What Is Progesterone And What Does It Do
Progesterone is a primary female sex hormone that helps prepare your body for pregnancy. During the luteal phase of your cycle immediately following ovulation, progesterone spikes to help maintain the lining of your uterus and make it easier for a fertilized egg to implant itself and initiate pregnancy. However, if pregnancy doesnt occur, progesterone immediately drops to trigger the beginning of menstruation.
In the case of pregnancy though, progesterone continues to stay high in order to provide a healthy environment for the fetus to thrive and develop properly.
Progesterone works hand-in-hand with estrogen. The ratio of the three forms of estrogen estrone , estradiol , estriol is important for womens overall hormone balance. Women also need healthy progesterone levels to keep estrogen balanced. This is because progesterone helps balance and neutralize the effects of too much estrogen. Without proper progesterone levels, estrogen becomes out of control, also known as estrogen dominance.
Needless to say, when one hormone is out of balance, it increases your chances of further hormone imbalances. Achieving healthy progesterone balance is the first step to overall healthy female hormones and your overall health! In fact, progesterone is necessary for thyroid hormone health, brain function, strong bones, balanced mood, and a fast metabolism.
Testosterone In Women: The Basics
You may be wondering why women would want to naturally boost their testosterone, since this sex hormone is commonly associated with men. But you might be surprised to hear that slightly boosting your testosterone levels as a woman can improve your overall health and quality of life.
Testosterone isnt just a hormone that men need women also need this sex hormone to improve energy levels, muscular function, and their sex drive. With a healthy level of natural testosterone, you will experience several benefits.
A natural testosterone boost using these supplements will give you a small raise in T-levels to improve your health without going over the top or becoming a she hulk. Some more benefits of healthy testosterone levels for women include:
- Supports energy, endurance and stamina
- Assists in maintaining muscle mass and increasing muscle gains
- Improves libido and sex drive
- Boosts metabolism
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Minimize Stress And Cortisol Levels
Research often highlights the dangers of long-term stress, which can elevate levels of the hormone cortisol .
Sudden elevations in cortisol can quickly reduce testosterone. These hormones often work in a seesaw-like manner: As one goes up, the other comes down .
Stress and high cortisol can also increase food intake, weight gain, and the storage of harmful body fat around your organs. In turn, these changes may negatively affect testosterone levels (
To maintain healthy levels of vitamin D, try to get regular exposure to sunlight or consider taking a vitamin D3 supplement as directed by a healthcare professional.
Summary
Some studies have found that low levels of vitamin D could be associated with decreased testosterone levels. However, more research is needed to determine whether supplementation may be beneficial.
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Take Dhea To Increase Testosterone
The steroid hormone known as âdehydroepiandrosterone, DHEAâ, plays an important role in sexual behavior, mental health and muscle growth. Your body uses this hormone to make sex steroids. Thus, taking a DHEA supplement should increase your circulating testosterone. A 2018 paper in the International Journal of Sports Medicine explored this possibility in athletic women.
The subjects took a 100 mg dose of DHEA each day for four weeks. This protocol caused a dramatic increase in the women’s testosterone levels by the end of the study. Athletes often use DHEA because it allegedly fights aging and improves performance. This experiment, however, failed to find a performance-enhancing effect of DHEA.
âRead more:â Menstruation & DHEA
Causes Of A Hormonal Imbalance
There are lots of different possible causes of a hormonal imbalance. It depends on which hormones or glands are affected in the body. Some common causes of a hormonal imbalance include medications, cancer treatments, eating disorders, stress, injury or trauma, hormone therapy, and more. Additionally, conditions such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, Cushing syndrome, Addisons disease, thyroiditis, and others can lead to hormonal imbalances.
Unique to women, hormonal imbalances may be related to reproductive hormones, including common causes of menopause, premature menopause, pregnancy, breastfeeding, PCOS, and hormone drugs.
To determine if you have a hormonal imbalance, meet with an obgyn in Lake Success to answer questions and take one or more diagnostics tests. Blood tests, pelvic exams, ultrasounds, and more may be used to diagnose you with a hormonal imbalance.
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Take Magnesium To Increase Testosterone
Low levels of magnesium will lead to effects similar to low boron levels. A deficiency in either mineral increases the loss of calcium. This loss may weaken your bones and places you at risk for osteoporosis.
These findings suggest that âmagnesiumâ can also increase testosterone. A 2011 paper in Biological Trace Element Research tested this hypothesis in healthy athletes. The participants received magnesium doses of about 1,000 mg each day for four weeks. Compared to controls, magnesium supplementation increased testosterone.
âRead more:â How Much Magnesium Does a Woman Need?
Head Off Diseases That Lower Testosterone
Disease can also lower testosterone. The adrenal glands make most of the circulating testosterone in women. Thus, adrenal gland pathologies can cause low testosterone. The ovaries also make some testosterone, so women with premature ovarian failure and those without a period may have low testosterone as well.
These medical conditions increase your risk of life-threatening disease. Fortunately, doctors can treat many causes of low testosterone. It’s important, therefore, to âseek medical attentionâ when you suspect your testosterone production has decreased.
âRead more:â What Are the Causes of Your Body Not Producing Enough Testosterone?
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Who Does Low Estrogen Impact Most
Estrogen affects people assigned female at birth most. But everyones bodies make estrogen.
Youre most likely to be impacted by low estrogen if:
- Youre experiencing menopause or postmenopause. Your ovaries make the majority of your estrogen in your reproductive years. During menopause and postmenopause, your menstrual cycle stops and your ovaries no longer make estrogen. Instead, fat cells start making the majority of your bodys estrogen. Menopause officially begins when you havent had a period for twelve consecutive months. Postmenopause is the period that follows.
- Your ovaries were removed or injured during treatment. Your body will only produce small amounts of estrogen if your ovaries were removed as part of treatment for a condition . Similarly, radiation therapy can injure your ovaries so that they produce small amounts of estrogen.
What To Look For In A Female Libido Supplement
There are some important things you need to be watching for when youre looking around for a libido supplement, and weve collected a short list of the most critical things. Read on to learn more.
Saw Palmetto
Saw palmetto, or Serenoa repens, is a plant found mainly in the southeastern United States. The berry of this plant has long been used by Native American tribes to treat issues with the reproductive and urinary tracts10. While commonly used in natural medicine to relieve symptoms of BPH in men, its also a common ingredient in natural libido boosters. Why? Because saw palmetto is thought to have anti-estrogenic effects, meaning it can lead to a reduction in estrogen in the body and a subsequent boost in testosterone11. This is part of the reason people are told to avoid taking saw palmetto supplements with estrogen products, as they can interfere with their effects.
But how does reducing estrogen help womens sex drives? you may ask. Well, by lowering estrogen, its supposed to promote higher testosterone levels and testosterone is the chief hormone associated with the sex drive.
Panax Ginseng
Maca Root
An All-Natural Formula
When youre shoppinging for natural supplements, you want only the best so only go for supplements that are all natural. Doing so will ensure that theyre going to be easy on you, work gently with your body, and provide results without harsh side effects.
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The 8 Best Supplements To Boost Testosterone Levels
Testosterone is an essential hormone for both men and women, but its role is more significant in men, who have higher levels.
It contributes to male sexual health and development, fertility, muscle growth, fat loss, and other aspects of health .
Testosterone levels fall in men as they age. Theres also concern about an overall drop in testosterone levels in the United States. Lifestyle habits and health factors appear to play a role .
Various supplements claim to boost testosterone levels, and some people opt to use them in hopes of increasing their levels of this hormone. However, theres limited research to support their use for this purpose.
The supplements aim either to increase testosterone or related hormones directly, or prevent the body from converting testosterone into estrogen.
Here are 8 of the best testosterone boosting supplements.
How To Increase Oestrogen Naturally
The oestrogen hormone plays a significant role in the female body. However, with age, the oestrogen levels start lowering. Low oestrogen may lead to signs of early menopause in women. Your doctor may prescribe hormone replacement therapy to manage your low oestrogen levels.
Nonetheless, as stated, there are many natural ways you can adopt how to maintain oestrogen levels in your body. A few of them are –
- Include soybean, tofu, and miso in your diet.
- Include seeds such as flax seeds, sesame seeds as they are a dietary source of phytoestrogens.
- Vitamin B plays a significant role in forming and stimulating oestrogen in the body. Include yoghurt, low-fat milk, cheese, leafy green vegetables, pork, and legumes in your diet.
- Vitamin D is another natural source of increasing oestrogen.
- Boron is a trace mineral. It is essential for the metabolism of the sex hormones testosterone and oestrogen.
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Why Avocados Are A Great Option For Getting Magnesium And Balanced Hormones
Avocados are also beneficial for your hormones. Not only do they give you magnesium, but these natural supplements are full of B vitamins, vitamin K, and potassium.
Whats more, if youre trying to fight the weight gain that often accompanies hormonal fluctuations, avocados are proven to help you feel full, as a study published in Nutrition Journal shows.
When Your Estrogen Levels Are Too Low
If your body isn’t producing enough estrogen, a low sex drive, unstable emotions, weight gain, depression and anxiety, and thinning hair are some frequently reported signs. This is a short list of symptoms, and hormone disruptions may cause others, so if you have any questions about your estrogen balance, talk with your doctor.
With that in mind, here are 5 helpful ways to keep your estrogen levels in line:
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Are Phytoestrogens Dangerous
The health benefits of consuming phytoestrogen-rich foods likely outweigh the potential risks, so these foods can be consumed safely in moderation.
However, limited research suggests that a high intake of phytoestrogens may be associated with some risks and complications. These findings are mixed and inconclusive, so more research in humans is necessary.
Thus, it is advisable to be skeptical of any strong conclusions about the dangers of phytoestrogens.
People have raised the following potential concerns about phytoestrogens:
- Infertility: While some research states that phytoestrogens may harm reproductive health, the bulk of it has been conducted on animal models, and strong human studies are lacking. One large study of women trying to become pregnant found no strong links between phytoestrogen intake and pregnancy rates (
Maintain A Moderate Weight
Weight gain is directly associated with hormonal imbalances that may lead to complications in insulin sensitivity and reproductive health.
Obesity is strongly related to the development of insulin resistance, while losing excess weight is linked to improvements in insulin resistance and reduced risk of diabetes and heart disease .
Obesity is also associated with hypogonadism, a reduction or absence of hormone secretion from the testes or ovaries. In fact, this condition is one of the most relevant hormonal complications of obesity in men .
This means obesity is strongly related to lower levels of the reproductive hormone testosterone in men and contributes to a lack of ovulation in women, both of which are common causes of infertility .
Nonetheless, studies indicate that weight loss may reverse this condition. Eating within your own personal calorie range can help you maintain hormonal balance and a moderate weight .
Summary
Maintaining a moderate weight is crucial for hormone health, as obesity is strongly related to hormonal imbalances that may impair insulin sensitivity and fertility.
26 ).
For example, when your gut microbiome ferments fiber, it produces short-chain fatty acids such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Both acetate and butyrate aid weight management by increasing calorie burning and thus help prevent insulin resistance (
27 ).
Here are some tips to improve your gut bacteria to positively affect your hormones.
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What Is Human Growth Hormone
Human growth hormone is an important hormone that assists with cell repair and metabolism. Those with low HGH levels are often at a greater risk of having certain diseases. For this reason, your HGH level is considered a good indicator of your overall health condition.
Your lifestyle choices, diet, and body fat composition all have an effect on this hormone. This is one reason why you should eat and live healthily, as that could help to increase the HGH levels in your body.
Human growth hormone commonly called growth hormone is a hormone produced by your pituitary gland, which is located at the base of your brain. HGH performs various important functions in the body like fueling childhood growth, regulating metabolism, and maintaining body composition.
Low HGH levels indicate poor quality of life and a higher possibility of gaining weight. On the other hand, optimal levels of HGH help with injury recovery, athletic performance, and weight loss. This is because growth hormone plays a key role in repair and recovery-related metabolic functions.
HGH is highly influenced by diet, lifestyle, and body fat composition, making it possible to boost human growth hormone levels using natural means.
Ways To Boost Human Growth Hormone Naturally
Human growth hormone is an important hormone produced by your pituitary gland.
Also known as growth hormone , it plays a key role in growth, body composition, cell repair, and metabolism .
HGH also boosts muscle growth, strength, and exercise performance, while helping you recover from injury and disease .
Low HGH levels may decrease your quality of life, increase your risk of disease, and make you gain fat (
3 ).
Those with higher levels of belly fat will likely have impaired HGH production and an increased risk of disease.
One study observed that those with three times the amount of belly fat as the control group had less than half their amount of HGH .
Another study monitored the 24-hour release of HGH and found a large decline in those with more abdominal fat.
Interestingly, research suggests that excess body fat affects HGH levels more in men. However, lowering body fat is still key for both genders .
Whats more, a study found that people with obesity had lower levels of HGH and IGF-1 a growth-related protein. After losing a significant amount of weight, their levels returned to normal .
Belly fat is the most dangerous type of stored fat and linked to many diseases. Losing belly fat will help optimize your HGH levels and other aspects of your health.
Summary
Get rid of excess body fat especially around your belly to optimize your HGH levels and improve your health.
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How Hormones Affect Sexual Desire
Hormonal dysfunction may be the most common reason for low sex drive in women. Hormones are the bodys chemical messengers. They travel in the bloodstream to tissues and organs. They affect many different processes including sexual function.
The most common hormones that affect libido are:
The bottom line: Hormones in the body are very complicated and have a complicated effect on each other. Hormones are so important for sex drive that even a slight disruption in balance can cause problems.
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Herbs To Increase Oestrogen
Having food rich in oestrogen will help in maintaining hormone levels. However, this may not be possible every day. So, here is yet another answer to how to increase oestrogen naturally? Herbs! Various herbs mixed in your home-cooked meals can help increase hormone levels. Some of them are as follows:
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How Can I Test My Oestrogen Levels At Home
You can test your oestrogen levels by getting a blood, saliva, or urine test. You will have to go to a doctor, whereas saliva tests can be done at home. Your doctor will provide you with a kit to test your oestrogen levels at home. However, get tested by your doctor for accurate testing and correct results.
Causes Of Hormone Imbalance
You might experience changes in your hormones due to aging its natural to see sex hormones alter in women around the time of menopause and men in their older years. Excessive stress or exercise can lead to an imbalance in your adrenals. Thyroid hormone imbalances may be caused by disease.
Regardless of why you have an imbalance in your hormones, you dont have to tolerate the discomfort. The Well for Health can help. We identify the imbalance and offer solutions whether that be replacement hormones, a personalized program of dietary and other lifestyle changes, or adrenal or thyroid optimization.
If youre ready to feel like yourself again and banish the symptoms of erratic hormones, call The Well for Health or schedule an appointment online.
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