Progesterone vs. Progestin – Knowing the Difference Matters

Written by Mandi Snell, APRN
Owner, Solutions Functional Medicine

Not everything with a similar name is created equal. Progesterone and progestin may sound alike, but they are very different substances.

Progesterone is the natural hormone God designed. Progestins are synthetic versions, created to mimic progesterone but shaped differently at the molecular level. Instead of supporting the body, progestins often block natural receptors and stop the body from making its own progesterone.

Much of the fear surrounding hormone therapy came from the 2002 Women’s Health Initiative study—which only studied progestins, not natural progesterone. The results linked synthetic hormones to increased risks of blood clots, strokes, and cancers. Unfortunately, this has led to decades of confusion.

God’s original design is always best. That’s why bioidentical progesterone with the fingerprint of nature, delivered with knowledgeable stewardship, can be a wholesome answer to many of our "life deficiencies."