Progesterone & Joint Pain

Progesterone is a sex hormone that words in tandem with estrogen during a woman’s life to ensure her overall general health and reproductive capabilities. When a woman nears menopause or is fully menopausal her progesterone level dips as does her estrogen level, which results in various symptoms.

Progesterone Deficiency

• A deficiency in progesterone can cause joint pain as well as insomnia, mood changes, bloating, muscle pain, dizziness and urinary incontinence.

Progesterone Supplements

• However, taking progesterone supplements can also result in joint pain as well as leg cramps, arthritis, back pain and musculoskeletal pain.

Pregnancy

• In a study done by the Mayo Clinic, more than half of the pregnant women who were studied developed joint pain during their pregnancy. This pain was associated with increased levels of natural progesterone and estradiol.

Menstruation

• When a woman is still menstruating, her PMS symptoms--which can include a headache, backache, joint pain, stomach pain, fluid retention and irritability, are at their highest during the second part of the menstrual level when progesterone levels are at their peak.

Other Considerations

• Progesterone deficiency leads to bone loss, which can result in joint pain. Progesterone helps keep the myelin sheath healthy. This sheath protects nerve cells. When progesterone diminishes, this reportedly can lead to recurring pains and aches.