Studies Show Promise in Use of Progesterone to Treat Traumatic Brain Injury

Studies of patients with moderate or severe traumatic brain injury who were treated with progesterone indicate that the hormone may be useful for protecting the brain from injury after a TBI, but more study is needed, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Progesterone is a hormone normally found in small amounts in the human brain. The interest in using progesterone to treat traumatic brain injury arises from progesterone’s properties that protect the neurological structures of the brain. Studies of the use of progesterone to treat traumatic brain injury are currently underway.

A 2012 study in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that in one study, patients with moderate to severe TBIs who were given progesterone within four hours of the injury had better outcomes, including a lower risk of death due to the injury, than patients who were not given progesterone. Patients who survived also saw better functionality and more complete healing of the brain than patients who did not.

Traumatic brain injuries can cause lifelong impairments or even death. They may be caused by a blow to the head during an accident or by an object piercing the skull. Even a mild traumatic brain injury can cause several days or weeks of pain, nausea, depression, and difficulty with thinking or communication.

If you’ve suffered a