Foods to Increase Progesterone Naturally
When it comes to women's health, progesterone plays a vital role in regulating hormones. It’s important in ensuring a healthy menstrual cycle and healthy pregnancies.
There are many causes of low progesterone that we will discuss more later in this post. Knowing which foods provide your body with the proper nutrients and minerals to support healthy progesterone levels is essential.
After experiencing two heartbreaking miscarriages, I was diagnosed with endometriosis.
Endometriosis is a common condition that affects 1 in 10 women. It can lead to fertility issues, pelvic pain, and other unpleasant symptoms.
Many women with endometriosis don’t have enough progesterone. This can make it difficult to become pregnant. In my case, my low progesterone levels contributed to two miscarriages in early pregnancy.
Even though this was heartbreaking, I'm thankful for the knowledge and understanding of my body that came from this experience. I’m also glad I can share my experiences to help other women.
This blog post explores some of the top food sources that can help you balance your hormones and support progesterone levels. We will also explore other factors besides diet that can help support higher progesterone levels.
The information in this blog post will help you make more informed decisions about your body.
My hope is that other women who find themselves in a similar situation as me, as an endometriosis and miscarriage survivor, will be able to take control of their health.
This post may contain affiliate links, for which I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Please read my full policy.
Table of Contents
What is Progesterone?
Your corpus luteum and adrenal glands produce the hormone progesterone. Progesterone is the primary hormone in the second half of your menstrual cycle.
Progesterone helps with ovulation, stimulating the release of an egg when it’s most fertile for conception.
Another role of progesterone is that it helps make your uterus a healthy environment for a developing fetus. When the uterine lining is healthy, it allows a fertilized egg to implant in your uterus.
Progesterone is an essential hormone produced by a woman's body. It plays a critical role in regulating menstrual cycles and preparing the body for a healthy pregnancy. Progesterone can also impact the thyroid hormone, a key player in reproductive health.
When progesterone levels are too low, this can cause complications such as infertility or recurrent miscarriages. Progesterone also helps maintain a healthy balance of other hormones like estrogen. Progesterone and estrogen are both sex hormones.
Low progesterone can also cause a luteal phase defect. This is a condition that affects women's ovulation cycle. It can make becoming pregnant difficult.
What Causes Low Levels of Progesterone Levels?
Low progesterone levels can have a variety of causes, including lifestyle factors and certain medical conditions.
Poor diet and lack of exercise can affect hormones, causing lower-than-normal progesterone levels. High stress levels are another factor that can lead to decreased progesterone production.
Other medical conditions can also cause you to have less progesterone. These medical conditions include:
Obesity
Endometriosis
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Thyroid dysfunction
Anorexia
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Estrogen Dominance
Estrogen dominance is a common cause of low progesterone levels in women. Women with estrogen dominance have too much estrogen relative to progesterone and hormonal imbalances.
This can lead to symptoms such as PMS, irregular menstrual cycles, and infertility. Estrogen dominance is often caused by too little progesterone production. It’s also often caused by increased environmental hormones that mimic the effects of estrogen. To combat this problem, reducing exposure to environmental estrogens is important.
It’s also important to increase the intake of foods that reduce excess estrogen, which will, in turn, support the body’s natural progesterone production. We will discuss these foods in more detail later in this post.
Taking steps like this can help restore healthy hormone balance and ease the symptoms caused by estrogen dominance.
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What are Some of the Symptoms of Low Progesterone?
Low progesterone levels can have many side effects, both physical and mental.
Some physical side effects women may experience include:
Irregular periods
Heavy periods
Frequent miscarriages
Infertility
Breast tenderness
Hot flashes
Acne
Lower libido
Weight gain
Fatigue
Other PMS symptoms
Mentally, women can suffer from depression, anxiety, or mood swings due to decreased progesterone levels. In some cases, these symptoms can become serious if left untreated.
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Is Progesterone Actually in Foods?
Although progesterone isn't found directly in food sources, some foods can help support the body's natural production of the hormone and balance estrogen levels.
Eating a nutrient-rich diet is key for women's health and fertility.
Eating foods high in vitamins and minerals can support the production of hormones like progesterone and help regulate ovulation.
Foods with anti-inflammatory properties, like leafy greens, may also help to balance hormone levels.
Increasing fiber intake can also be beneficial for maintaining healthy hormone levels. Many of the foods we will discuss in this post are excellent sources of fiber.
A nourishing diet is one of the best ways to support healthy progesterone levels.
Certain nutrients aid in supporting healthy progesterone production.
Zinc and magnesium, for example, are essential minerals that help balance hormones. Magnesium also helps regulate your pituitary gland, which plays a vital role in hormonal balance.
Omega-3 fatty acids can improve fertility and enhance progesterone levels. Eating foods containing iron, vitamin B6, and certain types of vitamin E can help support progesterone production in the body.
Foods to Increase Progesterone Naturally
Leafy greens
Leafy green vegetables are excellent for supporting healthy progesterone levels.
These foods are good sources of vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins.
Eating these nutrients can help with regulating progesterone. Leafy greens like spinach and kale contain high folate levels, which further help support progesterone levels.
Including plenty of leafy greens in your diet is a great way to ensure that your body has the nutrients it needs to maintain a healthy hormone balance.
Omega 3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential part of maintaining healthy progesterone levels. They are also crucial for your health in general.
Eating foods rich in omega-3s can help balance hormones and support progesterone production.
Some of these foods include:
In addition to the foods above, you can take an Omega-3 supplement. I love this one by Deva because it’s vegan, so it’s not made with fish oil!
There are many easy ways to incorporate these nutritious ingredients into your diet!
Start your day by adding ground flaxseed to smoothies, oatmeal, or cereal. You can also sprinkle chopped walnuts over salads or add them to your oatmeal.
Try your hand at making chia seed pudding! You can even use hemp seeds as a crunchy garnish in soups.
You can also grind the seeds and add them to sauces for flavor and texture!
Omega 3s can reduce inflammation, which can help to stabilize hormone levels.
Incorporating omega-3 fatty acids into your diet is important to achieving healthy hormone balance.
Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are a great source of many essential nutrients that can help support healthy progesterone levels.
Walnuts, in particular, are high in zinc which plays a vital role in progesterone production and regulation. Sunflower seeds are also a good source of zinc.
Pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds contain high magnesium levels, which is necessary for the body to produce and regulate progesterone.
Sunflower seeds can easily be added to salads, yogurts, and cereals for a tasty burst of flavor.
Pumpkin seeds are a great crunchy snack that can also be used in bread, salads, and veggie dishes for extra texture.
For something even more versatile, try adding a sprinkle of sesame seeds over any dish or even toast them for an extra layer of flavor.
Eating nuts and seeds regularly can provide your body with the vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds it needs to maintain a healthy hormone balance.
Related: Vegan and Plant-Based Recipes
Whole grains
Whole grains like quinoa, buckwheat, oats, and brown rice can be excellent sources of nutrition. These foods can help support progesterone levels in women.
Quinoa is high in magnesium and zinc. These are both essential for the body to produce and regulate progesterone.
Brown rice is a source of lignans, which have been shown to affect progesterone production.
Oats are high in lignans, which are plant-based compounds that have been linked to healthy progesterone and overall hormone balance.
Beans and Legumes
Beans and legumes like black beans, chickpeas, and lentils are excellent sources of nutrition that can help support healthy progesterone levels in women.
When buying canned beans and lentils, it is best to get those with BPA-free lining.
Black beans are a great source of zinc and fiber, which are essential for the body to produce and regulate progesterone.
Chickpeas contain a phytochemical called isoflavones that may improve hormone balance and reduce inflammation associated with estrogen dominance.
Lentils are rich in lignans, which have been found to influence progesterone production.
Incorporating black beans, chickpeas, and lentils into your diet can be easy and practical.
For example, you can add them to salads, soups, burgers, pasta sauces, tacos, stews, and casseroles for an extra boost of flavor and nutrition!
Folate-rich foods
Folate-rich foods such as broccoli, avocado, sweet potato, and asparagus can provide a variety of essential nutrients that can help support natural progesterone levels in women.
Broccoli is rich in folate and zinc, which are necessary components for the body to produce and regulate progesterone.
Avocado contains oleic acid, a type of healthy fat that has been found to balance hormones.
Zinc-rich foods
Foods such as cashews are an excellent source of zinc, which is essential for the body to regulate progesterone.
Cashews also contain healthy fats that help support hormone balance and reduce inflammation associated with excess estrogen.
Besides cashews, you can eat other foods rich in zinc, like legumes, whole grains, and dark chocolate (like cocoa powder).
There are plenty of plant sources of zinc for those who are vegan or plant-based!
Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables such as kale, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower are essential for healthy progesterone levels.
These vegetables contain high amounts of phytoestrogens and antioxidant compounds that support natural progesterone production. They also help to reduce inflammation in the body.
Eating cruciferous vegetables daily is a great way to give your body the nutrients it needs for healthy hormone levels.
Vitamin C Rich Foods
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for many body processes, including healthy progesterone levels. It helps to regulate hormones. Vitamin C also helps maintain ovarian health and helps keep your menstrual cycles regular.
To ensure optimal levels of vitamin C, it is recommended to eat foods such as citrus fruits, broccoli, tomatoes, bell peppers, and leafy greens daily.
75 mg of vitamin C is the minimum recommended daily amount. Vitamin C works best when it is obtained from food sources rather than supplements.
If you do want to take a vitamin C supplement to ensure you are getting the recommended daily amount, it’s best to go with a whole-food supplement like this one.
What About Progesterone Cream?
Women often use synthetic progesterone creams to increase progesterone levels. Especially when it comes to trying to get pregnant and stay pregnant.
But it's important to remember to speak with a healthcare provider before using any progesterone supplements.
The foods and tips listed in this post are natural ways to support progesterone levels and have the added bonus of improving your overall health!
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What else can I do to Support Healthy Progesterone Levels?
Making lifestyle changes can also help regulate hormones and enhance progesterone production.
Some of these lifestyle changes include:
Reducing stress (this will help reduce cortisol levels). Meditation is a great way to relieve stress. I love the meditations from Circle & Bloom. They have meditations for everything from fertility with PCOS to miscarriage support!
Maintaining a healthy weight
Getting adequate sleep
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While exercise helps to support healthy progesterone levels, it’s important not to overexercise.
It’s always good to try these natural methods first. But if you have any concerns or questions about your progesterone levels or other health conditions, always speak with a doctor.
To maintain healthy hormone levels, it's also important to be mindful of environmental factors affecting hormone levels.
This includes avoiding known hormone-disrupting chemicals such as BPA and phthalates. BPA is found in plastics and packaging materials. Phthalates are found in personal care and household cleaning products.
Making conscious efforts to buy items marked BPA-free or phthalate-free is an easy way to reduce exposure to these chemicals.
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Eating organic produce and limiting the use of pesticides can also help keep your hormones in balance.
Conclusion
If you're struggling with fertility or hormone-related health concerns, know that you're not alone. As a certified holistic health coach with personal experience dealing with endometriosis and multiple miscarriages, I understand the challenges that you're facing.
That's why I offer personalized hormone and fertility coaching programs designed to help you achieve optimal health and well-being. If you're ready to take control of your health and embark on a journey toward improved fertility and hormone balance, I invite you to sign up for a free support call.
During our call, we can discuss your unique health concerns, explore how my coaching program can help you overcome your challenges, and determine if we can work together.
Don't let your health concerns hold you back from living the life you deserve. Sign up for your free support call today, and let's start your journey toward optimal fertility and hormone balance.
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