A hormone that we most often associate with the female body - and rightfully so because it has so many important roles in a woman's body - progesterone performs numerous functions in both women and men. In the male body, progesterone regulates the secretion of testosterone. For women, on the other hand, it has a much stronger influence throughout life, at important moments and milestones.

Menstrual cycle, pregnancy, quality of sleep, mood and sexual desire are all influenced by the amount of progesterone in a woman's body. In this article we tell you all these things. Let's see what progesterone is, how it affects us and what happens when its levels are too low or too high.

What is progesterone?

Progesterone is a steroid hormone belonging to the group of hormones called progestogens. It is found in both male and female bodies, but has a much more important contribution to various stages and biological functions in a woman's life such as pregnancy and menstruation.

In women, progesterone is produced by the adrenal glands, ovaries and placenta during pregnancy, and its levels in the body influence your health and mood. How it does this and what other roles it has exactly, we tell you right now.

The role of progesterone in the body

The level of progesterone in the body is directly related to mental health and energy levels, meaning that a normal level ensures rest and tranquility, while a low level is associated with fatigue.

Also, by influencing sexual appetite and regulating the menstrual cycle, the level of progesterone in the body also plays a role in contraception.

But more than anything else, menstruation and pregnancy are two of the things that progesterone contributes to the most. Below we tell you how.

Contributes during the menstrual cycle

Progesterone naturally rises after ovulation to prepare the uterus for the implantation of a fertilized egg and the beginning of a pregnancy. If the lining of the uterus is thin or there are other reasons why implantation does not occur, progesterone falls back and the lining of the uterus is shed through menstruation.

During those days of the month we recommend that you use only organic tampons or absorbents , made of 100% organic cotton and pure ingredients, without dioxins or other toxic chemicals that disturb your hormonal balance and affect your progesterone level.

Conversely, if implantation occurs, the placenta becomes the main place secreting progesterone in the body, and the role of the hormone becomes extremely important in the early stages of pregnancy.

When ovulation stops, in the years leading up to menopause, progesterone levels drop more and more.

The role of progesterone in pregnancy

At 8 weeks from the moment a pregnancy occurs, the placenta becomes the one that secretes progesterone, and the main role of the hormone now becomes the contribution to the development of the baby. Therefore, its level increases steadily until week 32, when it reaches its highest values - even up to 100 times the initial value.

Progesterone also has the role of inhibiting the contractions of the myometrium (uterine muscle), so as to allow the development of the fetus without difficulties throughout the pregnancy. And together with estradiol, it also prepares the body for the production of breast milk.

Estradiol is a form of estrogen, the main female sex hormone, which is at least as important as progesterone throughout a woman's life, contributing to the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause. I talked more about estrogen in a blog post and if you want to read it, you can do so HERE .

Along with estrogen, progesterone inhibits ovulation during pregnancy, so there will be no periods as long as you are pregnant.

It helps to maintain mental health

Last but not least, we said that progesterone influences the quality of sleep, which in turn is extremely important for mental health. So indirectly, through the quality of day-to-day rest, the level of progesterone plays a role in:

• Maintaining a positive, calm state of mind
• Reducing anxiety and depression
• Relief from restlessness, migraine or discomfort
• Regulation of sleepiness

Types of progesterone

Depending on its nature, progesterone is divided into two categories: the one produced naturally by the body (in the adrenal glands, ovaries and placenta), and the synthetic one, produced outside the body to mimic the functions of natural progesterone as best as possible.

Natural progesterone

Natural progesterone is what the body normally produces throughout life.

When there is no pregnancy, the largest amount of progesterone is secreted in the second part of the menstrual cycle, after ovulation, at the level of the corpus luteum in the ovaries (also called the corpus luteum). It can also be secreted in the adrenal glands. All natural progesterone is also the one that the placenta produces when a pregnancy occurs.

Synthetic progesterone

In case of a hormonal imbalance due to various causes, there are situations when the body does not secrete enough natural progesterone. This can have unpleasant health consequences, which is why supplementation with synthetic progesterone is recommended.

Also known as progestin, synthetic progesterone is the one produced in the laboratory by specialists, in the form of an oral pill, suppository or injectable dose.

It works in a similar way to natural progesterone, taking over its functions of regulating the menstrual cycle and balancing the body as best as possible. Synthetic progesterone is also used for contraception (ie preventing an unwanted pregnancy), for treating endometriosis and relieving menstrual pain, but also for reducing abnormal bleeding in the uterus.

Causes of progesterone deficiency

Because of its role in supporting the development of pregnancy and regulating the menstrual cycle, progesterone plays a critical role in reproductive health. Which means that an imbalance like progesterone deficiency - that is, when progesterone levels are too low in the body - can cause a host of other problems, including difficulty getting pregnant or keeping and developing a pregnancy.

We tell you right away what happens when you have a progesterone deficiency, but first let's see what its causes can be:

• Ovulation (progesterone naturally drops after ovulation)
• Ovarian problems (outside of pregnancy, the main amount of progesterone is produced mainly in the corpus luteum of the ovaries, and when there are ovarian problems it is possible that they also lead to reduced progesterone secretion)
• A possible abortion (progesterone has very high values during pregnancy and increases continuously when the placenta takes over the secretion of the hormone, and an abortion - that is, the sudden termination of pregnancy - can lead to an abrupt and significant decrease in progesterone levels)
• Taking synthetic hormones (when you take synthetic progesterone, the body no longer needs to produce natural progesterone and loses its habit, which can result in a very low level when synthetic hormone treatment ends, until natural production returns to normal)
• Stress
• Intense training or excessive physical exertion
• Insulin resistance
• Administration of synthetic hormones

Symptoms of progesterone deficiency

Like any imbalance in the body, even more so because it is hormonal, progesterone deficiency comes with a lot of unpleasant symptoms, discomfort and other health risks and problems.

Among the most well-known symptoms of a low progesterone level in a woman's body are:

• Premenstrual syndrome
• Irregular menstrual cycle
• Hot flashes
• Headaches and migraines
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Decreased or lack of sexual appetite
• Fatigue and drowsiness
• The appearance of uterine fibroids

In pregnant women, the lack of symptoms of progesterone deficiency can continue with:

• Breast/abdominal pain
• Increased drowsiness and exhaustion
• Low blood sugar
• The appearance of vaginal discharge
• The appearance of vaginal dryness
• Complications during pregnancy (ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage or premature birth)

Men can also face low progesterone values, in which case this deficiency manifests itself in decreased sexual appetite, erectile dysfunction or impotence, decreased muscle mass, reduced bone mineral density, hair loss, fatigue and depression, because they do not there is enough progesterone to regulate testosterone levels as well.

When to take a progesterone test

Progesterone levels can be determined with blood tests to find out how low progesterone is and to see what the next steps are. Your doctor may recommend a progesterone test when:

• You can't get pregnant
• You want to be confirmed if you are ovulating
• Monitoring of hormone replacement therapy is required
• You want to know if you have a high-risk pregnancy
• It is necessary to identify the way the corpus luteum functions
• It is necessary to identify the functioning of the placenta during a pregnancy
• Ovarian function should be checked
• There is an abortion, a fetal death or in case of toxemia of pregnancy

Progesterone tests are recommended for men if they suffer from erectile dysfunction, depression, severe fatigue, low sex drive or other sexual problems with no apparent cause.

Normal progesterone test values

The person's sex, age, phase of the menstrual cycle and life stage are factors that influence the value that is considered normal for the progesterone level. In addition, each laboratory has other references as to what a normal level means.

But in principle, for women who are not pregnant, normal progesterone values are estimated at:

• less than 0.616 nmol/l before ovulation
• greater than 13 nmol/l at ovulation
• between 13-46 nmol/l after ovulation

In men, a progesterone level value of less than 0.47 nmol/l is considered normal.

As for pregnant women, the normal values for them are much higher and fluctuate depending on the trimester, being estimated at:

• between 35-141 nmol/l in the first trimester
• between 80-265 nmol/l in the second trimester
• between 187-679 nmol/l in the third trimester.

How do we diagnose progesterone deficiency?

The diagnosis of progesterone deficiency is made by the specialist doctor, following blood tests. After interpreting the results and comparing them with the normal values for the appropriate category of age, sex, phase of the menstrual cycle or pregnancy, the verdict can be given as to whether or not you are suffering from a progesterone deficiency.

How to prepare for a progesterone test

In general, no preparation is necessary before a progesterone test. Unlike other tests, the blood sample for progesterone testing can be collected at any time during the day, on an empty stomach or even after eating.

It is possible that the doctor will recommend a specific day of the menstrual cycle to do the analysis, bearing in mind that the hormone dosage is carried out on the 21st day of the cycle and can confirm whether or not ovulation has occurred.

What if I have high progesterone?

There are also situations where the body secretes more progesterone. High natural progesterone in women can indicate a lot of things, including:

• Recent ovulation
• Occurrence of a pregnancy
• Other health problems, if pregnancy is not the cause of increased progesterone (eg ovarian cysts, ovarian or adrenal cancer, or congenital hyperplasia).

In men, progesterone may increase as a result of artificial hormone treatment for prostate problems or infertility.

Treatment for progesterone deficiency

Progesterone deficiency can be treated - that's why artificial hormones were created. When your body does not produce enough natural progesterone to support a pregnancy or to regulate your menstrual cycle and the balance of your health, hormone therapy (with synthetic progesterone) may be recommended, which will reduce the deficiency and relieve its symptoms.

Your doctor may recommend hormone therapy with progesterone and estrogen if menopause symptoms are affecting your quality of life.

Also, in the spectrum of natural remedies for progesterone deficiency (but for which it is good to wait for the doctor's approval before trying them) we also find:

• Eating foods rich in zinc (eg: clams and other seafood, pumpkin seeds, cashews, dark chocolate, etc.)

• Taking dietary supplements with vitamin B and vitamin C that help regulate progesterone in the body

• Stress management techniques (stressful periods increase the secretion of a hormone called cortisol, which can result in decreased progesterone levels).

Frequently asked questions about progesterone

What else is good to know about progesterone? Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the effects and deficiency of this hormone.

How does progesterone work with estrogen?

Both progesterone and estrogen are two complementary hormones that work together to regulate the menstrual cycle and ovulation, support pregnancy and breast milk production, induce menopause, and maintain balance in the body and mental health.

The balance of the two hormones is very important for your state of health: if you have a progesterone deficiency, it means that estrogen predominates, and high estrogen values are associated with the exacerbation of premenstrual syndrome symptoms, bloating, breast tenderness and lumps, enlarged thyroid, etc.; if you have excess progesterone, it means that you have too little estrogen, a situation associated with the irregularity of the menstrual cycle, fertility and pregnancy development problems, etc.

Can progesterone make me gain weight?

Weight gain is not on the list of progesterone side effects. The hormone does not directly cause you to gain body mass. But hormonal fluctuations can really affect your appetite. And when you have a stronger feeling of hunger, this can lead to more food consumption, which will create a caloric surplus and ultimately lead to weight gain.

How do I know I need progesterone in my body?

You need progesterone in the body when the values of this hormone are low, below the normal level. This diagnosis can only be made by a doctor, and only after progesterone tests (blood tests).

What Foods Can Increase Progesterone Naturally?

B vitamins, especially B6, but also vitamin C and zinc can be useful supplements for naturally increasing progesterone levels. So you can try eating more foods rich in these nutrients, such as seafood (clams, oysters), pumpkin seeds, cashews, vegetables, dairy, meat, salmon, eggs, spinach, beef, avocado, citrus fruits, broccoli etc.

What happens if I do not treat progesterone deficiency?

Low progesterone can lead to irregular menstrual cycles and ovulation, which in the long term can affect your ability to get pregnant and your fertility. In pregnancy, a low level of progesterone cannot support the development of the pregnancy and, without treatment, can lead to pregnancy loss or premature birth. It is important to talk to your doctor as soon as possible if you notice signs and symptoms of such a deficiency.