rd, Rocci MLJr, Blake RE, Hodgen GD. The absorption of oral micronized PROGESTERONE : the effect of food, dose proportionality, and comparison with intramuscular PROGESTERONE . Fertil Steril 1993;60:26- 33.[PubMed]

When processing PROGESTERONE , the liver creates >30 different metabolites.   These can have several undesirable side-effects. Notably 5a-reduced metabolites are known to cause neuropsychological side effects. Arafat et al addressed the sedative and hypnotic effects that may be mediated through these metabolites. The bioidentical PROGESTERONE Prometrium®can have several unpleasant side-effects.

KhalilNahoul, LouisDehennin, MichelJondet, MarcRoger. Profiles of plasma estrogens, PROGESTERONE and their metabolites after oral or vaginal administration of ESTRADIOL or PROGESTERONE . Volume 16, Issue 3 , Pages 185-202, May 1993 [Maturitas]

Arafat ES, Hargrove JT, Maxson WS, Desiderio DM, Wentz AC, Andersen RN.Sedative and hypnotic effects of oral administration of micronized PROGESTERONE may be mediated through its metabolites. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1988 Nov;159(5):1203-9. [PubMed]