Can low progesterone cause anxiety?

Everyone experiences anxiety at some point. However, if you are experiencing anxiety regularly or are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, your hormones, particularly progesterone, could be playing a role. Let's take a look at why progesterone can affect anxiety, common signs that low progesterone is contributing to your anxiety, and what you can do about it.

Can Low Progesterone Cause Anxiety? 

The short answer is that yes, low progesterone and anxiety are often closely related. Perhaps the better question is, why can low progesterone cause anxiety? 

Progesterone has some surprising effects on the brain. There are receptors for progesterone in the amygdala, and other areas that govern mood, emotional reasoning, and vigilance. Progesterone also has a dramatic impact on GABA within the brain. GABA is known as the brain's calming neurotransmitter. In fact, benzodiazepines, which are prescription anxiety medications, and alcohol provide calming effects by increasing GABA levels. 

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Signs Low Progesterone is Affecting Anxiety Levels

You may be wondering how to know if your anxiety is linked to low progesterone. While the best option is to discuss your symptoms with your doctor, there are some indications that low progesterone could be impacting your levels of anxiety or stress. 

Mood Changes Related to Menstrual Cycles

Do you frequently find yourself more anxious or experience other mood changes, like irritability or depression, at a certain point in your menstrual cycle? Progesterone could be the culprit. 

The menstrual cycle starts with the first day of your period. This is known as the follicular phase, which continues until ovulation. Progesterone levels are lowest during this phase.

The luteal phase is next. This stage allows your body to prepare for a possible pregnancy. Progesterone levels are at their highest during this time. If pregnancy doesn't occur, progesterone levels begin to drop. At the end of your cycle, which is 28 days on average, progesterone levels are low. You may experience PMS during this time. 

Irregular Menstrual Periods

Low progesterone levels can also cause your periods to become irregular. While missed periods are often the first thing to come to mind, periods that occur less than 21 days apart or more than 35 days apart are both considered irregular. You may also experience shorter or lighter periods, or heavier and longer periods. 

Headaches

Headaches, particularly migraines, can also be a sign of low progesterone. If you frequently have headaches or migraines around the time you get your period, you could be experiencing menstrual migraines. 

This occurs because progesterone helps to regulate blood vessels and inflammation within the brain. Lower progesterone can lead to inflammation, which can trigger headaches or migraines. 

Difficulty Sleeping

Low progesterone can also impact your sleep. Since progesterone helps the body to be calm and relaxed, low progesterone can make it harder for you to go to sleep or stay asleep. 

Hot Flashes

Hot flashes are commonly associated with menopause, but they can also occur throughout your reproductive years if you have low progesterone. Night sweats are an associated condition that causes you to feel hot and sweat during sleep. 

Bloating or Weight Gain

Low progesterone can affect your waistline in a few ways. Lower progesterone levels increase water retention, better known as bloating. It can also slow your metabolism and increase your appetite. Since your metabolism controls your body's ability to process the food you consume and utilize it for energy, a lower metabolism means your body will store more calories compared to someone with a higher metabolism.

Mood Changes 

We've already mentioned mood changes that occur during your cycles as a potential signal that your progesterone levels are low, but let's take another moment to discuss what types of mood changes you may experience. 

Of course, low progesterone can increase anxiety. It can also trigger or worsen depression. In fact, it's thought this is a main cause of post-partum depression, because progesterone levels drop sharply after birth. 

Lastly, low progesterone can trigger irritability. Post-partum rage is also fairly common, likely due to the drop in progesterone. Irritability is also a classic PMS symptom because the drop in progesterone naturally makes you more prone to irritability.  

Causes of Low Progesterone 

Low progesterone can have several causes. Some of these, like menopause, are normal and natural. However, it's important to note that even natural causes of low progesterone can cause symptoms like anxiety. 

Menstrual Fluctuations

We know that progesterone naturally fluctuates during your menstrual changes. How much it fluctuates, and the effect it has on you, can vary greatly from person to person.

Peri-Menopause and Menopause 

Progesterone levels begin to drop during peri-menopause, as your body begins the process of stopping ovulation and periods. Your periods will become irregular, and less frequent over time. 

Your ovaries also have fewer eggs at this stage in life, and the egg quality may also decrease, reducing your chances of pregnancy. These changes cause your progesterone levels to decrease as well. 

Eventually, perimenopause will become menopause. Menopause is medically defined as a woman who had periods being period-free for one year. 

Post-Partum

During pregnancy, your progesterone levels soar. After delivery, your progesterone levels will drop sharply, which can trigger anxiety and other symptoms. It typically takes 3-6 months for your hormones, including progesterone, to return to their pre-pregnancy state. If you are breastfeeding, it may take even longer for progesterone levels to normalize. 

 PCOS 

PCOS causes hormonal fluctuations. Women with PCOS typically ovulate less frequently, which leads to lower levels of progesterone. Other symptoms of PCOS include irregular periods, acne, weight gain, facial hair, and infertility. 

Lifestyle Factors 

Certain lifestyles can also cause low progesterone. One of the most common is high stress levels. Stress increases cortisol, which decreases progesterone. Unfortunately, the stress and anxiety caused by low progesterone can raise cortisol levels even more, leading to a vicious cycle.

Extreme dieting or exercise can also interfere with ovulation, which decreases progesterone. 

Low Progesterone Treatments

If you have low progesterone, there are options. These include medical treatments and lifestyle changes. 

Hormonal Medications

If your doctor confirms that you have low progesterone, they may suggest a hormonal medication to raise your levels. While these treatments are generally well tolerated, some women may experience symptoms of progesterone sensitivity. 

Birth control pills can raise your progesterone levels and help balance your hormones. If you are nearing menopause, hormone replacement options like creams, gels, or pills can help. Your doctor may recommend a medication that has both estrogen and progesterone, particularly for treating menopausal symptoms. 

Progesterone Diet

One of the best ways to increase your progesterone levels is through your diet. Keep in mind that it can take time to see results, but eating foods that support progesterone production can be helpful. 

Vitamin C helps the ovaries produce progesterone and promotes overall hormonal balance. It's useful for increasing ovulation and fertility as well. Foods high in vitamin C include citrus fruits, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli. 

 Foods that include healthy fats, vitamin B6, and magnesium are also helpful for increasing progesterone. These foods include fish, bananas, nuts, avocados, seeds, and leafy greens. Eggs, full-fat dairy foods, and shellfish are also great choices. 

Lifestyle Changes 

In addition to eating foods that promote progesterone, lifestyle changes can help increase progesterone levels. Reducing your stress levels is essential. You can consider meditation, breathing exercises, and taking time to relax as stress reduction strategies. 

Regular exercise can also support healthy progesterone levels and reduce anxiety and stress. However, excessive exercise can stop ovulation and lower progesterone levels. Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least three days a week. Light to moderate daily exercise is even more helpful. Exercises like walking, yoga, and swimming are low impact, and will not negatively impact progesterone levels.  

Can Too Much Progesterone Cause Anxiety?

Although more rare than anxiety caused by low progesterone, high progesterone levels can trigger anxiety and many other symptoms. It's important to note that everyone is different. Some women can have progesterone sensitivity, which makes them more prone to negative impacts from high progesterone. 

Progesterone Sensitivity 

It's important to note that most women who have progesterone sensitivity experience issues during hormone replacement therapy, particularly when synthetic progesterone is used. However, some women can have progesterone sensitivity symptoms with naturally higher levels of progesterone. 

High Progesterone Anxiety and Mood Swings

High progesterone levels can trigger anxiety, despite typically having a relaxing effect. It's also common for high progesterone levels to trigger mood swings. Progesterone levels are typically at their highest during pregnancy. This is a potential reason why mood swings are such a common issue during pregnancy. 

Other issues, including depression and irritability, can also be triggered by high progesterone. 

Fatigue 

The relaxing effects of progesterone can cause you to feel more tired or fatigued than usual, especially if levels are very high. 

Digestive Issues

The relaxing effects of progesterone can also impact your digestive tract. Your intestines contract to remove nutrients from food and push food through the digestive tract. If your intestines are too relaxed, digestion is slowed. This can cause constipation, bloating, gas, and stomach pain. 

Causes of High Progesterone

There are several potential causes of high progesterone. Pregnancy is a natural cause of high progesterone. In fact, women typically have much higher levels of progesterone during pregnancy than at any other time in their lives. 

Ovarian cysts are another natural reason progesterone levels can be high. Cysts, particularly corpus luteum cysts, cause the body to produce higher levels of progesterone. 

Medications, particularly hormone replacement therapy, is another cause of high progesterone levels. Birth control pills and other birth control options can also increase progesterone levels. 

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