Progesterone 101

What is progesterone and what does it do?

Progesterone is a hormone that signals and prepares the lining of the uterus to for implantation. Secreted from the ovary after ovulation, progesterone is also responsible for supporting early pregnancy and maintaining healthy menstrual cycles. If pregnancy does not occur, progesterone levels drop and menstruation will begin. Although pregnancy loss and irregular cycles can be symptoms of low progesterone, they are not the only indicators. Other symptoms include mood swings, irritability, anxiety, and fatigue. Although these may be symptoms, the only way to know your progesterone level is through a blood test taken mid-way through the luteal phase of your menstrual cycle.

Low progesterone

Low levels of progesterone can be caused or influenced by many factors; some you can control while others you cannot. Ultimately, low progesterone is a result of not ovulation or irregular ovulation, but can be influenced by age, body composition, stress, and sleep

• Age – No matter how much we would like, we can’t stop our bodies from aging. We can change our lifestyles to try and slow the aging process, but we cannot stop it. As we get older, our hormones change and can go out of sync. Estrogen levels reduce by 35% between the ages of 35 and 50, but progesterone levels decrease more and earlier than estrogen – this imbalance can cause “estrogen dominance”. It is this estrogen dominance that causes pre-menopausal symptoms like stomach pains, hot flashes, mood swings, and weight gain.

• Body Composition – Extremely low and high body fat disrupts hormone signaling, thus preventing properly balanced hormones and potentially stopping ovulation. Fat cells aid in the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Higher body fat can lead to increased estrogen production while progesterone is not influenced by body fat, so estrogen continues to dominate while progesterone stays the same. Conversely, extremely low body fat can also halt ovulation, preventing the body from producing progesterone.
• Stress – The “fight or flight” response we all experience, the one designed to help us survive, triggers the adrenal glands to produce cortisol and adrenaline. Cortisol production dips into your progesterone supply, deeming your survival in that moment more important than reproduction. Ultimately, being in a prolonged state of “fight or flight” can wreak havoc on your hormones and can deplete your progesterone levels.

How to support your progesterone naturally

1. Ensure you’re ovulating. There are multiple reasons ovulation may not be occurring or occurring irregularly. Below are some lifestyle changes that can support ovulation.
   • Maintain a healthy body fat – this will ensure proper hormone signaling, production, and balance.
   • Reduce stress – reduce stress-inducing triggers and situations and increase hobbies and/or quality time with those you love.
   • Get 7-9 hours of quality sleep – this will support your hormonal rhythm.
2. Supplements. While no food contains progesterone, ensuring you are well nourished can help with hormone balance, and some vitamins can encourage your body to produce progesterone.
   • Magnesium – supports your general health as well as regulates the pituitary gland, which in turn regulates hormone levels. A magnesium deficiency can cause your body to produce fewer of the necessary hormones that keep your reproductive system in good shape.
     • Foods rich in Magnesium: dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds, fish, whole grains, dark chocolate.
   • Vitamin B6 – can also regulate hormones and reduce PMS symptoms.
     • Foods rich in B6: sunflower seeds, pistachios, fish, turkey, prunes.
   • Vitamin C, Vitamin E, L-Arginine – These supplements have only been tested in small fertility studies but had positive results on progesterone levels.
     • Foods rich in Vitamin C: yellow peppers, dark leafy greens, kiwi, broccoli, oranges.
     • Foods rich in Vitamin E: almonds, sunflower seeds, shellfish, fish, plant oil.
     • Foods rich in L-Arginine: turkey, chicken, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, chickpeas.

Bottom Line

If you believe you’re dealing with low progesterone look to the root cause. Are you ovulating? If not, look further into why you aren’t, then proceed with treating that root cause.