[Lotus]

Hi BN, I'm reposting information covering progesterone. Happy New Year  _________________________________________________________________________________

Progesterone Is Important for Transgender Women’s Therapy—Applying Evidence for the Benefits of Progesterone in Ciswomen 

Conclusion

Oral micronized progesterone, a fundamental ovarian steroid, molecularly identical to the natural hormone, should be added to E2 for transgender women based on physiology and emerging evidence of the importance of progesterone with E2 for ciswomen’s bone and likely cardiovascular health. Progesterone will probably prevent at least some of the negative cardiovascular system and bone health effects reported in transgender women on current long-term, E/E2-only, or E/E2 antiandrogen CHT. Progesterone will also aid antiandrogen effects through different pathways than spironolactone or cyproterone acetate and may promote feminine physiological breast maturation, while also aiding disturbed sleep and perhaps decreasing anxiety. It may also facilitate transgender women’s acceptance of physiological (rather than high) E2 doses ideally delivered transdermally. Evidence is mounting that ciswomen’s lifelong health is enhanced by sufficient P4 (normally ovulatory) within regular estradiol-sufficient monthly menstrual cycles. I believe it is time that we now follow current guidelines and provide transgender women with these P4 or progesterone benefits in their CHT.
https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/10...ogin=false

I've been meaning to post research regarding how taking micronized progesterone (hrt pill form) is split into two forms. Meaning 100 mg orally & 100 mg rectally at bedtime, which is usually the standard dose most people take. Why take it this way? you benefit orally when processed through the liver and its catabolic effects on protein metabolism via promoting ketogenesis and rectally to favor storage of depot fat in adipose and breast tissue. Some users (including myself) have been trying this method for a couple of months, personally I like the results so far. There's much debate over on reddit (Dr. Powers sub reddit) regarding progesterone and the 3α-Androstanediol gene variant backdoor pathway leaking to DHT. My recent labs DO NOT indicate I have this variant…even using this split form of progesterone, I had the 3α-Androstanediol tested and it came in under the threshold.

Metabolic effects of progesterone.
Kalkhoff RK. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1982.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7039319/

Progesterone stimulates deposition of body fat in breast tissue.

Wow, Progesterone shortens the recovery time of covid19. I wish I would've known this when I contracted omicron. Unfortunately I stopped all hrt meds while recovering from covid, had I kept Progesterone in the rotation my recovery could've been shorter.

COVID-19 and Progesterone: Part 1. SARS-CoV-2, Progesterone and its potential clinical use
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article...po=15.4255


COVID–19 and Progesterone: Part 2. Unraveling High Severity, Immunity Patterns, Immunity grading, Progesterone and its potential clinical use 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8349364/

There's a difference between USP progesterone and wild yam progesterone. USP progesterone is bioidentical (as in made by humans) as opposed to wild yam made in a lab. WY isn't progestative, apologies. Though in the absence of using estradiol it helps with aveolargenesis (ductal growth).
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Here's some research I put together based on science literature. Progesterone suppresses activation and crosstalk between PR (progesterone receptor) and prolactin/Stat5 signaling to inhibit milk protein gene expression. These changes are reflected in reduced activation of JAK2 and PAK1, resulting in downregulation of pSTAT5.

However, MSM stimulates the activation of the Jak2/STAT5 signaling pathway to help secrete milk protein. MSM also stimulates GH (growth hormone) induced activation of Jak2/STAT5b and prolactin production.

Why is this important?, progesterone downregulates the Jak2/STAT5 pathway that inhibits milk proteins and affect terminal end buds (TEB's which are the branch like structures that fill out breasts) growth and alveologenesis. Taking MSM helps to restore what progesterone destroys during its protein metabolism. We also learned progesterone is catabolic to protein expression in breast tissue. Now we can address this catabolism (breakdown of proteins) by adding amino acids to the mix...possibly tyrosine and proline to strengthen the protein loss. Or possibly consuming more protein in our diet.
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Regulation of the JAK2-STAT5 Pathway by Signaling Molecules in the Mammary Gland
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33282878/
Scribble promotes alveologenesis in the pregnant mammary gland for milk productionScribble promotes alveologenesis in the pregnant mammary gland for milk production
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32213656/
Prolactin regulates ZNT2 expression through the JAK2/STAT5 signaling pathway in mammary cells
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19494234/
Jak2 Is an Essential Tyrosine Kinase Involved in Pregnancy-Mediated Development of Mammary Secretory Epithelium
https://academic.oup.com/mend/article/16...ogin=false

Physiological Action of Progesterone in Target Tissues
in the mammary gland: lobular-alveolar development in preparation for milk secretion and suppression of milk protein synthesis before parturition; and 3) in the brain: mediation of signals required for sexually responsive behavior. Recent evidence also supports a role for progesterone in modulation of bone
mass.
https://academic.oup.com/edrv/article/18...ogin=false

Here's a picture from last year (when I posted some of this info)
https://www.breastnexum.com/attachment.php?aid=19453