|  | Conditions Treatments | Kidney Disease

The Effect of Natural Progesterone Cream on Renal Function

Natural progesterone cream is a type of hormone replacement therapy. When a woman's body stops making the hormone naturally, her physician might suggest the progesterone cream to replace what the body has lost. Trace amounts are found in men, but women are usually the recipients of replacement therapy to keep the reproductive/menstrual cycle as regular as possible.

  1. Renal Function

    • The term "renal" refers to the kidneys. Nephrology is the study of the kidneys. The kidneys are bean-shaped organs located near the lower back, on either side of the spine. The kidneys filter out waste and excess water, usually through urination.

      The term "renal function" refers to how well the kidneys are working. The kidneys can fail due to diabetes or high blood pressure. The kidneys can also be damaged at birth, through the aging process or even from an overdose of certain drugs or medications.

    Progesterone

    • The two major female hormones are estrogen and progesterone. According to the Virginia Hopkins Health Watch website, "Progesterone is a steroid hormone made by the corpus luteum of the ovary at ovulation, and in smaller amounts by the adrenal gland. Progesterone is needed in hormone replacement therapy in menopausal women to balance or oppose the effects of estrogen. Unopposed estrogen creates a strong risk for breast cancer and reproductive cancers."

    Natural Progesterone Cream

    • Natural progesterone cream is also known as bioidentical progesterone. According to the Safe Menopausal Solutions website, "Natural USP progesterone refers to the pharmaceutical-grade cream that contains 2-3% of the natural progesterone hormone." Although some ingredients change depending on the brand name, most natural progesterone creams start out as soybeans or wild yam. A chemical called diosgenin is changed into progesterone. This must be done in a lab. The cream works best if smoothed over the face, neck, chest or palms of the hands. Although some natural progesterone creams use wild yams, most over-the-counter wild yam creams are not the same as what a physician will prescribe.

    Effect on Renal Function

    • There is no conclusive evidence that the progesterone cream is harmful to the kidneys. According to the WebMD website, the therapy may be liked to headaches and blood clots, but there is no mention of kidney damage.

    Side Effects

    • Although no proof exists that the cream harms the kidneys, it does have other side effects. The Bioidentical Progesterone website lists migraines, bloating, breast tenderness, irritability, pain, menstrual cramping, ovarian problems and depression as some of them.

Kidney Disease - Related Articles