PROGESTERONE AND PMS

PMS is often times a symptom of low progesterone. But what causes low progesterone?

All of our steroid hormones like cortisol (stress hormone) and our sex hormones (progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, DHEA) are made from cholesterol. We start with cholesterol, and from cholesterol, the «mother hormone» pregnenolone is made, in which is a precursor to every sex hormone. When we are under high amounts of stress (stress can be physical, emotional and certain foods and food intolerances can also act as stressors) we will have a higher demand for cortisol which will make our bodies sacrifice the production of sex hormones, and rather make cortisol, (a phenomenon called pregnenolone steal) which will result in lower levels of the other hormones, like progesterone. Under normal circumstances, pregnenolone is converted into progesterone or DHEA, but when you are stressed, you will convert your pregnenolone to cortisol at the expense of progesterone, which gives you less progesterone, and more cortisol.

Progesterone is crucial for a number of different reasons and having too little affects women in a number of ways, like influencing their menstrual cycle and how it unfolds. Not having enough progesterone, because of the pregnenolone steal mentioned above, can cause PMS, a short luteal phase (in which again can make it harder to get pregnant or to maintain a pregnancy) and premenstrual spotting as well as other symptoms.

So if you are really stressed out, remember that your body will take your pregnenolone, and make cortisol of it, and because of that you won’t have enough progesterone in which helps you maintain good health, physically and mentally - as well as avoiding PMS.

So do you struggle with PMS? Having too little progesterone, causes PMS! How can you manage and soothe PMS? Make sure you have enough progesterone. How do you do that? Reduce stress. How do you reduce stress? Go for a walk out in nature, do yoga, meditate, breathe, sleep, take a epsom salt bath, paint, draw, have sex, journal, read. Whatever makes you present and calm.