How does progesterone function in the body?
Progesterone is produced in the corpus luteum of the ovaries of menstruating women through the conversion of pregnenolone to progesterone. It is also synthesized by the placenta, is found in the adrenals and is stored in fat tissue. Whether from your own ovaries or from an external source, progesterone works in the body by traveling in the blood to tissues where there are progesterone receptors. Progesterone molecules attach to these receptors and begin their actions in the body. While the role of progesterone in opposing the cancer-promoting effects of estrogen on the endometrium is best known, and is the primary reason that progesterone/progestins are included as part of HRT in women who have not had a hysterectomy, progesterone has many other functions in the body. It counters the effects of estrogen in various parts of the body by “downregulating” estrogen receptors. It also • reduces anxiety and increases sleepiness • helps to build and maintain bone • slows the digestive process
