Balanced actions of estradiol and progesterone—A new paradigm of women's reproductive health.

Progesterone, estradiol's partner hormone, is commonly ignored, as in a figure depicting menstrual cycle hormones in a Nature Reviews Disease Primer review of menopause [3]! She goes on to show that estradiol is a powerful growth and proliferation-inducing hormone that needs progesterone's proliferation suppressing and maturation stimulating effects for optimal hormonal balance and ultimately Health. Another illustration of the progesterone-estradiol balance paradigm shift is in women's bone health across the lifecycle [15]. Cyclic progesterone treatment might facilitate the development of normal ovulation, and potentially spontaneous fertility, in women with PCOS as well as reversing its unwanted oligomenorrhea, weight gain, acne and hirsutism effects. [Extracted from the article]