Content
- 1 What is progesterone
- 2 The benefits of foods containing progesterone
- 3 Harm of products that increase progesterone
- 4 What foods contain the most progesterone
- 5 Products that lower progesterone
- 6 Contraindications to progesterone-rich foods
- 7 Progesterone Products Table
- 8 Rules for the use of foods and herbs with progesterone
- 9 Useful Tips
- 10 Conclusion
Foods that increase progesterone in women are important for the reproductive system and weight control. They need to be consumed correctly, so you should study the features of the effect of such products on the body.
What is progesterone
Progesterone is a progestogenic neurohormone that is essential for the female body. Its levels have a profound effect on sexual development and reproductive health, so it is not only pregnant women who need to monitor progesterone levels.
Progesterone in women affects:
- on the ability to conceive, progesterone thickens the uterine walls, relaxes the muscles and promotes the unhindered attachment of the fertilized egg;
- on body weight - with a low level of the sex hormone, it is much more difficult to fight excess weight even with a healthy diet;
- for bearing a child, the hormone is necessary for the development of the placenta and some tissues of the fetus.
The benefits of foods containing progesterone
Some foods stimulate the active production of progesterone by the woman's body. It is very beneficial to use them because they:
- increase the likelihood of conception, the mucous membrane of the uterus thickens with a good level of the hormone, and the egg is fixed on the walls of the organ without problems;
- help prepare the muscles of the uterus and pelvic ligaments for delivery;
- contribute to the accumulation of the minimum reserves of subcutaneous fat necessary for health;
- prevent rejection of the fetus in the early stages of pregnancy;
- stimulate the enlargement of the mammary glands;
- improve lactation during breastfeeding.
Products that promote the production of progesterone are also useful in that they serve as the prevention of mastopathy. Progesterone is an estrogen antagonist and prevents the increase in the level of these hormones. Since it is against the background of an excess of estrogen that mastopathy occurs, food containing a progestogenic compound protects the woman's body from the disease. A normal hormone level in the body prevents the development of diabetes by regulating blood sugar levels.
Harm of products that increase progesterone
The sex hormone is vital for the female body, and as such, its intolerance does not exist. However, uncontrolled consumption of food that increases the hormone can lead to excess of it, and this is harmful to health.
Excessive consumption of food that increases progesterone can develop the following negative effects:
- deterioration of vision;
- hypotension;
- acne and blackheads;
- hirsutism, or severe hair growth on the body and face;
- menstrual irregularities.
An excess of the hormone provokes increased nervousness in women and leads to insomnia, causes allergic irritations on the skin. With an overestimated level of the progestogen substance, there is a tendency to gain weight, and it becomes difficult to control body weight even with the help of diets.
What foods contain the most progesterone
With a lack of a progestogenic substance, it can be increased with the help of a well-designed diet. Progesterone is found in foods and herbs in pure form or produced in large quantities from certain foods.
Milk products
Natural progesterone in products is most conveniently obtained from milk, fatty cheeses and fatty cottage cheese. They contain a natural hormone that the female body needs. Regular consumption of dairy food helps to maintain the sex hormone at a good level and prevent its decline.
Cholesterol-rich foods
Seafood, fatty fish, caviar, vegetable oils and eggs do not contain the female hormone itself, but they contain quite a lot of cholesterol. He, in turn, is the initial product of the synthesis of progesterone. When cholesterol breaks down, the body independently synthesizes a progestogenic substance, thus, the hormonal background improves.
Legumes and nuts
Beans, peas and lentils, as well as all types of nuts, contain fatty acids and tocopherol. They also stimulate the body to produce progestogenic substances, so the products effectively regulate female hormonal levels.
Lean meat
To increase the hormone, you can use young veal and rabbit meat, chicken and turkey fillets, animal liver. In this case, women need to be careful - an excess of protein foods can lead to an unwanted increase in muscle mass.
Whole grains and potatoes
At the hormone level, buckwheat and oat groats are well reflected. You can also eat potatoes and rice, which contain starch.
Vegetables and berries
To increase progesterone, it is useful to consume cabbage and avocados, in particular, the latter product contains a lot of fatty acids and therefore promotes the synthesis of the hormone. Olives and any seeds increase the sex hormone.
Herbs to increase progesterone
Several herbs are on the list of progesterone-boosting foods. In particular, women will benefit from:
- plantain;
- cuff leaves;
- common twig berries - they are present even in the pharmaceutical preparations Mastodinon and Cyclodinon.
With a shortage of the sex hormone, it is useful for women to brew such an infusion - mix 1 large spoonful of cuff leaves with 1 small spoonful of plantain seeds. The mixture is poured with boiling water and insisted for 3 hours under the lid, and then taken three times a day, 1 large spoon.
Products that lower progesterone
If the level of the hormone is overestimated, and it is necessary to bring it to a lower level, then first of all, all food that increases progesterone should be removed from the diet.
Reduce consumption:
- dairy products and vegetable fats;
- nuts and legumes;
- seeds, beef and chicken, pumpkin and avocado.
Some of these foods cannot be removed entirely from the menu because they are too important for overall health. Therefore, it will be sufficient to simply keep consumption to a minimum.
In order to reduce progesterone, you can use:
- a decoction of rowan berries;
- Mint tea;
- carrot juices and infusions;
- caffeinated drinks - black tea and coffee.
Contraindications to progesterone-rich foods
There are diseases and conditions of the body in which the consumption of progesterone food must be reduced. It is not recommended to take food that increases the hormone:
- with tumors in the breast and in the reproductive organs;
- with a tendency to hypotension;
- with obesity;
- with increased hair growth and abundant acne;
- with a tendency to edema.
It is also undesirable to eat foods that promote the production of the hormone with a weakened immune system, since the substance further reduces the immune resistance.
Progesterone Products Table
Products that contribute to increased production of the sex hormone, for convenience, can be presented in the form of a table:
Product category |
Best sources of progesterone |
Milk products |
Whole cow's milk, full-fat cottage cheese, cream, sour cream and fatty cheeses |
Meat |
White meat of chicken, turkey and rabbit, beef and pork |
Vegetables |
Potatoes, white cabbage, broccoli |
Fruit |
Avocado, pears, apples, olives |
Legumes |
Lentils, beans and peas |
Nuts |
Walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, pistachios, pine nuts, cashews |
Dried fruits |
Raisins and dried apricots |
Vegetable oils |
Olive, rapeseed, sunflower oil |
Fish and seafood |
Shrimp, tuna, salmon, trout, salmon, squid, oysters |
Other products |
Cereal seeds, whole grains, eggs |
Rules for the use of foods and herbs with progesterone
Most of the foods that increase the production of the sex hormone are included in the regular diet. To increase the progestogenic substance, you must take them in increased dosages, but before that you need to consult your doctor. You should make sure that the problems with well-being are connected precisely with the lack of the hormone, and not with other reasons.
Taking foods high in progesterone or its precursor, cholesterol, only makes sense if the hormone is moderately deficient. In the event of a significant failure of food and herbs, it will not be enough; pharmacy drugs will be needed to correct the hormonal background.
When using products to increase the hormone, you need to remember about individual contraindications. In particular, with lactose intolerance, dairy products should not be consumed, even if they increase the sex hormone very well. For problems with the stomach and pancreas, you need to be careful with the use of oils, fats, cholesterol foods and nuts.
Useful Tips
To regulate the level of progestogenic substances, it is recommended to donate blood for hormonal levels. This will allow you to determine in time that the level of the sex hormone has returned to normal, and return to your normal diet.
Pregnant women need to be especially careful when choosing products. Before introducing fruits, nuts and seafood into the diet, make sure that they do not provoke allergies. Foods that increase progesterone during pregnancy can cause intolerance, even if they were absorbed without problems before.
The level of sex hormones in a woman's body does not only depend on overall health and diet. The emotional state has a great influence on the hormonal background. If the indicators of progestogenic substances are lowered, it is necessary to avoid any stress, and also pay attention to the daily regimen.
Conclusion
Foods that increase progesterone in women are equally important during and outside pregnancy. A decrease in the hormone leads to poor health, but also an excess of progesterone can damage, so it is necessary to maintain balance.