Why do some females recover from brain injury much faster and more completely than males?

It seems the answer may be related to the neuroprotective effects of the hormone progesterone.

The benefits of maintaining a normal level of bioidentical progesterone (identical to what the body produces) is now well established in the care and treatment of women suffering the effects of hormone imbalance, most commonly seen around the time of menopause.

The research of neuroscientist Dr. Donald G. Stein and his colleagues provides a new dimension for the benefits of progesterone. Their research demonstrates  that neuroprotective effects of progesterone improve outcomes and reduce mortality following brain injuries.

Steins’ findings could also have far-reaching implications for the treatment of other neurological conditions such as central nervous system damage, stroke, spinal cord injury, and multiple sclerosis.

Per www.mercola.com in the December 26 issue:

“Progesterone provides powerful neuroprotection to the fetus, particularly in late pregnancy, when it helps suppress neuronal excitation that can damage delicate new brain tissue. Dr. Stein and his colleagues have found that in addition to protecting the fetal brain, progesterone also protects and heals injured brain tissue.”

The most significant progesterone effect appears to be the reduction in cerebral edema, or swelling of the brain.

Some additional benefits appear to be an anti-inflammatory response, the draining of excess fluid from the region of the injury, the prevention of the death of injured brain cells, protective and regenerative effects on myelin, the protective coating on nerve fibers, and decreasing the likelihood of seizures that accompany brain injury.

The bottom line of Stein’s research? Progesterone, the hormone responsible for the  neuroprotection of the fetus as well as the natural treatment for menopausal issues, has now been identified to potentially positively impact brain injury recovery. This finding opens the door to research potential benefits for other neurological conditions.

The effects of this remarkable hormone continue to get better and better.