Your Low Progesterone Has a Root Cause

If you’re trying to conceive or have suffered from one or more pregnancy losses, you probably already know how crucial progesterone is to creating and sustaining a healthy pregnancy. When it’s low it can be incredibly challenging to get and stay pregnant. In functional health we dig for the root cause of low progesterone to help the body get it back up naturally. Before we dive in to common reasons for a deficiency, lets talk about WHY it’s so important.

• Regulates the menstrual cycle: Progesterone helps regulate the menstrual cycle by preparing the uterine lining for potential implantation and maintaining it if pregnancy occurs.
• Balancing estrogen: It acts as a counterbalance to estrogen, helping to prevent estrogen dominance, which can lead to various health issues.
• Supporting mood and sleep: Progesterone’s influence on the central nervous system contributes to emotional well-being and restful sleep.
• Supports pregnancy: You cannot get & stay pregnant without an optimal level of progesterone.

 Here are some common factors contributing to low progesterone levels:

• Chronic Stress: High levels of stress can lead to an overproduction of cortisol, which can disrupt the delicate balance of sex hormones, including progesterone.
• Hormonal Imbalance: Hormonal imbalances, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or thyroid dysfunction, can affect the ovaries’ ability to produce progesterone. This imbalance is not the root cause, it is always one of the other reasons listed here..
• Nutritional Deficiencies: A diet lacking in essential nutrients like B vitamins, zinc, and magnesium can impair the body’s ability to produce and utilize progesterone.
• Estrogen Dominance: An excess of estrogen relative to progesterone can lead to low progesterone levels. This imbalance may result from exposure to xenoestrogens (synthetic chemicals that mimic estrogen) found in plastics, pesticides, and certain cosmetics.
• Poor Liver Function: The liver is responsible for metabolizing hormones, including estrogen and progesterone. If the liver is overloaded with toxins, it may struggle to adequately process these hormones.
• Gut infections, dysbiosis, etc: Hormones are primarily processed in the gut. If you have infections, yeast overgrowth, bacterial imbalances, or other issues going on it is very hard for hormones to function optimally. We look at this on the GI Map.
• Hormonal Birth Control: These impact progesterone levels while on the pill and for some time after getting off of it (time varies).
• Chronic Inflammation: Inflammation can disrupt hormone production and function, affecting progesterone levels. We look for this on the DUTCH & GI-Map tests.

Addressing Low Progesterone

Functional health focuses on addressing the root causes of health issues rather than just treating symptoms. When it comes to low progesterone, here are a few strategies can help:

• Stress Management: Incorporate stress-reduction techniques like meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises, and regular physical activity into your routine.
• Nutrient-Rich Diet: Consume a balanced diet rich in nutrients like B vitamins, zinc, and magnesium. We work with all our clients on customizing their diets based on their functional labs and detailed intake.
• Detoxify Your Environment: Reduce exposure to environmental toxins and xenoestrogens by using natural, non-toxic household products and consuming organic foods.
• Liver Support: Support liver health through a clean diet, hydration, and avoiding excessive alcohol and processed foods.

In our Fertility Functionally program we take the guesswork out of where to focus. We work with women on a full panel of functional labs, customized plans, and 1:1 support from a certified Functional Health Practitioner for the entire program. By addressing the root causes of low progesterone and other healing opportunities from a functional health perspective, women can work towards restoring hormonal balance and achieving a healthy pregnancy.