Progesterone Cream

Great question. Most people (physicians and patients alike) would agree that it's probably not a good idea to give hormones to a patient whose breast cancer had hormone receptors on it (ER and/or PR positive). But that's not what you asked. Your question went a little deeper because you asked about "natural" progesterone cream. My interpretation of the word natural here is that the progesterone is likely derived from a plant source which is often wild yam. Wild yam contains a compound called diosgenin which has estrogenic and progestogenic effects in mice. Surprisingly however, humans do not possess the enzyme necessary to convert diosgenin to progesterone. While there are several progesterone or estrogen creams/gels that are FDA approved, I would be cautious about using compounded medications because of concern of purity, dosing consistency, and content. Harvard has some great info about this on this site: http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/What-are-bioidentical-hormones.htm. Let me know if I have not addressed all of your concerns. Great question. Most people (physicians and patients alike) would agree that it's probably not a good idea to give hormones to a patient whose breast cancer had hormone receptors on it (ER and/or PR positive). But that's not what you asked. Your question went a little deeper because you asked about "natural" progesterone cream. My interpretation of the word natural here is that the progesterone is likely derived from a plant source which is often wild yam. Wild yam contains a compound called diosgenin which has estrogenic and progestogenic effects in mice. Surprisingly however, humans do not possess the enzyme necessary to convert diosgenin to progesterone. While there are several progesterone or estrogen creams/gels that are FDA approved, I would be cautious about using compounded medications because of concern of purity, dosing consistency, and content. Harvard has some great info about this on this site: http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/What-are-bioidentical-hormones.htm. Let me know if I have not addressed all of your concerns.