Randomised trial, 2003
Does natural progesterone cause mood and physical symptoms in postmenopausal women?
Yes, at a specific dose. Natural progesterone at 400 mg per day caused cyclical negative mood and physical symptoms in women without prior PMS, similar to PMS symptoms.
What they did
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of 36 postmenopausal women. Women took estradiol continuously and received vaginal progesterone suppositories at 800 mg/day, 400 mg/day, or placebo, each for 14 days per cycle, over three 28-day cycles.
What they found
In women without prior PMS history, 400 mg/day progesterone caused cyclical negative mood and physical symptoms, but 800 mg/day and placebo did not. Women without PMS history also had more physical symptoms overall on progesterone than on placebo. Women with prior PMS showed no cyclical symptoms.
What it means for you
This suggests progesterone may trigger PMS-like symptoms in some women, which is interesting for understanding PMS. However, this study included postmenopausal women on hormone replacement therapy, so results may not apply to women with active PMS.
36
Postmenopausal women studied
400
mg/day progesterone dose causing symptoms
3
Treatment cycles
About the study
- Original title
- Progesterone effects during sequential hormone replacement therapy
- Authors
- Andréen L, Bixo M, Nyberg S et al.
- Journal
- European journal of endocrinology
- Year
- 2003
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 36
- What was tested
- Vaginal progesterone at 800 mg/day, 400 mg/day, or placebo
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1530/eje.0.1480571
Topics
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