(10-06-2014, 03:05 PM)wizzness Wrote: I've experienced an increase in size with my progesterone-heavy bcp & goat's rue, but now I'm wondering if it's just water weight/ general weight gain and tipping the balance towards oestrogen might be a better idea
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/...003153.htm says the swelling during luteal phase is growth caused by progestins.
When pregnancy and breastfeeding are over, the breasts usually shrink back to their before size. To a smaller extent, there is a comparison here to the luteal phase.
I read somewhere on pubmed that either progestins were an estrogen receptor antagonist. or estrogens were a progesterone receptor antagonist. This thread is about up or down regulation, see how that can fit in the puzzle? cycling herbs at the right time of the cycle. Also, what if estrogens and progestins undo some of the growth caused by each other. IGF-1 (insulin) and nutrition are also important.
There are three phases, but they get shortened to two. Menstruation, ovulation, and luteal. Estrogens are usually high during the follicular phase. Progestins are high during the luteal phase. I think make the most of those hormones during those times.
Some synthetic progesterones increase cancer risk, but I read that others may not. Synthetic estrogen given without progesterone is also a cancer risk factor.