Does Stress Mess With Progesterone Levels?
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Have you ever experienced a late period due to stress or felt aggravated or anxious leading up to your period? Are you trying to conceive but stress keeps getting in the way of ovulation? Have you experienced abnormal bleeding patterns throughout your menstrual cycle? Let’s look inside the relationship between progesterone and stress, and exactly how cortisol (released when your stressed) can interfere with progesterone levels.
Stress is constant
In today’s modern world, we have subtle stressors around us constantly. Waiting at a traffic light, work deadlines, looking at your phone while lying in bed at night, can all be considered stressors. Whether the stress is emotional, mental, or physical, it interferes with how our brain and adrenals communicate. Not only is our communication impaired, but the adrenal glands also spring into action and interfere with the production of progesterone.
What is Progesterone
Now that I’ve mentioned progesterone a few times, you may be wondering what exactly is progesterone? Progesterone is a sex hormone and is the most prominent hormone during the second half of the menstrual cycle, called the luteal phase.
Progesterone maintains a healthy uterine lining, especially important for successful implantation of a fertilized egg if you’re trying to conceive. Progesterone supports pregnancy and overall health of baby once conception occurs and supports healthy cervical mucus. If progesterone levels are happy, you should feel calm and chilled out leading up to your period.
So, what’s the deal between progesterone and stress anyways?
What’s Actually Happening
The relationship between progesterone and stress
When stress occurs, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) becomes activated to release a rise in corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) from the hypothalamus (structure in your brain) which signals the pituitary to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) which sends out a message to your adrenals being like “hey release some cortisol”.
As you continue to face stress, your body isn’t really thinking about reproduction when it’s entering survival mode. What does that mean for progesterone? Well, it often it can become low.
What’s the Connection Between Cortisol and Progesterone?
I’ll let you in on the biggest takeaway – progesterone and cortisol share the same metabolic pathway. What does that mean? Stress interferes with progesterone. When cortisol is constantly being released by our adrenals (little glands sitting at the top of your kidneys), the release of progesterone is no longer favored. This can manifest as low progesterone to the opposing estrogen.
Natural Support to Manage Stress (&Support Hormone Balance)
Recognize stress in your life and create ways to reduce stress (Ex. Turning your phone on airplane mode at night, or using the blue light blocker on your phone, meal plan, use a planner)
Establish a mindfulness practice (breath work, practice gratitude, stretching, yoga)
Reconnect with nature.
Spend time doing the things that make you happy.
Reconnect with family and friends.
Focus on food for hormone balance
Reducing inflammatory food like seed oils, refined sugar, alcohol.
Increase healthy dietary fats (avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds)
Zinc rich foods (beef, lamb, egg yolks, oats, pumpkin seeds)
Magnesium rich foods (dark green leafy vegetables, dried apricots, almonds, brown rice)
Vitamin C rich foods (citrus fruits, strawberries, mango, tomatoes, broccoli),
Vitamin B6 rich foods (meats, fish, poultry, egg yolks, walnuts)
Seed cycling to support progesterone levels.
My all-time favorite natural stress remedies are, acupuncture mat, lymphatic dry brush, sleep mask, and a blender (who doesn’t love a nutrient dense smoothie?).
I’d love to hear what you’ve implemented to address and reduce your stress over on my IG and YouTube channel. : )
FAQ
What are the symptoms of cortisol imbalance in women?
Low energy, “wired but tired”, fatigue, lack of concentration, sugar and/or salt cravings. Muscle weakness, mood changes (such as anxiety, depression, irritability), altered blood pressure, rapid weight gain (mainly in the face, best, and abdomen)
What are the symptoms of low progesterone in females?
Irregular menstrual periods (shorter luteal phase, abnormal bleeding patterns, delayed ovulation)
Headaches
Breast tenderness
Difficulty conceiving
Mood changes
Trouble sleeping
Bloating and/or weight gain
Low libido
I’m here to help
If you are struggling with any of the mentioned symptoms, you don’t need to struggle alone. I’m here for you. Reach out via email over on my contact page and I’d love to connect and work 1:1 in my clinical nutrition practice :)
