Progesterone And Weight Fluctuation: What’s The Connection?

Progesterone is a sex hormone that plays an important role in women’s health. It’s responsible for preparing the body for pregnancy, regulating blood sugar, and managing the menstrual cycle. Abnormal levels can have side effects like weight fluctuations.

I often talk with my patients about obstacles to maintaining a healthy weight. Weight changes can happen with various health problems, but progesterone and hormonal imbalances do matter in many cases.

Does Progesterone Make You Gain Weight?

Progesterone, a hormone produced in your ovaries with help from your adrenal glands, can contribute to weight gain if levels are too low or too high. Low levels of progesterone, in particular, are associated with high body mass index (BMI). (1) How that works exactly can vary by person.

Progesterone impacts feelings of hunger, cravings, and satiety. (2) If those feelings are dysregulated, your eating habits may lead to weight gain. Progesterone regulates your metabolism. If you don’t have enough, your metabolism can slow down, and you’ll burn fewer calories.

The hormone also impacts body weight through its interaction with estrogen. If either progesterone or estrogen levels are out of balance, you can see impacts on fat distribution and your metabolism, plus symptoms like bloating from water retention and fatigue. (3)

Balancing hormones is just one piece of the weight loss puzzle. If you feel like you’ve tried it all and still struggle with underlying issues, The Metabolic Recharge is a 90-day reset of your metabolic health. You can have results that last.

Symptoms You May Experience

Low progesterone levels can lead to stubborn weight gain and interfere with different parts of your systemic health, including mental and sexual health.

If you have any of the following additional symptoms, low progesterone, estrogen dominance, or other underlying hormone imbalances may be to blame:

• Irregular periods
• Abnormal PMS symptoms
• Low libido
• Hot flashes
• Acne
• Migraines
• Frequent headaches
• Mood swings
• Anxiety, depression
• Irritability
• Trouble sleeping
• Infertility

High progesterone levels are less common than low progesterone and are usually the result of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or contraception like birth control pills. If you have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), you may produce less progesterone but require more of it. (4, 5)

Remember, your sex hormones typically fluctuate most around pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause. If you’re experiencing any of these life events, talk to your doctor about maintaining healthy progesterone during PMS and pregnancy and managing progesterone after menopause.

Get Your Hormone Levels Tested

Testing your progesterone levels is the first step to knowing whether you’re dealing with a hormonal imbalance.

A healthcare professional will start with a comprehensive health history to uncover potential root causes of abnormal progesterone levels. An imbalance of progesterone can be caused by chronic stress, age, lack of ovulation, thyroid hormone problems, and nutrient deficiencies.

Blood, saliva, and urine labs can test progesterone levels more concretely. In functional medicine, we like saliva testing for a precise picture of hormone levels over a longer period of time. It can also measure the ratio of progesterone to estrogen.

Blood tests can be helpful to measure progesterone levels during a specific point of menstruation, while urine tests can measure overall hormone metabolites. The best testing method for you depends on your unique needs and symptoms.

LISTEN: Hormone Hacks, Adaptogens, Menstrual Cycle Balance + Best Exercises For Adrenals & Cortisol (Ask Me Anything!)

Key Strategies For Supporting Hormone Health

Thankfully, there are ways to naturally boost progesterone benefits and promote healthy hormone levels. While you may need more targeted support, you can easily implement these tips into your daily routine without a complete lifestyle overhaul.

Increase Your Intake Of Healthy Fats

Eating more fats might seem like the opposite of what you should do when you’re struggling with losing weight, but healthy fats are essential to hormone synthesis. Increase your dietary fat intake if you are struggling with losing weight.

Here’s how it works: Cholesterol is responsible for synthesizing pregnenolone so your body can produce progesterone. (6) Regular consumption of healthy fats can then help increase progesterone levels and help put you on the path to a healthy weight. (7)

Here are my favorite healthy fats:

• Avocados
• Olive oil
• Seafood (shellfish and fatty fish)
• Raw nuts
• Seeds (chia and flaxseed)
• Whole eggs
• Yogurt

Get Quality Rest

Sleep is essential for your body’s hormone production. (8) Aim to get 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night to improve your overall well-being and support healthy progesterone production and healthy levels of melatonin.

If you’re starting with bad habits, cultivate routines that improve your sleep hygiene. Limit screen time in the hours before bedtime. Try blackout curtains if light pollution is an issue. Incorporate habits like meditation, listening to music, or warm showers to reduce stress.

Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise has been shown to help regulate hormone levels, including progesterone and androgens, thanks to its effects on stress and insulin resistance. (9) If you’re new to a regular exercise routine, daily walks, light strength training, and low-impact yoga are gentle ways to start.

It’s important not to overdo it when you’re working to balance your hormones. (10) Over-exercising can boost cortisol levels, disrupt your menstrual cycle, and suppress progesterone production. Support any new routine with solid rest and nutrition.

Reduce Stress

Chronic stress and high cortisol levels can disrupt the delicate balance of hormones in the body, including inhibiting progesterone production. Too much cortisol can also disrupt your menstrual cycle, cause adrenal fatigue, worsen symptoms of PMS, and contribute to belly fat. (11)

Ignoring chronic stress can make it harder for your body to bounce back following hormonal shifts. Incorporate stress reduction techniques like meditation, yoga, spending time outside, and breathwork to lower stress levels and support healthy hormone balance.

Take Certain Supplements

There are several dietary supplements that can support your journey to healthy hormones and boost the effects of progesterone. My favorites include:

• Magnesium: Studies have found that adequate magnesium levels are beneficial to avoiding low progesterone, regulating cortisol, and reducing PMS symptoms. (12)
• Vitamin B6: This vitamin is necessary for estrogen metabolism, ovarian cycle function, and keeping progesterone levels in check. (13)
• Vitamin C: Studies have found that supplementing with Vitamin C was able to increase progesterone levels by 77% on top of its effects on oxidative stress. (14)
• Zinc: Zinc supports healthy ovulation and progesterone production thanks to its effects on insulin sensitivity, lipid profiles, and menstrual cycles. (15)
• Chaste tree berry: A popular supplement for balancing progesterone, chasteberry has been shown to boost low progesterone production. (16)

Try Seed Cycling

Seed cycling is a practice that supports overall hormonal balance and a more regular menstrual cycle. (17) It involves eating specific seeds during each phase of a woman’s cycle to target any imbalances using the nutritional components of each seed.

You already know I love seeds for their healthy fat content. Consuming sesame and sunflower seeds during the luteal phase (days 15-28 of your cycle) is believed to support progesterone production at that time.

We’re still learning about all of seed cycling's benefits for hormonal health, but at the very least, you’ll become more connected to your body and its cycles. Seeds are also important to a well-balanced diet, a key component of addressing hormonal imbalances.

Hitting The Reset Button

While you very well may be dealing with low progesterone, it’s important to take a holistic approach to hormonal health. A whole-body approach is the best way to get to the root cause of why your hormones are out of balance.

If you’re ready to take the next step toward better hormonal health and overall wellness, schedule a telehealth consultation today. We'll take a look at every aspect of your health to uncover the most sustainable path toward hormonal balance.