Progesterone – Hormones and Brain Injury

The National Institute of Health (NIH) is funding a nationwide study to further explore how the female hormone progesterone protects the brain; that is, both the female and the male brains, after trauma. The curative value of the hormone came to light in a preliminary study of 100 brain injury cases when the progesterone was tested for its safety. Progesterone is best known as a female hormone that is a vital constituent in maintaining pregnancies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1.5 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury every year, and more than 50,000 of them die of complications from the injury. Moreover, survivors of such injuries suffer long-term needs. The original NIH study found that patients given the progesterone were 50% less likely to have died than the placebo group. The study also found that among moderate brain-injury survivors, those who received the progesterone were less disabled, and some even made a full recovery. The study the NIH is now undertaking is an extended test to track both the safety and effectiveness of the hormone. If the results of the extended test remain positive, the implications for employers will be great. The CDC shows the leading causes of traumatic brain injuries as: 28% Falls 20% Motor Vehicle Crashes 19% Struck by/against objects 11% Assaults The CDC also reported that males are 1½ times more likely to sustain a traumatic brain injury than females. While the CDC does not report where the traumas occurred, it is logical that a high percentage of them occurred in the workplace. Employers and their supervisors will do well to remember the effectiveness of progesterone at the time of the injuries. The preliminary NIH study also showed that the earlier the progesterone was used, the more effective it was in the long run. Traditionally thought of as a “female hormone,” progesterone might be best referred to as a “protection hormone.” How do you feel about its use in male patients with traumatic brain injuries? Considering the success of the NIH study, should more studies be undertaken?