For pre-menopausal women (still cycling regularly about every 28 days) or PMS :  Use ¼ teaspoon per day for the last two weeks of your menstrual cycle. Count day 1 as the day bleeding begins, then on day 12, start using the cream as directed until day 26. Your period should commence within a couple days after you stop using the cream. If your cycles are shorter or longer than 28 days, using a calendar, estimate when you expect the next period, then count back 14 days and start using the cream on that day for the next two weeks. The reasoning here is that the day of ovulation can vary, but the luteal phase (time of progesterone production) remains relatively steady at 14 days. Remember, we're trying to mimic Nature's plan. For endometriosis or uterine fibroids, start the cream as soon as symptoms begin (this may be as early as day six to eight ) and continue to the end of your cycle. Be sure to take at least a few days off the cream, this is what nature intended.

For Peri-menopausal women (periods may be irregular in duration or erratic--skipping one occasionally): It may be difficult to count days when your period is erratic. Sometimes, one just has to make a best guess and use the cream for two weeks, ¼ teaspoon per day. Supplementing with natural progesterone cream may bring on your period more regularly. It may seem to exacerbate some symptoms, like breast tenderness, for up to a few months. This is because progesterone is waking up (re-sensitizing) the estrogen receptors to respond to estradiol. If you have light or spotty periods, they may become more productive or lush.

For post-menopausal women: Use the cream continuously for up to three weeks out of the month, pausing for one week. Taking a one-week break allows the body to respond optimally to progesterone cream the next time it is used. If your symptoms are intolerable when not using the cream, reduce the time off to 3-5 days.  Spotting may recur for a time.

For men only: Use 1/8 tsp per day.  A good reference is Hormone Balance for Men, by John R. Lee, MD.

A more lengthy discussion of guidelines for particular symptoms and syndromes can be found in the book by Dr. John R. Lee, David Zava, PhD, and Virginia Hopkins, What your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer , pages 202-11. For all of the above cases, the amount of natural progesterone cream you use can be tailored to your needs.  Just as one size does not fit all, our body chemistry and absorption rate varies from person to person. If your symptoms are not alleviated by the recommended dosage, try using a little more than ¼ teaspoon a day until you get relief, then back off the dosage until you find the least amount you can use and still get symptomic relief. If using the cream makes you drowsy or gives you other symptoms, try using a little less than the ¼ teaspoon a day. It may take a little experimentation to find your ideal dosage. It is not true, in this case, that if some is good, then more is better. Too much progesterone can cause side effects like drowsiness, depression or lethargy. The goal is to achieve hormonal balance, so don't overdo it.

To get the maximum benefit out of using Botanical Alternatives' Bioidentical Progesterone Cream, apply to a broad skin area (spread it thin) and rotate the area it is applied to. This keeps the skin from getting over-saturated, which might retard absorption. Apply anywhere on the body except the face and neck, as the skin on the face and neck tend to be the most sensitive and susceptible to allergic reaction. It is generally advised to apply the cream on thin skin areas (inner arms or back of knees) or areas with high capillary content (hands and feet).

Botanical Alternatives' Bioidentical Progesterone cream is unlike any other progesterone cream available. It is made exclusively from pure and wholesome natural botanical ingredients. Botanical Alternatives uses oils and vitamins selected for skin nourishing characteristics and are the highest quality available. It contains no synthetic nor petrochemical ingredients, dyes, animal products nor carcinogenic preservatives (parabens). This formulation is hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic (won't plug your pores). Botanical Alternatives' Bioidentical Progesterone Cream is made with USP micronized progesterone derived from wild yam. No GMO (genetically modified organisms) products are used to make Botanical Alternatives' creams and our products are never animal tested.  Botanical Alternatives uses a preservative system of essential oils, botanical extracts, and vitamin antioxidants. Consequently, products preserved in this way have a shorter shelf-life than those using synthetic preservatives and should not be stored for long at room temperature. They should be used within months of receipt. We make small batches on a frequent basis to assure that you get fresh product.  If you order more than one tube, we suggest you keep the other tubes in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.

Ingredients: distilled water, sweet almond oil, safflower oil, soy lecithin, palm stearate, virgin olive oil, aloe vera, avocado oil, evening primrose oil, USP micronized progesterone, rosehip oil, jojoba oil, hempseed oil, mixed tocopherols, beeswax, rosemary oleoresin, neem oil, ascorbic acid, acacia gum, grapefruit seed extract, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, sodium borate, tea tree oil, lavender oil, vanilla oleoresin

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information is educational in nature and should not be considered medical advice. Please consult a health care professional if you need to discuss your symptoms or make decisions regarding your medical care. Keep out of the reach of children. If you experience skin irritation or undesirable side effects, discontinue use and consult a health care practitioner.