Lara Briden

Before you reach for a women’s supplement like chaste tree or natural progesterone, consider the humble mineral zinc. ’s health and is effective treatment for acne, PCOS, period pain, and many other periods problems. Zinc is one of several natural androgen blockers that can improve androgen symptoms such as acne and hirsutism (facial hair). Zinc maintains the integrity of collagen in connective tissue and hair, and it’s particularly good for preventing the vaginal dryness and atrophy of menopause and the hair loss of thyroid disease.

It’s a sulfur-containing amino acid that is unique in that it is not used to build proteins but instead plays an essential role as a free amino acid in many aspects of physiology including the healthy functioning of the immune and nervous systems. By interacting with both glycine and GABA receptors, taurine helps to support beneficial “GABAergic” tone or activity, which improves sleep, prevents migraines, and can relieve premenstrual and perimenopausal mood symptoms. By supporting the healthy formation of bile acids, taurine can prevent gallstones and help to promote the healthy detoxification of estrogen through the liver and bowel. The recommended dose is between 500 to 3000 mg and it works best when taken with magnesium, another important nutrient for mood, mitochondria, and insulin sensitivity.

The hormonal weight gain of PCOS, menopause, and some types of birth control is caused by insulin resistance and androgen excess. High insulin can cause abdominal weight gain; so can high testosterone. The link between testosterone and insulin resistance is most clear with the hormonal condition PCOS, in which high androgens cause insulin resistance and delay ovulation. Both estrogen and progesterone have a beneficial anti-androgen effect to break the vicious cycle of testosterone and insulin resistance.

Yet, so many journalists and even doctors use the word progesterone when they really mean a progestin drug such as drospirenone, levonorgestrel, or medroxyprogesterone. As an example, consider the structural difference between progesterone and the progestin drug levonorgestrel, which is used in many oral contraceptives, implants, Mirena IUD, and the morning-after pill. That’s why progesterone is safer than a progestin and also has fewer side effects for mood and hair. Body-identical progesterone is actual progesterone (like the molecule above)—not levonorgestrel or another progestin.