How to Treat Low Progesterone Levels Naturally

Progesterone is a hormone that regulates human sexual development. In women, progesterone works together with estrogen to regulate the menstrual cycle; it is a necessary hormone in fertility and pregnancy. Women of child bearing age who have low progesterone levels may need to increase their levels, or else they could face infertility.

Progesterone creams and injections are available with a prescription, however, there are natural alternatives. Here are some ways you can treat low progesterone naturally.

Talk to an herbalist about herbs that can treat low progesterone. Black cohosh, red raspberry and chasteberry have been used for centuries to treat a variety of female fertility issues--long before it was known that hormones control fertility. These herbs work by encouraging our bodies to produce more progesterone and other hormones.

Women with low progesterone levels often have low levels of vitamin C, E, B6, magnesium, and zinc. The cause/effect relationship between low progesterone and vitamin deficiency is still unclear, but there is evidence that taking vitamin supplements can help.

Sometimes low progesterone is made worse by having high levels of other hormones, particularly estrogen. If you have tested for elevated estrogen levels (estrogen dominance), avoid foods and herbs that are known to increase estrogen levels. An imbalance of high estrogen and low progesterone can contribute to infertility.

Herbal treatments are not effective in all women, but you can raise progesterone levels quickly with prescription creams, suppositories, and injections. If you want a natural source, try progesterone creams derived from Mexican yam. Mexican yam contains diosgenin, which is converted to progesterone in the lab by a simple chemical reaction.

The major benefit of using natural sources of progesterone is that synthetic hormones may not exactly match the hormones produced in our bodies. By taking supplements that encourage your body to produce more of its own progesterone, you get higher quality hormones.