Progesterone and Immune Function

Progesterone has been shown to have direct effects on immune cells, thereby boosting the immune function. Evidence suggests that progesterone can be beneficial in maintaining the immune health through various important mechanisms:
1. Progesterone inhibits the production of proinflammatory markers like COX-2, IL-6, iNOS, and TNF-α. [251-256]
2. Progesterone regulates the activity of natural killer (NK) cells of the immune system.
3. Progesterone modulates the activity of the T cells of the immune system. [258]
4. At pregnancy levels, progesterone may suppress disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. [259]
5. In healthy pregnant women, progesterone boosts immune function by raising the levels of antibodies. [260-261]