Lara Briden - The Period Revolutionary
Leading the change to better periods and hormones
Progesterone is a beneficial hormone for mood, hair, and lightening periods. It has a natural anti-androgen effect and is different from the progestins of hormonal birth control.
There’s a lot going on in the luteal or premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle, including higher histamine and an increased requirement for sodium. And if you’ve been struggling with hormonal mood symptoms, the solution might be simpler than you think.
Check out episode 19 of my podcast, where I explore the luteal phase.
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Progesterone is a fascinating hormone. It’s calming, protective, metabolically active, and deeply responsive to its environment, especially estrogen and the nervous system. In the right context, it can be transformative for sleep, mood, heavy bleeding, and perimenopausal symptoms. In a not-quite-right context (for example, very high estrogen or inflammation), progesterone can feel strange or uncomfortable, especially at first.
There are two ways to have low progesterone, and understanding that difference is key to understanding your cycle. The first is an anovulatory cycle, when you don’t ovulate and therefore make no progesterone at all. The second is a short luteal phase, when you do ovulate, but your progesterone window is too brief, and the hormone never reaches its full potential.
Progesterone is not just a lab value. It’s a story told by your cycle, and one of the clearest ways to understand that story is to chart your basal body temperature or BBT.
When it comes to mood, progesterone is a paradox.
For most women, it’s soothing, thanks to its calming effect on the brain. But for some, it can trigger anxiety, irritability, or even rage. What’s going on?
💡 Also read: Troubleshooting progesterone and Top 6 natural treatments for premenstrual mood symptoms