Can Progesterone Increase Cortisol? Does It Lower It?

[haidut]

I can't test pregnenolone in the place I live. My DHEA is 5,8 (1,8-12,5) - and a few years ago it was above limit. My prolactin is 5,14 (4,04-15,2).

There isn't any indications from tests. My cortisol is high but in the limit - 446 (171-536) but I have many signs of elevated cortisol. I think my cortisol is from stress and depression (and my depression is from stress). I need some drug to calm my HPA axis and mind. I have tried almost all antidepressants without success (the only one with some reaction is mirtazapine and this drug lowers cortisol to some point). My other symptoms are acne, very oily skin, balding, low immune system. I'm thinking about progesterone becouse it's lowers cortisol and could help with my skin/hair problems (it's 5-alpha reductase inhibitor). I don't need libido in my situation... My estrogens in blood are not high but I have some breast enlargement - I have tried progesterone for a few days and my breast quickly decreased (only for a few days becouse I wanted to check my progesterone levels in blood) - I was thinking that when my cortisol, 17-oh progesterone, and androstenedione is quite high (17-oh prog- 1,31 (0,05-1,6), androstenedione-3 (0,7-3,6), so my progesterone would be high (to produce more of it's successors like 17-oh prog, and cortisol), but my progesterone is 0,23 (0,2-1,4). So i'm thinking about "stealing problem" like a real issue. I think that request for cortisol and other successors of progesterone is so high in my body that my progesterone level is "exhausted" and progesterone (and it's metabolites) couldn't work for me (so it's skin/hair problems etc.) Maybe some progesterone from supplementation could solve some of my problems with skin/hair and additionally lower my cortisol/HPA axis activity.

What do you think?

PS. RU486 is progesterone antagonist (Peat writes something about this drug and cancer).

Well, not sure what to tell you. I guess you can try some pregnenolone and do some blood tests. Some people have really good experience with Relora and as far as the studies show it does not affect hormones. Theanine in larger doses also calms down the HPA axis.

 

[miko]

Why not progesterone? It's dangerous? I have some progesterone 50 mg in sublingually tablets.

 

[haidut]

Why not progesterone? It's dangerous? I have some progesterone 50 mg in sublingually tablets.

Like I said the info on progesterone is controversial. Some people believe it will raise cortisol. On the other hand, both pregnenolone and DHEA are known cortisol antagonists so may be more appropriate.

 

[miko]

Info from laboratory test (from pubmed)? You know many of them, what about them? I don't want to know what people think about it. I don't want DHEA becouse it can cause worsening of my acne/skin problems.

 

[haidut]

Info from laboratory test (from pubmed)? You know many of them, what about them? I don't want to know what people think about it. I don't want DHEA becouse it can cause worsening of my acne/skin problems.

Yes, there are reports on PubMed of progesterone both raising and lowering cortisol. So, officially the opinion is split. This study shows that 50mg progesterone lowered cortisol due to stress, and 100mg was not more effective.
Effects of acute progesterone administration upon responses to acute psychosocial stress in men
In comparison to placebo, progesterone 50mg significantly attenuated peak increases in plasma cortisol after the TSST [t(28)=2.1 p<0.05] and there was a trend to a reduced response over time [Treatment*Time F(5,140)=2.2 p=0.06 ηp2=0.10, Figure 2]. ACTH responses to the task did not differ among the groups although there was a trend to potentiated responses by 100mg progesterone [Treatment*Time F(5,95)=2.0 p=0.08 ηp2=0.10, Figure 2]. In comparison to placebo, progesterone 50mg significantly elevated plasma noradrenaline overall [Treatment F(1,24)=4.1 p=0.05 ηp2=0.15, Figure 2]. The TSST significantly increased plasma progesterone among individuals who received placebo [Treatment*Time F(5,60)=5.5 p<0.001 ηp2=0.32, Figure 3b]. Among progesterone-treated individuals, plasma progesterone continued to rise after the TSST; levels peaked and reached a plateau at 10–20 min post-stress, a time coinciding with peak increases in progesterone in the placebo group (Figure 3a, b).
This study also suggests that progesterone blunts cortisol increased by estrogen.
Effects of estrogen versus estrogen and progesterone on cortisol and interleukin-6. - PubMed - NCBI

However, this study shows that progesterone increases cortisol.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24750490
There are also several case studies on PubMed of Cushing syndrome triggered by synthetic progestins, even though I could not find anything on natural progesterone.
And then, these studies say that progesterone is released to antagonize cortisol.
Relationship between salivary cortisol and progesterone levels in humans. - PubMed - NCBI
Cortisol blockade of progesterone: a possible molecular mechanism involved in the initiation of human labor. - PubMed - NCBI

These may be some of the reasons Ray says that pregnenolone is probably safer for men than progesterone.

 

[miko]

Thanks. I will try progesterone and check my lab test for cortisol and other adrenal hormones and testosteron after some time. I will inform you of the results :)

 

[Hans]

Thanks. I will try progesterone and check my lab test for cortisol and other adrenal hormones and testosteron after some time. I will inform you of the results :)

Hey, any results from the progesterone? Did it successfully lower your cortisol?

 

[LCohen]

200 mg micronized progesterone knocks me out. Gives me a good sleep. When I wake up my face is shining, brighter. If I don't use it before sleep, my face is more likely bloated, fainted.

For me I have never ever experienced a cortisol effect from progesterone. The very opposite, it's anti-cortisol.

I'm not even using Vitamin E (which increases progesterone itself) just plain micronized progesterone from local pharmacy..

 

[Birdie]

200 mg micronized progesterone knocks me out. Gives me a good sleep. When I wake up my face is shining, brighter. If I don't use it before sleep, my face is more likely bloated, fainted.

For me I have never ever experienced a cortisol effect from progesterone. The very opposite, it's anti-cortisol.

I'm not even using Vitamin E (which increases progesterone itself) just plain micronized progesterone from local pharmacy..

On the vitamin E, Ray now recommends using a lot less because of, I think, the changes in manufacturing.
I guess you get more pufa in the dose now.
So, whereas, I was using 400IU a day, with one week off each month, now it's just 400IU per week.
Saving a lot of money.

And I think Ray still recommends using progesterone especially for women, but often for men.
My husband uses one drop of Progest-E at bedtime. I hadn't heard of the one you are using. Can you give us a link?

 

[LCohen]

On the vitamin E, Ray now recommends using a lot less because of, I think, the changes in manufacturing.
I guess you get more pufa in the dose now.
So, whereas, I was using 400IU a day, with one week off each month, now it's just 400IU per week.
Saving a lot of money.

And I think Ray still recommends using progesterone especially for women, but often for men.
My husband uses one drop of Progest-E at bedtime. I hadn't heard of the one you are using. Can you give us a link?

I can't get Progest-E because of country/shipping things.

These are selled at local pharmacies. It comes with softgels, 200mg for each one. Looks like this

 

[Birdie]

Thanks. That's interesting. I did an online search to see the extra ingredients but it didn't come up.
That's good you can get them locally.

 

[success23]

I can't get Progest-E because of country/shipping things.

These are selled at local pharmacies. It comes with softgels, 200mg for each one. Looks like this

Do you take it with food? Were you deficient in the first place?

Thank you :)

 

[LCohen]

Do you take it with food? Were you deficient in the first place?

Thank you :)

Doesn't matter, just don't forget your vitamin E. :)
It makes progesterone more-bioavailable.

 

[ddjd]

Well as you know this is a contentious subject:) Some people here believe that progesterone will raise cortisol even further since progesterone is a precursor to cortisol. My opinion is different, however to be on the safe side I think pregnenolone would be safer supplement combined with DHEA. Both pregnenolone and cortisol are known to be glucocorticoid (cortisol) antagonists. Zinc (30mg-50mg), vitamin A (40,000 IU - 200,000 IU), magnesium (400mg+), phosphatidylserine (200mg-800mg) have all been shown to lower cortisol in humans, especially ones with higher cortisol. There is also the supplement Relora, which is proprietary but does have a few clinical trials behind it. The drug RU486 is used clinically for high cortisol issues.
However, before you start supplementing I think you need some additional tests. Have you tested pregnenolon, DHEA, prolactin? Is there any indication from tests if your high cortisol is due to pituitary issues or adrenal issues? What does your doctor think about the high cortisol, its origins and treatment options?
Like Peat said, context is everything, so what's yours?

in haiduts 5aDHP thread he says that progesterone is a precursor to cortisol, as well as estrogen and aldosterone

"And last but not least, 5α-DHP is not a metabolic precursor to estrogen, cortisol, and aldosterone like regular progesterone is"

5α-DHP - Liquid 5α-Dihydroprogesterone For Lab/R&D

 

[Gypsumking]

in haiduts 5aDHP thread he says that progesterone is a precursor to cortisol, as well as estrogen and aldosterone

"And last but not least, 5α-DHP is not a metabolic precursor to estrogen, cortisol, and aldosterone like regular progesterone is"

5α-DHP - Liquid 5α-Dihydroprogesterone For Lab/R&D

@haidut any confirmation on this since? Is it still up for debate on whether or not progesterone can raise cortisol or lower it in different situations?