Progesterone is a hormone that occurs naturally in the body. It's involved in pregnancy and is produced mainly in the ovaries. It can also be made in a lab.
Progesterone levels can affect menstrual periods and menopausal symptoms. All progesterone products are made in a lab. The term "natural progesterone" refers to progesterone made from a chemical called diosgenin, which comes from wild yam or soy. The human body is not able to make progesterone from diosgenin, so eating wild yam or soy will not boost progesterone levels.
People use progesterone supplements and other non-prescription products for infertility, menopausal symptoms, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support any use.
Non-prescription progesterone products may contain more or less progesterone than indicated on the label. These products do not require FDA approval. Discuss the use of prescription progesterone products with a healthcare provider. Also, don't confuse progesterone with pregnenolone or wild yam. These are not the same.
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