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Some Treatment Failures Treatment Failures with Natural Progesterone The most common treatment failure is that the patient does not avoid estrogens and/or xenoestrogens in his environment. In this case, the symptoms may actually get worse. In rare cases, even though the patient avoids all estrogen and changes her lifestyle there is still a treatment failure. In this case, xenoestrogens stored in the body fat or from an recognized source may be considered. The second most common failure seems to be the inability of the patient to absorb Natural Progesterone through the skin. This problem seems to occur in less than 10% of the patients. Another obvious reason for treatment failure is the use of progesterone cream that is not formulated correctly. Mineral oil can block absorption of Natural Progesterone. The Natural Progesterone cream can have the inappropriate amount of Natural Progesterone, or contain herbs or preservatives that stimulate estrogen receptors and mimic estrogens. by Elizabeth Smith, M.D. Not Avoiding Estrogens - A Guarantee of Failure According to the Dartmouth University Study, plastic wrap heated in oil in a microwave oven contained 500,000 times the minimum amount of xenoestrogens needed to stimulate breast cancer cells to proliferate. Heating plastic wrap with food is very bad. Heat food in a ceramic bowl instead and, cover it with a plate in the microwave oven. Coffee is a known phytoestrogen. Since it is a phytoestrogen, decaffeinated coffee may still be able to act as an estrogen. Laundry detergent cannot be fully rinsed out of the clothes and is absorbed through the skin. Change to a health food store detergent without the alky phenols that mimic estrogen. Anything that is put on the skin is absorbed directly into the body. Anything that is eaten is first pass metabolized by the liver. The liver can eliminate 90% of a prescription conjugated estrogen before it gets to the body. In contrast, an estrogen patch goes directly into the body bypassing the liver. Thus, the patch dose is 10 times less than the oral dose. Or put another way anything that is put on the skin is 10 times the oral dose. Most skin creams contain methyl paraben, propyl paraben, or butyl paraben. The parabens are known xenoestrogens, and are now being investigated by the European Union as a contributor to breast cancer. Be very careful about what you put on your skin. Many of the cosmetics also contain these same preservatives as well. A women who has too much estrogen has estrogen receptors that are desensitized or down regulated to estrogen. Her body tries to compensate for the large estrogen load by becoming less sensitive to estrogen. Then, she tries to use natural progesterone without first getting rid of the estrogens in the environment. Natural progesterone resensitizes her estrogen receptors to normal sensitivity. She begins to get worse. Breasts become more sore. Bloating is worse. Failure is almost guaranteed when estrogens and xenoestrogens are not cut out of the patient's environment. In rare cases, the patient may change his lifestyle and take Natural Progesterone and still get worse. In this case, there may be an unrecognized source of estrogen in the form of pesticide/herbicide spraying nearby; or the xenoestrogen may be stored in the body fat. Xenoestrogens may stored in the body for decades. Sauna treatment may be used to get rid of these stored xenoestrogens. A physician that uses sauna treatment may be found at www.aaem.com. It may also be possible to use the herb Maca with Natural Progesterone. Maca is a Peruvian cruciferous herb used for centuries by the native Peruvians for fertility in the women, and stamina and strength in the men. Today, body builders use Maca. It seems to have progesterone effects as well as "weak" estrogen effects that block the xenoestrogens from the estrogen receptor. Anecdotally, several failures of progesterone therapy in uterine fibroma treatment have been solved by using Maca with Natural Progesterone. Start with 4 capsules per day every day. Individual doses vary from 2-8 capsules per day. Each capsule contains 500 mg per capsule. Maca seems to be able to block xenoestrogens, and is helpful to use with natural progesterone in uterine fibromas that are resistant to natural progesterone alone. We like the brand Royal Maca from www.wholeworldbotanicals.com because it is organic (not sprayed with pesticides or irradiated). Inability of the Particular Patient to Absorb Natural Progesterone through the Skin Although I lack the hard data, it seems that in less than 10% of patients taking Natural Progesterone, Natural Progesterone is not well through the skin. In this case, the patient notices no difference at all in sleeping, bloating, and breast soreness. Absorption through the skin is easily tested with a $30 progesterone saliva test. > Take Natural Progesterone for 2 months and then test for saliva progesterone. Blood level progesterone will certainly be zero since the Natural Progesterone is being absorbed through the skin. Order the kit from ZRT laboratories. You simply spit in the plastic tube provided and send it back through the mail. Lab results are mailed back. ZRT Laboratories 1815 NW 169th Pl. Ste 3090 Beaverton, OR 97006 (503) 466-2445 If you are absorbing Natural Progesterone well, after 2 months your saliva levels should be at least 500-1000 pg/ml. If you are not absorbing Natural Progesterone well then your saliva levels will be less than 100 pg/ml. If you are premenopausal, make sure to take into account your period when you look at the saliva levels. If you are one of those patients that do not absorb Natural Progesterone well through the skin, you may take 100-400 mg/day of Natural Progesterone sublingually (under the tongue), or orally in a pill form. The pills at this dose are a prescription drug and must be prescribed by a doctor. Maca, a cruciferous Peruvian Herb, also seems to have a progesterone effect and is used by Peruvian M.D.'s. I feel very safe about the herb because it has been used for centuries, or even thousands of years for female problems, and male erection problems. We like Maca from www.Wholeworldbotanicals.com because they use organic Maca without preservatives. Maca from Wholeworldbotanicals.com Maca has been anecdotally been successfully used to treat Natural Progesterone failures. Improperly Formulated Progesterone Cream You should take anywhere from 20-60 mg/day of Natural Progesterone in an oil or cream depending on the condition you are treating. Many progesterone creams do NOT contain enough progesterone. Some only have "Yam Extract". "Yam Extract" is NOT progesterone and will not have the same effects as progesterone. Natural Progesterone is made most commonly from yams or soy. Other creams may contain mineral oil which blocks the absorption of progesterone. Still others use herbs that have estrogen effects. The most common preservative used in these creams is methyl paraben or propyl paraben. The parabens are xenoestrogens. The parabens are being questioned by the European Union for estrogen activity and a role in causing breast cancer.