Many women experience dips in Progesterone Levels and related symptoms. Once we provide you with additional background information on the condition, you’ll see that there are medical, lifestyle, and supplement solutions that can help balance your progesterone levels.
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What Is Progesterone?
Progesterone is one of the two key hormones supporting women’s reproductive health in general and during pregnancy, along with estrogen. The ovaries, placenta, and adrenal glands all produce progesterone, and it has a number of important functions in the body. This hormone balances sexual libido, prepares the uterine lining for the implantation of a fertilized egg, and supports breast milk production.
When it comes to the menstrual cycle, progesterone is lowest prior to ovulation, during the first half of your cycle. Levels begin to rise after you ovulate during the ‘luteal phase’ and they peak about 7 days before your period. If a sperm has not fertilized the egg by about 9-10 days after ovulation, then progesterone levels decline again and a new cycle begins.
If the egg is fertilized, progesterone supports the pregnancy and keeps the baby healthy. Your progesterone levels are highest when you’re pregnant with twins or multiples. With age, a woman’s progesterone levels do decline. While this is completely normal, there are symptoms associated with low levels of the hormone that we will discuss later in this article.
What Are Low Levels Of Progesterone?
This table indicates normal progesterone levels [1] for different phases of the menstrual cycle:
| Menstrual Cycle | Normal Progesterone Levels |
|---|---|
| Pre-ovulation | |
| Mid-cycle | 15.9 to 63.60 nmol/L |
| The first trimester of pregnancy | 35.62 to 286.2 nmol/L |
| Second trimester of pregnancy | 81.41 to 284.29 nmol/L |
| The third trimester of pregnancy | 152.64 to 954 or more nmol/L (higher with multiple births) |
| Postmenopause |
As progesterone can fluctuate significantly throughout the month, many women wonder what day in the cycle is best to test their levels. The optimal time is about a week after ovulation, which is approximately day 21 of your cycle. You can also take a test 7 days later, ideally before your period, so a physician can compare how levels of progesterone fluctuate during your cycle.
For example, progesterone levels that fall between 0 and 15.2 nmol/L indicate that you have not ovulated. Levels ranging from 15.2 to 30 nmol/L indicate that you may have ovulated, but a follow-up test in a few days is required to confirm. A test result that falls between 30 and 65.5 nmol/L shows that you have ovulated.
Normal levels may vary slightly depending on the medical laboratory. Reasons for higher-than-normal levels of progesterone may include pregnancy, ovulation, and in rare cases, cancer of the ovaries or adrenal glands.
Why Do Progesterone Levels Matter?
Progesterone levels are important if you are trying to start a family, as a deficiency in this hormone can make it difficult for you to get and remain pregnant. Low progesterone may also indicate that your estrogen levels are too high, which could cause symptoms like low sexual libido, weight gain, and gallbladder issues.
Healthy progesterone levels can help improve your mood and support optimal thyroid hormone balance. During pregnancy, progesterone prevents uterine contractions from occurring prematurely.
If your progesterone levels fall below the normal range, you may experience some of the issues associated with a deficiency in this key hormone. They are the same symptoms that develop during menopause when your progesterone declines, and include vaginal dryness, mood swings, depression, headaches, irregular uterine bleeding, and others.
What Causes Low Progesterone?
These are the primary causes of low progesterone, with the first two being the most common:
- Menopause
- PCOS
- Low cholesterol
- Genetics
- Anovulation – failure to ovulate
- Hypothyroidism
-
Elevated prolactin levels
- High cortisol levels due to chronic stress
- Obesity, anorexia, or low body weight
-
Miscarriage
- Poor nutrition, including a diet high in advanced glycation end products [2] from foods heated to high temperatures such as pizza, cold cuts, and sausage
- High levels of vitamin D2 in the blood. A 2010 study at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto reported that for every 10 nmol/L increase of vitamin D2 in the bloodstream, progesterone decreased [3] by 10% and estradiol increased by 3%.
- Exposure to poor sanitation, nutrition, and health care in childhood [4], leading to decreased immune functioning
Can Menoquil Help Balance Progesterone Levels?
If you are menopausal and have low levels of estrogen and progesterone, the pure, bioactive supplement Menoquil promises significant support. This formula contains ingredients with research backing their ability to reduce common menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.
One of these key bioactive ingredients is black cohosh, which some researchers have suggested may be an effective alternative to hormone replacement therapy. One study showed that women who took this herb for 8 weeks showed a significant decline in menopause symptoms [5].
Another primary ingredient in the formula is wild yam, which may increase progesterone levels [6] according to the research. These two bioactive agents alone help balance your hormone levels significantly, but the formula also includes calcium, phosphorus, Vitamins D3 and K1, dong quai, green tea, red clover, guggul, and chaste berry.
Menoquil can relieve multiple symptoms including vaginal dryness, hot flashes, mood swings, and depression by targeting the root cause of menopause: low hormone levels. It’s safe, manufactured in an FDA-compliant facility, and drug-free.
What Are the Symptoms of Low Progesterone?
Low progesterone levels may be accompanied by some of the following symptoms:
- Irregular periods
- Amenorrhea – no periods
- Low libido
- Infertility
- Headaches or migraines
- Weight gain
- Low blood sugar
- Vaginal dryness
- Depression
- Abdominal pain
- Anxiety
- PMS
- Mood changes
- Sore breasts
- Sleep problems
- Bloating
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Constant fatigue
- Hot flashes
Progesterone deficiency leads to the same symptoms regardless of your age or stage in life. It impacts areas like your mental and physical functioning, sleep quality, sex life, appetite, and menstrual periods.
How to Test for Low Progesterone
Physicians can detect low progesterone levels through blood and saliva testing. While a blood test measures hormone levels directly, saliva sampling determines the amount of free, unbound hormones that are most likely to impact the body.
In a study that tested the saliva of menopausal women [7], researchers found that progesterone levels were associated with both vaginal dryness and dry mouth. As such, dry mouth could be another symptom of low progesterone.
Another study showed that in fertile women, salivary progesterone levels were higher in the morning than at night [8]. This is an important point to remember if you are getting your levels tested.
How Do You Treat Low Progesterone?
The most common medical treatment for increasing progesterone levels is a bioidentical hormone replacement therapy cream, which is absorbed into your bloodstream through the skin. In addition, you can help balance your progesterone levels naturally through healthy nutrition and other beneficial lifestyle habits.
Hormone therapy may not be suitable for women who have a family history of certain cancers. For women who do follow this treatment protocol, the increase in progesterone levels should strengthen the uterine lining so that it can better support a pregnancy.
If you are in menopause and have symptoms, you will likely receive both progesterone and estrogen as part of your hormonal replacement therapy if you choose this option. These medications may be in the form of pills, suppositories, or injections.
Depending on your situation, low progesterone could impact ovulation and lead to fertility issues. In this case, ovulation-triggering shots or ovulation-inducing medication may be an option if you want to get pregnant.
If you’re looking for an alternative to modern medicine or a complement to existing treatments, Menoquil may be the answer to your low progesterone levels. This supplement has been on the market for almost 24 years, is safely manufactured in a GMP-certified facility, undergoes extensive third-party testing, and has no reported side effects from customers.
Naturally, you should check with your physician before taking any new supplement, to make sure it is medically suitable for you and fits in with your treatment plan. As long as you continue to take Menoquil, you should experience a decrease in symptoms associated with balanced hormone levels.
Frequently asked questions
How do you feel when progesterone levels are high?
When progesterone levels are high, like they are during pregnancy, many women say they feel the best they have ever felt in their lives. However, high progesterone levels are also associated with symptoms like weight fluctuations, water retention, anxiety, leg pain, bloating, and fatigue.
What foods have the most progesterone?
There are high levels of progesterone in whole cow’s milk, dairy products, eggs, and beef. Other excellent nutritional sources of this hormone include:
- Foods high in zinc like shellfish, pumpkin and squash seeds, and nuts
- Vitamin B-rich foods like fish, turkey, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, and blackstrap molasses
- Foods high in vitamin C, like strawberries and oranges
- Magnesium-rich foods like oatmeal, buckwheat, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, chia seeds, black beans, legumes, dark chocolate, cashews, avocados, artichokes, and leafy greens
- Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids like oily fish
One dietary strategy for balancing hormone levels is called seed cycling. This involves including raw pumpkin seeds and freshly ground flaxseed in your diet during the first 14 days of your menstrual cycle to increase estrogen levels, and eating raw sunflower and sesame seeds on days 15-29 to boost progesterone.
Is low progesterone easy to fix?
Low progesterone levels are relatively easy to fix in many cases by improving your diet and lifestyle habits and taking a product with pure bioactive ingredients like the Menoquil menopause supplement. However, check with your physician for approval and seek out medical treatment if symptoms are severe.
Should I be concerned about low progesterone?
Yes, you should be concerned if you have low progesterone levels, as it could lead to symptoms like anxiety, depression, mood and sleep changes, headaches, low libido, fatigue, and weight gain. A 2023 study conducted at the University of Illinois at Chicago [9] found that low progesterone levels increased food cravings in premenstrual women.
Conclusion
Low progesterone levels in women may negatively impact fertility and lead to symptoms that interfere with quality of life. In this article, we have outlined the causes and symptoms of this hormonal imbalance, as well as treatment approaches.
It’s important to note that there are medical solutions as well as supplements and positive lifestyle changes that can make a significant difference in balancing your hormone levels and alleviating the symptoms associated with low progesterone levels.
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