The fall is the beginning of the flu season, and for many people, the flu may not seem like an immediate threat. But this highly-contagious virus can make even the strongest of us sick for many days, and cause even more serious complications for the young and the elderly, not to mention people with compromised immune systems.
Luckily, according to Medical Daily, scientists may have discovered a new way to fend off flu symptoms. Progesterone, which is a hormone found in most hormone-based birth control, can actually help promote lung healing and reduce lung inflammation in patients who are affected by a flu virus.
Mice that were infected with influenza and also had progesterone implants showed less inflammation in the lungs and better lung function than mice without the implants, according to the study done by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Maryland.
The increased progesterone levels allowed the mice to produce proteins that helped to heal the damaged lining in the lungs quicker.
Researchers and scientists believe that this effect could apply to humans as well. Women who are taking hormone-based birth control may be better able to combat the effects of the flu, like damage to the lining in the lungs, due to the higher levels of progesterone present in the body. While there aren’t many studies being done on this particular subject just yet, Johns Hopkins researchers hope to spend more time and resources examining the positive impacts of hormone-based contraceptives on the human body in the future.
If the studies prove promising, this could provide women with one more reason to add hormone-based birth control to their health regimens. For more information about contraception, or any of the other services and procedures we offer at South Avenue Women’s Services, give us a call or contact us online today.