How to increase progesterone levels naturally
De-stress. If you are chronically stressed and have your cortisol going in overdrive your progesterone levels are at stake. Cortisol production competes with progesterone production.
How is your cholesterol? Nope, I’m not wondering if your cholesterol is too high. If your cholesterol levels are too low you may not be making enough pregnenolone, which is used to make progesterone. Try eating farm eggs and grass-fed butter.
Healthy adrenals help. They house a steroid DHEA, that is essential in the production of progesterone. One way to help foster adrenal health is by working with natural circadian rhythms. Try to get to sleep earlier (like by 10 at the latest) and get up earlier.
Vitamins and minerals. Vitamin B6 is essential to forming a good corpus luteum, which is your big progesterone producer. Magnesium is important to break down excess estrogens, so making sure you have good levels of magnesium can help the balance of estrogen and progesterone. Vitamin C is proven to help raise progesterone levels. Keep in mind that the first way to get in the nutrition you need is through good food, not supplements.
Eat organically. This is to help minimize exposure to estrogen, which, if out of balance with progesterone, will give you the same symptoms as a progesterone deficiency. Particularly make sure your animal products are organic.
Herbs. Turmeric, thyme, and oregano are all thought to help raise progesterone levels. Vitex (chasteberry) is known to help balance hormones overall. Though, this reportedly kills libido in some women and would be the last on the list of things to try!