Life saving might sound extreme, but if you knew that there was a hormone vital to helping:
Decrease inflammation (Chronic low grade inflammation is the underlying cause of many health issues)
Regulate immune function
Supports thyroid function (hello, metabolism)
Improve brain health
Maintain strong bones
And support healthy breast tissue
As you age, would you consider that life saving?
So what is progesterone?
Progesterone is a hormone that is only produced during ovulation.
Ovulation is around the middle of the cycle when a follicle bursts and releases an egg which travels to the uterus. After ovulation, this follicle that bursts (called the corpus luteum) secretes additional hormones like progesterone to help prepare the uterine lining for an embryo to implant.
However, that is one of the reproductive aspects of progesterone.
What most women do not know are two things:
1. You can have a period (or a monthly bleed) and not ovulate, meaning you do not produce progesterone. This is termed an anovulatory cycle.
2. And that a woman’s ability to ovulate is a sign of health and vitality during her fertile years. Outside of being on medication that hinders it, not ovulating is as much of a sign of something being off as skin issues, hair loss, or weight gain would be.
Normal ovulation during reproductive years is considered a sign of health due to the fact that it requires proper endocrine and gonadal function. Therefore, not ovulating during reproductive years is a sign that something isn’t right.
“Women benefit from 35-40 years of ovulatory cycles, not just for fertility, but also to prevent osteoporosis, stroke, dementia, heart disease, and breast cancer.” - Jerilynn Prior, Canadian Endocrinology Professor
How wild is that?
Women should view ovulation as putting an investment into their health retirement fund. Every time you ovulate, you are helping your body to age well and to prevent disease.
Ovulation of course is imperative for fertility, but it is, even more so, imperative for healthy aging as a woman.
Symptoms of low progesterone during fertile years include (outside of infertility): poor sleep, anxiety, depression, hot flashes, weight gain, low libido, headaches and migraines, breast tenderness, and PMS.
One of the top changes I’ve had clients report after supporting progesterone levels is less anxiety and a better mood. You’re not crazy, you just may not be ovulating.
What gets in the way of ovulation?
- Hormonal Birth Control Pills: The birth control pill stops ovulation. It is the means by which it prevents pregnancy; the pill shuts down communication between the brain and the ovaries
- This prevents progesterone from being released, and in addition, there is no progesterone in birth control pills - the hormones in birth control pills are completely different than those created by the body
- Compared to women who cycle, women who take birth control pills have altered brain structure, a greater risk for depression, and a greater risk for autoimmune disorders.
- Excessive Stress in Any Form: Losing ovulation and periods is often linked to the brain sensing it is not a safe environment for pregnancy. This can be interpreted from any form of stressor: not eating enough food, or carbohydrates in particular.
- There must be an adequate energy balance for ovulation to occur, meaning, if there is too much energy being utilized on workouts and not enough food intake, this balance would be compromised. On the same hand, if there is an inadequate amount of food coming in (even without excessive workouts) the body will not find it’s a safe time for ovulation.
- Stress can also come in the form of anything perceived as stress, such as work, relationships, etc. Stress can also be anything we don’t acknowledge as stress, though the brain does perceive it as stress, such as, imbalanced blood sugar levels, inflammation, poor sleep, a sedentary lifestyle, toxic elements, etc.
- PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome): This hormonal imbalance that is marked by excessive androgen and testosterone levels can cause cycles without ovulation.
- A hallmark aspect to PCOS is insulin resistance. PCOS is, at its heart, insulin resistance of the ovaries. Reversing insulin resistance is completely possible with diet, movement, and lifestyle changes.
What about during peri-menopause or menopause?
During peri-menopause, the 10 or so years leading up to menopause, progesterone levels can start to decline as cycles without ovulation become more and more prevalent.
However, it is still possible to support your body to make progesterone or to support your body to not make progesterone during this time! What determines which camp you are in? Your habits around nutrition, lifestyle, movement, and stress.
That’s why health and wellness approaches that help women decrease stress and maintain sustainable balance can be life changing. (Need help, click here for a free consult on how to do so.)
Then, after menopause, there is no more progesterone created as cycles have fully come to an end and there is no more ovulation.
For women in this stage of life, my advice would be to implement habits that support stable blood sugar and decrease inflammation (as progesterone is not present to help you do so). And, if you are considering using supplementing estrogen, consider the need for supplemental progesterone instead or in addition.
Our body during our fertile years needs a proper ratio of estrogen to progesterone, and the hyper fixation of estrogen support during menopause is quite flawed in my opinion. However, it is just a perpetuation of the lack of education and support of progesterone during fertile years. If you have gone through menopause and you are pursuing hormonal therapy, keep progesterone in mind, as well.
Whatever your current stage of life, know that your body will always respond best to simple habits that fuel your body, rather than starve it. If you need help, apply to join Wellness in Bloom today.
