John Lee, M.D. uses 10 mg - 50 mg of natural progesterone per day applied twice daily in a cream applied topically in a ten day period, ending just before expected menses. Some herbs used in the creams contain estrogens that are made by plants known as phytoestrogens such as Clary Sage. These Phytoestrogens may actually exacerbate PMS and this exacerbation has been seen in some patients. The skin cream should contain 500 mg of Natural Progesterone per ounce of cream. The cream should not contain any mineral oil.
Mineral oil blocks the absorption of Natural Progesterone into the body.
The vast majority of Natural Progesterone is made from yams or soy which contain the base molecule of progesterone in it. Yams are NOT the same as Natural Progesterone and will not have the same effect. Progesterone and estrogen used as birth control pills were discovered by the pharmaceutical companies while looking for a fertility drug by studying folk medicine in Mexico. Wild yams were found to have a diosgenin that had the base compound of progesterone in it. The Drug Companies cannot patent a natural compound such as progesterone.