How to increase progesterone naturally
by Emily Pomfrey Wells, MS - Feed Your Zest dietetic intern
Hormones are cool, complicated and often under-represented in the current research (especially as it relates to females). Our hormones can be impacted by exercise, stress and nutrition. At Feed Your Zest, we commonly work with clients who see improvements in the regularity of their menstrual cycles, their ability to conceive and note improved symptoms of PCOS or endometriosis by ADDING more foods to weekly eating patterns, supporting movement with nutrition and recovery, and better managing stress.
One important hormone to highlight is progesterone. The name of this steroid hormone literally means, “promoting gestation” because of its role in pregnancy and the menstrual cycle. Too little progesterone can cause increases in estrogen, changes in mood, impact menstrual bleeding and shorten the length of your menstrual cycle. Progesterone helps the uterine wall become a great place for a fertilized egg to attach and then helps the fetus to grow. Too little progesterone can be one of the root causes of recurrent pregnancy loss. In addition to this very important job, progesterone is needed to make other hormones that help with major functions such as regulating blood pressure and managing immune and stress responses.
So, how can you maximize your nutrition and other lifestyle habits to help increase progesterone?
Firstly, eating enough food overall is very important for improving levels of progesterone in the body. But, what does that mean, exactly? In general, practicing intuitive eating by listening to your body’s cues of hunger and fullness throughout the day will help you get the adequate amount of energy you need from food. Some folks may need help with structured eating to get enough calories while in recovery from an eating disorder, but here at Feed Your Zest we never recommend calorie counting on your own. Tracking calories can cause additional stress, lead to the development of disordered eating patterns or an eating disorder and can make it difficult to stay in touch with your body's hunger and fullness cues. Some days you are more hungry than other days (totally normal!) and when people track calories they often struggle with increased calorie needs on certain days which results in too little food to give your body the support it needs. Eating consistent, balanced meals and snacks throughout the day that include protein, fat, carbohydrates and fiber helps to ensure that you are getting the energy and different macro and micronutrients your body needs. Not eating enough adds additional stress to your body. Signs you are not eating enough could include, hair loss, difficulty sleeping and focusing, irritability and vitamin/mineral deficiencies. Exercise has so many important health benefits but do increase food and hydration needs, be sure to eat before, during (depending on duration) and after exercise to help your body recover.
Some research suggests that eating foods higher in zinc, magnesium, vitamins C and the B vitamins may help to increase levels of progesterone.
Additionally, iron, vitamin D and calcium and vitamin B12 are important micronutrients for fertility. A well rounded eating pattern with a wide variety of different foods can help you meet these needs, and supplementation with a prenatal vitamin and/or individual nutrients as advised by your dietitian can help fill in the gaps. All different types of fats are important for fertility too because fat is necessary for hormone production.
Overexercise may cause some people to struggle with low progesterone, especially when underfed.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week as well as two strength training sessions. All types of movement require adequate nutrition to support normal body functions and to improve recovery. Exercise beyond these recommendations requires even more nutrition and rest to maintain optimal energy levels and hormonal balance, which helps to support overall health and fertility.You don’t need to earn your calories through exercise, you need to ensure you are eating enough calories to support the exercise you are doing. For individuals with an eating disorder or disordered relationship with food and/or exercise reduced exercise duration and intensity may be recommended. If you are an extremely active person, sometimes eating adequate calories may not be enough to produce adequate progesterone, and decreasing your exercise closer to the CDC guidelines can help you find a better balance for your body while trying to conceive or pregnant.
Stress management can help to increase progesterone levels because high stress levels can negatively impact your hormones.
Many individuals use physical activity as stress management, and exercise can be a great way to relieve stress, but as we discussed above, too much intense exercise actually creates additional stress on the body. This stress can be partially mitigated by eating ENOUGH, taking rest days and better managing stress throughout the day. Having additional stress management coping mechanisms such as reading, talking to a friend or journaling can help you better manage stress. Overall, our number one recommendation is to try out mental health therapy to help you work through past traumas, navigate relationships, and manage stress in a way that works best for you.
Getting more sleep also improves progesterone.
Getting less than 7 hrs per night of sleep can cause a lot of disruptions in your hormonal wellbeing by causing increases in the stress hormone cortisol, particularly when this is a regular pattern. By improving your sleep duration and quality, you are allowing your body the rest and recovery that it needs every night in order to produce adequate progesterone.
If you continue to notice signs and symptoms of too little progesterone such as a shortened menstrual cycle, getting your thyroid checked is often a logical next step. This is because the thyroid and progesterone work together and too little thyroid hormone can cause a decrease in progesterone.
Want support in improving your fertility, and increasing your progesterone levels naturally? We’d love to work with you! Click here to learn more about 1:1 and group coaching for fertility nutrition.
References:
Nagy B, Szekeres-Bartho J, Kovacs GL, et al. Key to life: physiological role and clinical implications of progesterone. Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(20):11039. doi: 10.3390/ijms222011039.