8 Supplements to Increase Progesterone
Progesterone is the hormone released in the second half of your menstrual cycle after ovulation. The corpus luteum is the sac that remains once you ovulate and turns into a hormone-secreting gland during the luteal phase and will release progesterone during this time.
It’s essential to maintain balanced progesterone levels to have a stable mood, regular menstrual cycles, optimal fertility, and minimal PMS symptoms.
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Progesterone:
makes the uterine lining sticky for egg implantation
protects the uterine lining
has anti-anxiety benefits due to it’s relationship with releaseing GABA – our natural relaxation mood chemical
has muscle relaxation effects (which may also be why if you ARE ovulating you could experience some constipation around ovulation because it’s slowing things down)
balances out estrogen levels
Signs and symptoms of low progesterone include:
PMS
cramps
painful periods
heavy periods
cyclical headaches / migraines
irritability
anxiety
poor sleep
breast tenderness
bloating
ovarian cysts
irregular periods
infertility
1st trimester miscarriage
LEARN EXACTLY HOW TO SUPPORT HEALTHY PROGESTERONE LEVELS NATURALLY IN LESS THAN 1 HOUR!
What can cause low progesterone levels?
Stress: Having too much cortisol (our stress hormone) circulating will offset hormone production. In a state of stress, your body does not prioritize hormone function and fertility.
Overexercising: This is another form of stress on the body because when you push yourself too far, you won’t have time to recover, and exercising is a form of stress. Signs you are overexercising are if you exercise too hard per session, too often during the week, or if you give yourself little to no recovery time in between workouts.
Lack of ovulation: If you do not ovulate, the egg will not be released from the corpus luteum, and progesterone will not be produced.
Not eating enough fat: Some of the vitamins for hormone building are fat-soluble, meaning that the vitamins need to be consumed with a fat source to be absorbed in the body.
Nutrient deficiencies: Nutrients are the building blocks of hormones. If there aren’t enough nutrients, then we won’t be able to build hormones like progesterone.
You may be wondering: “which supplements can help to increase progesterone levels?”
Luckily, there are certain supplements to support healthy progesterone levels.
Supplements may help to support a nutrition, lifestyle, & movement foundation. It is also important to focus on food sources of these nutrients!
This important question we need to be asking is: why is my progesterone low in the first place?
This is taking a root cause approach when it comes to understanding our health and hormones. When we answer this question, we are understanding what is driving the imbalance (which is showing up as symptoms in the body).
By addressing the root cause, not simply just the symptom (or the hormone imbalance for that matter), we can find long-term, sustained healing.
I’m here to help you have better periods, symptomless cycles, and optimize fertility (whether that’s now or in the future) all through simple nutrition and lifestyle shifts that feel simple, doable, and empowering (not overwhelming).
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As always, I’m giving away my best hormone tips here, answering your burning questions, and letting you in on the what the science says.
This is the kind of insider info I share with all of my 1:1 coaching clients and students in my signature course, Heal Your Period.
I’m so passionate about sharing this info with anyone on a hormone healing journey, so I’m letting you in with all the info here!
So, let’s dive in into it!
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What supplements can help to raise progesterone?
Here are 8 supplements to increase progesterone:
*Consult with your healthcare provider before beginning any supplements and focus on incorporating food sources!
1. Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is another important water-soluble vitamin to help promote the reproductive system. B6 is a powerful vitamin for cognitive development, gluconeogenesis, lipid metabolism, and protein metabolism. A study found that supplementation of B6 increased progesterone levels and decreased estrogen levels. This is why vitamin B6 is one of the supplements to increase progesterone.
2. Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is one of the most common deficiencies in America with about 50% of the population being deficient. Similar to B6, B12 has many functions in numerous metabolic reactions in the body. B12 can also regulate hormone levels and internal stress response. B12 influences the clearance of homocysteine in the blood. Homocysteine is an amino acid produced when proteins are broken down, but at elevated levels, it is called hyperhomocysteinemia which is damaging. These high levels are not good for the body because it can degrade the arterial lining, and increase stress levels. Increased stress levels have a negative effect on hormone balance including progesterone. Due to this, vitamin B12 is another one of the supplements to increase progesterone.
Source: 28545069
3. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that is one of the supplements to increase progesterone. Vitamin C has many beneficial functions like improving immune function, creating scars for wound healing, and helps maintain tissue and skin integrity. A study found that vitamin C was associated with higher progesterone levels in perimenopausal women. Food sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, cantaloupe, kiwi, strawberries, broccoli, sweet potato, and red pepper.
Source: 26581679
4. Magnesium
Magnesium is another one of the supplements to increase progesterone naturally. Magnesium is a mineral that helps with muscle protein synthesis, nerve functioning, and it is a cofactor for many enzymatic reactions. A study found an inverse relationship between magnesium and estrogen, showing that magnesium levels increased and estrogen decreased. We know that estrogen and progesterone work in opposition so when estrogen levels are low this means that there will be an increase in progesterone naturally.
Sources: 10231048
5. Zinc
Zinc is an important mineral used to help promote the reproductive system. A study found that zinc is able to increase the number of binding sites on a progesterone receptor in order to increase progesterone naturally. Researchers have found that when an egg is released, zinc discharge follows the egg into fertilization and promotes cell growth. Zinc also increases the formation of the corpus luteum, the sack that holds the oocyte or egg in the ovary, which helps to increase progesterone levels. This is why zinc is one of the supplements to increase progesterone.
6. Vitex
Vitex is an herb that has long been used in traditional medicine, most particularly for women’s health and menstrual issues. Other names include: vitex, chaste tree berry, and chasteberry. Due to the effect vitex has on the pituitary gland, increasing the release of luteinizing hormone (LH), this promotes ovulation and raises progesterone levels. Progesterone is released by the corpus luteum, which is what remains after the egg is released from the follicle during ovulation.
Source: 28243425
7. Evening Primrose Oil
Evening primrose is a plant native to North America but it does grow in parts of Europe too. This is one of the only foods that contain optimal amounts of both omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Due to this, the healthy fat composition in primrose oil is the main mechanism for how it can increase progesterone naturally. It has been found to be beneficial in managing PMS symptoms which are tied to lower progesterone. This shows that evening primrose oil is one of the supplements to increase progesterone.
Source: 31497576
8. Adrenal Herbs
Adrenal herbs are herbs that can be used to enhance the management of stress. These herbs can help to lower cortisol levels and reduce stress in the body. If you’re feeling low on energy like it’s hard to keep with all you have going on each day, have trouble sleeping, or feel exhausted all the time you may have an imbalance in your cortisol levels. Cortisol is your hormone responsible for regulating stress. These adaptogenic herbs have been used for years and now there is research backing up their use to help lower or manage cortisol and reduce stress. These can be supplements to increase progesterone because by managing stress you can help balance all hormones.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There are several supplements that may help increase progesterone levels.
While we chatted through lots of different options, remember that every body is unique and it’s about determine what works best for your body.
Remember: simple shifts build to make a big impact over time!
Healthy progesterone levels are possible for you.
-Krista
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KRISTA KING, MS, RDN, LDN, IFNCP
If you’re looking for individualized support for period problems, PCOS, endometriosis, stopping birth control, and/or fertility I’m your person! I have select spaces each month for:
Krista is an integrative dietitian helping you have regular, pain-free periods, symptomless cycles, and optimal fertility! Together we cover: nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, cycle tracking, supplements, navigating doctor appointments, and lab testing.
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