Have you been experiencing any frustrating symptoms such as weight gain, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, and brain fog? These are all clear indicators that your body is out of whack!
While these symptoms can be triggered by other causes, progesterone imbalance is usually at the root.
The most common causes of progesterone imbalance I see in pre-menopausal women are common lifestyle factors - exposure to environmental estrogens, stress, and over-exercise. Men are not safe from this hormonal change. As men age, testosterone begins to decline, estrogen levels gradually rise and progesterone levels nose dive. Which can mean they'll also experience these symptoms.
Causes of Progesterone Imbalances
Environmental Toxins
Xenoestrogens (chemicals that mimic estrogen) are in our environment and foods more than ever before. They cause the body to perceive higher estrogen levels and require more progesterone to balance it out. Found in plastics, perfumes, personal care, household products and synthetic hormones like oral contraceptives.
Stress (from work, relationships, finances, kids, traffic...)
Many of us feel stressed and tired, plummeting our progesterone levels. When our stress hormone cortisol spikes, it blocks progesterone receptors and limits the production and activity of progesterone. PLUS… progesterone is leached away to make more cortisol leaving you depleted in progesterone. This in turn makes it harder to deal with stress - further depleting your progesterone!
Over-Exercise
Often I see patients (men and women) working out extremely hard and doing hours of cardio (think HIIT), which results in hormonal systems that are out of whack. Moderate exercise is KEY for optimal hormone function and progesterone balance. Ideally focus on resistance training and moderate cardio sessions at 30-45 minutes, four to five times a week. Keep high intensity sessions to a minimum and short.
Hypothyroidism
If you have an underactive thyroid it is difficult for your body to make progesterone.
Vitamin deficiency
Vitamin B6 is important for hormone regulation so if you are low in this vitamin, your body may have difficulty regulating hormones like progesterone.
Perimenopause
As we enter perimenopause, progesterone is the first hormone to decline. Estrogen levels also eventually decline, but not as quickly or as steadily as progesterone.
Symptoms of progesterone imbalance
Irregular menstrual cycles
The most common symptom of low progesterone levels is irregular menstrual cycles. Symptoms during menstrual cycles can also be worse and you may experience heavy bleeding, more intense mood swings, anxiety and depression.
Fatigue
Low progesterone levels can cause difficulty sleeping and can contribute to overall feelings of fatigue
Pregnancy difficulties
Low progesterone also makes it difficult to become pregnant and can result in pregnancy loss if you do become pregnant.
Bloating
Progesterone has a calming effect on the digestive system and is a natural diuretic, but when levels are too low, this can result in water retention and bloating.
Weight gain
Progesterone helps your body to metabolize fat so low levels, especially when estrogen is high will lead to fat storage, particularly around the belly. Progesterone imbalances can also lead to thyroid hormone imbalances, blood sugar imbalances and insulin resistance. All of these can lead to weight gain.
What can you do
Decline of progesterone levels during perimenopause is natural, but if you’re experiencing progesterone imbalances before that there are things you can do.
Include the following foods in your diet:
Beans
broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables
Nuts
Spinach
Practice stress reduction methods
Exercise a healthy amount - not too much, but not too little
Avoid environmental toxins by
choosing organic foods,
limiting plastic packaging of foods and cosmetics
Avoid synthetic progesterone (progestin). This type of hormone replacement can cause many of the side effects you are looking to avoid.
How I can help
As a holistic nutritionist, I focus on the root cause of your symptoms. This may be due to a hormone imbalance like progesterone. I can provide you with eating plans and lifestyle advice that will help to balance your progesterone levels so you can get rid of your frustrating symptoms.
Warm wishes,
Vicki Witt | Clinical Nutritionist | Holistic Coach | Reiki Master | Certified LEAP allergy therapist Over 25 years of successfully helping you achieve optimal health and weight loss 🍏| www.vickiwittweightloss.com
About Vicki:
Vicki Witt is a Clinical Nutritionist, Holistic Health Coach, and Reiki Master. She has been practicing over 25 years and specializes in holistically customizing diet and lifestyle plans to each individual for weight loss and hormonal control. Her clientele often report they feel the best they have ever felt and wish they had started sooner. One of the USA and Australia's top Nutritionists, she has won multiple awards for her services in the industry.
Certified and Registered Nutritionist
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