The Biggest Lie About Progesterone, with Dr Louise Newson

Dr Louise Newson is back on the podcast, and this time we're talking about progesterone, the hormone most of us were told only matters for the womb.

It's made in the brain. Louise explains how it calms inflammation, helps brain cells repair and is one of the first hormones the body produces after a head injury or stroke. Yet if you've had a hysterectomy, you've probably been told you don't need it.

I asked Louise the questions you keep sending me, including a few I've lived myself (nearly 25 years on Depo-Provera, then a long battle to get my progesterone dose right).

In this episode

• Why progesterone is far more than a womb hormone
• How your cycle works, and why low progesterone can start in your teens
• PMS and PMDD, and why Louise doesn't accept symptoms on any day of the month as normal
• Progesterone versus synthetic progestogens: the mini pill, Depo-Provera and the Mirena coil
• Bleeding on HRT, the cancer pathway, and why stopping your HRT isn't the only answer
• Mood, bloating and anger on progesterone, and the 3 ways it can be taken
• Why women in their 70s can still have cyclical symptoms
• Medical misogyny, Katharina Dalton, and Louise's outstanding CQC rating
• The 4 things Louise would ask the government to do for women's health right now

Chapters

1. 00:00Welcome back, Dr Louise Newson
2. 00:10The biggest lie about progesterone
3. 00:43What progesterone does in the brain
4. 01:45Progesterone, estradiol and testosterone
5. 03:00Your cycle, explained
6. 04:13Low progesterone in young women
7. 04:54PMS and PMDD
8. 05:52Progesterone versus synthetic progestogens
9. 06:36Graphite, diamonds and the strawberry sweet
10. 08:30Nearly 25 years on Depo-Provera
11. 10:27Bleeding on HRT and the cancer pathway
12. 14:05Mood, bloating and anger on progesterone
13. 15:453 ways to take progesterone
14. 17:01Hormones in your 60s and 70s
15. 17:55Louise's live show
16. 19:48Medical misogyny
17. 21:15Katharina Dalton
18. 24:00The Mirena coil
19. 27:13An outstanding CQC rating
20. 29:07What the government should do now
21. 33:50Estradiol and testosterone
22. 35:55Hormones as chemical messengers
23. 37:01Thank you, Louise

Links

• Dr Louise Newson
• The Power of Hormones by Dr Louise Newson
• Louise's live show, Breaking the Cycle, free in full on her YouTube
• Why Testosterone is a Game Changer in Menopause, with Dr Louise Newson
• Dr Louise Newson talks all things Menopause
• KWEENS: Happiness Decoded by Penny Dee

This podcast is proudly sponsored by SkinGoal Skincare, a luxury, clinical grade, vegan skincare brand created by Penny Dee.

This episode is for information only and isn't medical advice. Please speak to your own doctor before starting, stopping or changing any treatment. The KWEENS link is an affiliate link: I may earn a commission if you buy through it.