CHOOSING A PROGESTERONE CREAM:
Choosing a progesterone cream should be simple. You want the most progesterone for your money. But most progesterone creams try to hide this deciding factor and instead draw attention to their herbal additives and big claims instead. The other factor in buying a cream is how your skin reacts to it. There are some creams than can cause burns or itchy skin for some people.
So how do you choose a progesterone cream? Consider these variables…
VITAMIN E BASED CREAM?
The very best way to enhance absorption is to include as much Vitamin E as can be tolerated. This is because Vitamin E dissolves progesterone and thus increase absorption. Almost nothing else holds progesterone like Vitamin E. Emerita and Ona’s Natural are examples of creams that have plenty of Vitamin E. Many cream companies don’t bother with Vitamin E or use synthetic.
SOY BASED?
So many customers ask where is the progesterone from, Soy or Yam? But actually, it doesn’t matter if you are avoiding soy. The production of progesterone from Soy takes many chemical steps, each purifying and removing impurities. It is very unlikely any soy proteins would make it through those steps. Ona’s Natural only uses Yam based progesterone produced in the United States.
Soy is more of a problem if the cream contains Vitamin E which is usually derived from soybean oil. Ona’s Natural uses sunflower based Vitamin E, which is most expensive Vitamin E than can be bought.
MICRONIZED PROGESTERONE?
Micronized means the progesterone is ground to an ultra-fine powder which allows better absorption through the skin. Most American made progesterone is ground to the highest quality. Watch out for progesterone bought from China. Chinese progesterone is not ground as fine and will not absorb as well. But some progesterone cream companies can’t resist the cheap Chinese progesterone.
FRAGRANCES?
Progesterone creams more often than not contain some kind of fragrance. But the chemicals to make the smells are always irritating to the skin, in some a lot more than others.
AMOUNT & CONCENTRATION OF PROGESTERONE?
How much progesterone is in a cream is the hardest thing to find out sometimes. One cream on my list never lists the progesterone quality and all online questions are not answered. My comparison table at the bottom of this page clearly lays out the progesterone content of each cream. This along with price can be the deciding factor in getting the most cream for you dollar.
When it comes to progesterone concentration, most creams are below 2% progesterone or 25 mg progesterone per quarter tsp. If a cream does not say it’s percentage progesterone, assume around 2%. The concentration of progesterone is not uniform as can be seen by my comparison list below.
Higher concentrations of progesterone cause greater skin absorption. Only a few creams go above this 2% progesterone concentration and are often the best deal. Ona’s Natural progesterone is the most concentrated of any online progesterone cream at 10% progesterone. This is normally only available by prescription which really means an HMO will pay for it because it is considered effective.
INTERACTIONS
Check with your doctor before using if you are on any hormone medicines or are being treated for cancer.
Progesterone may add to the drowsiness caused by certain drugs or herbs, which can make driving or using heavy machinery unsafe. It may also interact with many other medicines and supplements.
Tell your doctor about any supplements you’re taking, even if they’re natural. That way, your doctor can check on any potential side effects or interactions with any medications.