Low progesterone
Intro
Low progesterone could be one of the reasons why someone experiences relative estrogen dominance. This is the fourth blog of a 4-part series on relative estrogen dominance. In past posts, relative estrogen dominance was defined as a common hormone imbalance syndrome when there is relatively higher levels of estrogen compared to progesterone, leading to higher levels of active, unopposed estrogens in the system. Low progesterone in comparison to normal or relatively higher levels of estrogen can lead to relative estrogen dominance in some individuals. And, in this blog post, you will learn more about low progesterone, such as symptoms of low progesterone in the context of relative estrogen dominance, why low progesterone happens, and root-cause options to optimize progesterone.
What is progesterone?
Progesterone is a sex hormone that is responsible for:
Thickening of the uterine lining for fertilized egg implantation
Maintenance of pregnancy
Decreases uterine contractions to prevent contractions during pregnancy
Bone formation
Neuron health
& more
According to the Endocrine Society’s Hormone Health Network, symptoms of low progesterone can look like:
Abnormal uterine bleeding (such as long, heavy periods and/or spotting before a period)
Irregular or missed periods
Spotting and abdominal pain during pregnancy
Frequent miscarriages
Progesterone during menstruation
Progesterone levels change throughout the menstrual phase. The first half of the menstrual cycle up until ovulation is called the follicular phase, and the second half of the menstrual cycle from ovulation till the first day of menstrual bleeding is called the luteal phase.
During the first half of the cycle (or the follicular phase), progesterone is naturally lower and estrogen is usually the dominant hormone. And during the second half of the cycle (or the luteal phase), progesterone is naturally higher and is the dominant hormone compared to estrogen. And, progesterone will naturally decline towards the end of the luteal phase if fertilized egg implantation does not occur.
What causes low progesterone?
It is important to understand the cause of low progesterone during the luteal phase, as this will help guide treatment with a licensed naturopathic doctor (ND). Some causes of low progesterone are:
Age: Progesterone naturally declines as a female ages towards menopause
Thyroid imbalance: Those with hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone) could have lower progesterone due to higher levels of prolactin made by the pituitary gland
Nutritional deficit: Those who are undernourished can experience low levels of progesterone
Stress: It has been shown that those with high levels of physical stress, such as athletes, have lower levels of progesterone.
Prolactinoma: High levels of prolactin from the pituitary will cause low levels of progesterone
Primary ovarian insufficiency/Luteal Phase Defect
& more
Depending on what a licensed ND identifies to be the root cause during the medical intake, they will then order any pertinent labs to get a better understanding of root causes and understand how to best treat their patient.
Progesterone optimization
Licensed NDs are integrative medical professionals that are trained to provide both conventional diagnostics & therapeutics AND natural therapeutics. Licensed NDs also seek to identify the root cause of a patient’s symptoms and treat the root cause with integrative treatment options. Optimizing progesterone from a naturopathic perspective therefore entails:
Supporting foundational nutritional requirements
Supporting thyroid health
Supporting healthy adrenal function and stress response
Focusing on brain health, if labs and imaging suggest prolactinoma
Direct ovarian support
Hormone replacement if all of the above does not optimize progesterone levels
& more
Summary & Takeaways
When speaking about relative estrogen dominance, it’s not only looking if estrogen levels are high, but it is also looking at whether progesterone levels are low. Low levels of progesterone can lead to missed menstrual cycles; long, heavy menstrual bleeding; frequent miscarriages; and more.
It becomes important to understand why someone may be experiencing these symptoms, and there are various potential root causes of low progesterone. A doctor will be able to sieve through the information they get while speaking to you during a medical intake and will be able to order the best-indicated labs to identify the root cause(s) of low progesterone to help optimize levels and alleviate symptoms.
Licensed NDs can provide a unique approach to optimizing hormones since we look at the health and healing from a holistic approach in addition to treating patients integratively with various treatment options. And because of this approach, patients who see licensed NDs will get customized and personalized treatments depending on their personal health history, personal health goals, and personal treatment option preferences.
Thank you so much for following along this month for this blog series on relative estrogen dominance. If you haven’t read any of the other blog posts in the series, check them out below:
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