Progesterone Enhancing Foods for Fertility
The foods you eat can have an impactful role in your egg freezing journey. In particular, foods that raise progesterone naturally can support your reproductive health. They can also raise your chances of success during the egg freezing process.
Progesterone is a hormone that is essential for conception and maintaining early pregnancy. It also supports the development of mature eggs.
While no single food can boost progesterone, eating a healthy, balanced diet can support your overall hormonal health. In this article, we explore various progesterone-rich foods. We’ll also offer lifestyle tips to further your efforts. But let’s start with the basics.
What is Progesterone?
Progesterone is a hormone that your ovaries produce after ovulation occurs. Your body makes progesterone primarily in the corpus luteum, which forms from the follicle that released an egg.
During a typical cycle, progesterone levels rise dramatically after ovulation. This hormone surge prepares your uterus for a potential pregnancy. If pregnancy doesn’t occur, progesterone levels drop, triggering your menstrual period. This monthly rise and fall creates the natural rhythm of your reproductive cycle.
Progesterone works closely with estrogen to maintain hormonal balance. Estrogen works to build up the uterine lining during the first half of your cycle. Meanwhile, progesterone maintains and stabilizes it during the second half.
Your adrenal glands also produce small amounts of progesterone. During pregnancy, the placenta becomes the primary source of progesterone.
It’s worth noting, however, that progesterone naturally declines with age. This is particularly true after menopause, when ovulation stops.
What Does Progesterone Help With?
Progesterone supports many aspects of reproductive and overall health, including:
- Menstrual cycle regulation: Progesterone ensures your cycles stay regular and predictable. It controls the length of your luteal phase and signals when menstruation should begin. Without enough progesterone, cycles can become irregular or unpredictable.
- Uterine lining preparation: Progesterone thickens the uterine lining, which helps provide everything a developing embryo needs during early pregnancy.
- Maintaining pregnancy: Once conception occurs, progesterone prevents the uterine lining from shedding. It also relaxes uterine muscles to prevent early contractions that could threaten pregnancy.
- Mood stability: Progesterone has calming effects on the brain and nervous system. Balanced levels can help reduce anxiety and promote better sleep.
- Temperature regulation: Progesterone causes a slight rise in body temperature after ovulation. This temperature shift is one way to confirm that ovulation has occurred and progesterone production has begun.
Symptoms of Low Progesterone
But what happens if you don’t have enough of this hormone? What is low progesterone? Low progesterone means your body isn’t making enough to support your cycle or pregnancy. As a result, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Weight gain
- Heavy menstrual bleeding
- Difficulties getting pregnant
- Depression and/or anxiety
- Reduced libido
- Headaches
- Other irregularities in the menstrual cycle (such as shorter or lighter periods and spotting)
Progesterone and Pregnancy
Progesterone is essential for achieving and maintaining pregnancy. During early pregnancy, this hormone prevents your uterine lining from shedding. It also keeps the environment stable for your developing baby. Low progesterone levels, however, can lead to difficulty conceiving or early pregnancy loss.
Progesterone and IVF
During an IVF cycle, medications often suppress your body’s natural hormone production. In turn, your ovaries may not produce enough progesterone after the embryo transfer.
This means that most IVF protocols include progesterone supplementation. These supplements or medications help prepare the uterine lining for implantation. Often, progesterone support starts before or on the day of embryo transfer.
If pregnancy occurs, progesterone support usually continues through the first trimester. In some cases, progesterone may be continued until the placenta takes over hormone production, which usually takes place around 10-12 weeks.
How to Boost Progesterone Levels Naturally
Your body needs specific nutrients to create progesterone efficiently. And these building blocks come from the food you eat.
Foods to Help Progesterone
It’s worth noting that no single food contains progesterone. Instead, certain nutrients can support your body’s ability to produce this important hormone. Some nutrients that are essential for progesterone production include:
- Magnesium: This nutrient helps convert cholesterol into progesterone and supports healthy ovulation.
- Zinc: This mineral supports the enzymes needed for hormone production. This mineral also helps regulate your menstrual cycle and supports healthy ovulation.
- B vitamins: Vitamin B6 specifically supports progesterone production. Other B vitamins also work together to support energy production and stress management.
- Vitamin C: This vitamin works to support the corpus luteum.
- Healthy Fats: Your body uses cholesterol as the base to make progesterone. Omega-3 fatty acids further support hormone balance and help reduce inflammation.
You may be wondering what to eat to increase progesterone. In the next section, we look at what foods you should consider incorporating into your diet.
Examples of Progesterone Enhancing Foods
Various whole foods can support your hormonal health, including progesterone production. Here are the foods, in particular, that can support this vital hormone.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds provide zinc and magnesium, which are important for progesterone support. Try snacking on almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds. Adding these to smoothies or using them as toppings for yogurt and oatmeal bowls can also be a great choice.
Whole Grains
Fiber-rich grains help your body eliminate excess estrogen. When it comes to the menstrual cycle, it’s a delicate balance between estrogen and progesterone. Too much estrogen can hinder progesterone’s effects. Yet, whole grains with plenty of fiber can help, such as:
- Quinoa
- Brown rice
- Oats
- Whole wheat bread
Cruciferous Vegetables
These vegetables help your liver process and eliminate excess hormones, including estrogen. As a result, they can support balanced hormones. Add broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, and cabbage to your diet.
Healthy Fats
Your body uses cholesterol from healthy fats as the building block for all hormones, including progesterone. Consider regularly incorporating avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, and fatty fish (like salmon) into your meals.
Lentils and Beans
Legumes provide plant-based protein and B vitamins that support hormone synthesis throughout your cycle. Black beans, chickpeas, lentils, and kidney beans are excellent sources of these nutrients.
Foods to Avoid
While some foods can support progesterone production, others can hinder it. Common culprits include processed foods, alcohol, and caffeine.
Processed Foods
Highly processed foods often contain additives and preservatives that can disrupt progesterone production. Thus, it’s best to limit packaged snacks, fast food, sugary treats, and frozen meals. Additionally, if a packaged item has a long list of ingredients you don’t understand, it probably isn’t the best choice.
Caffeine
Excessive caffeine can interfere with sleep and increase stress hormones, which can affect progesterone levels. Consider reducing coffee, energy drinks, and caffeinated sodas. It’s also important to avoid caffeine in the afternoon, as this can also interfere with sleep.
Alcohol
Alcohol can impair your liver’s ability to process hormones effectively and disrupt sleep patterns. For optimal progesterone support, limit wine, beer, and spirits.
Other Ways to Raise Progesterone Naturally
Beyond food, you can also support progesterone naturally through other lifestyle choices. These include maintaining a healthy weight, sleeping well, and managing stress.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Both being underweight and overweight can disrupt hormone production and ovulation patterns. Focus on gradual, sustainable changes if you want to lose or gain weight. This may involve focusing on balanced eating and regular physical activity. Avoid extreme dieting approaches, as these often cause hormonal issues.
Get Enough Sleep
Quality sleep is essential for overall health, including hormonal health. Poor or irregular sleep can disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis, which in turn can affect ovulation and thus progesterone production. Research further indicates that poor sleep can disrupt reproductive function.
Aim for seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night. To help with this, try creating a relaxing bedtime routine. This might include turning off electronic devices an hour or two before bed, reading, taking a warm bath, meditating, or practicing deep breathing.
Reduce Stress
When you’re stressed, your body makes more cortisol. This can use up resources needed to produce progesterone, causing progesterone levels to drop. Thus, managing stress can be a great way to naturally boost progesterone levels. Some ways to do this may include:
- Relaxation techniques
- Learning to say “no”
- Taking time for yourself
- Exercising regularly
- Writing in a journal
- Talking to a friend
- Listening to calming music
- Practicing gratitude
Supporting your progesterone levels takes time and consistency. The benefits go beyond fertility and improve overall health. If you’re considering egg freezing, boosting progesterone naturally may also help your chances of success.
Ready to take the next step in your fertility journey? Curious about preserving your future fertility? Talk to an EVOLVE nurse today to learn more about the egg freezing process.
References
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24613-low-progesterone
