Progesterone

Hormone important for menstrual cycle and pregnancy

13/22Providers

Sex Hormones (FCategory

Follicular:<1.0 ng/Reference

Widely Available

13 of 22 providers

Reference Range

Follicular:<1.0 ng/mL, Luteal:2.0-25.0 ng/mL, Postmenopausal:<1.0 ng/mL

What is Progesterone?

Progesterone is a steroid hormone produced primarily by the corpus luteum in the ovaries after ovulation in women, and in smaller amounts by the adrenal glands in both sexes and the testes in men. In women, progesterone is THE dominant hormone of the luteal phase (second half of menstrual cycle, days 15-28) and is essential for preparing the uterus for pregnancy, regulating the menstrual cycle, supporting pregnancy, and balancing the effects of estrogen. Progesterone has calming, anti-anxiety effects on the brain and is critical for sleep quality.

Here's what most people misunderstand:progesterone is not just a "pregnancy hormone."It's protective against estrogen dominance, supports mood and sleep, has neuroprotective effects, and is critical for bone health and breast tissue protection. Low progesterone in premenopausal women is common and often causes PMS, irregular cycles, anxiety, insomnia, and increased risk of estrogen-dependent cancers. In menopause, both estrogen AND progesterone decline, but replacing estrogen without progesterone (if uterus is intact) increases endometrial cancer risk.

Progesterone levels vary dramatically across the menstrual cycle. It's very low in the follicular phase (<1 ng/mL), then spikes after ovulation to 5-25 ng/mL in the luteal phase. Testing progesterone on day 21 of a 28-day cycle (or 7 days after ovulation) confirms ovulation occurred. Low progesterone despite normal estrogen=anovulation or luteal phase deficiency, common causes of infertility and menstrual irregularity.

Why Progesterone Matters for Longevity (Women)

Balances estrogen:Progesterone opposes estrogen's proliferative effects on breast and uterine tissue, reducing cancer risk. Estrogen dominance (low progesterone relative to estrogen) increases breast and endometrial cancer risk.
Sleep and mood:Progesterone metabolite allopregnanolone acts on GABA receptors, promoting relaxation, sleep, and reducing anxiety. Low progesterone worsens PMS, anxiety, insomnia.
Bone density:Progesterone stimulates osteoblasts (bone-building cells). Low progesterone accelerates bone loss, especially in perimenopause.
Fertility and pregnancy:Progesterone prepares uterine lining for implantation and maintains pregnancy. Luteal phase deficiency causes infertility and miscarriage.
Neuroprotection:Progesterone has neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects in the brain. May protect against cognitive decline.
Cardiovascular health:Unlike synthetic progestins, bioidentical progesterone does not negatively impact lipid profile and may be cardioprotective.

Optimal vs Standard Ranges

Range Type	Level	Significance
Optimal (Luteal Phase)	10-25 ng/mL	Mid-luteal phase (day 21 of 28-day cycle). Confirms ovulation occurred and adequate progesterone production.
Optimal (Follicular Phase)	<1 ng/mL	Progesterone should be very low before ovulation. Elevated progesterone in follicular phase may indicate luteinized unruptured follicle or adrenal issue.
Optimal (Pregnancy - First Trimester)	10-90 ng/mL	Progesterone rises dramatically in pregnancy, produced by corpus luteum then placenta.
Optimal (Postmenopausal on HRT)	1-5 ng/mL	Bioidentical progesterone HRT (oral or topical) maintains levels to protect endometrium if taking estrogen.

Standard lab range: Follicular:<1.0 ng/mL, Luteal:2.0-25.0 ng/mL, Postmenopausal:<1.0 ng/mL

How to Optimize Progesterone

1. Low Luteal Phase

<5 ng/mL

2. Luteal phase deficiency. Progesterone too low despite ovulation, or anovulation (no ovulation occurred). Causes infertility, PMS, irregular cycles.

Very Low (Postmenopausal without HRT)

3. <0.5 ng/mL

Expected after menopause. Adrenal glands produce small amounts. If on estrogen HRT, must add progesterone to protect uterus.

4. Bioidentical Progesterone Supplementation (if low or anovulatory)

Oral micronized progesterone (Prometrium):100-200 mg at bedtime. Bioidentical, identical to human progesterone. Has calming, sleep-promoting effects. Used for luteal phase support, HRT, or PMS.

Progesterone cream:Topical application (20-40 mg/day) absorbed through skin. Useful for perimenopause or mild progesterone deficiency. Variable absorption.

Progesterone suppositories:Vaginal or rectal. Used for luteal phase support in fertility treatment or early pregnancy.

Avoid synthetic progestins:Medroxyprogesterone acetate (Provera) and other synthetic progestins have different effects than bioidentical progesterone and may increase breast cancer risk and harm lipid profile.

5. Restore Ovulation (if anovulatory)

Most common cause of low progesterone is anovulation (no ovulation=no corpus luteum=no progesterone).

Address underlying causes:PCOS (insulin resistance drives anovulation), hypothalamic amenorrhea (low body weight, excessive exercise, chronic stress), thyroid dysfunction, hyperprolactinemia.

Lifestyle:Maintain healthy body weight (BMI 18-25), reduce stress, adequate calorie intake (not chronic dieting), resistance training.

Vitex (chasteberry):20-40 mg/day may support ovulation and luteal phase progesterone in some women. Modest evidence.

Ovulation induction:Clomiphene or letrozole if trying to conceive and anovulatory despite lifestyle changes.

Symptoms of Abnormal Progesterone

Low Progesterone

HRT for Postmenopausal Women (if on estrogen)

High Progesterone

Nutritional and Lifestyle Support

Causes of Abnormal Progesterone

Low Levels

Seed Cycling (Anecdotal Evidence)

High Levels

Flaxseeds (1-2 tbsp ground) in follicular phase (days 1-14):Weak phytoestrogens may support estrogen levels.
Pumpkin and sesame seeds (1-2 tbsp) in luteal phase (days 15-28):Contain nutrients (zinc, vitamin E) that may support progesterone production.
Evidence is weak and anecdotal, but low risk and may help some women with cycle regularity.

When to Retest

PMS (premenstrual syndrome):Irritability, mood swings, anxiety, bloating, breast tenderness 1-2 weeks before period
Irregular menstrual cycles, anovulation (no ovulation)
Infertility, difficulty conceiving, recurrent miscarriage
Insomnia, poor sleep quality
Anxiety, nervousness, restlessness
Heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding (unopposed estrogen)
Estrogen dominance symptoms:Breast tenderness, fibroids, endometriosis
Low bone density, osteoporosis (in chronic low progesterone)
Brain fog, poor concentration
Hot flashes (in menopause without HRT)

Scientific Evidence

Low progesterone in luteal phase <5 ng/mL indicates luteal phase deficiency or anovulation. Common cause of PMS, infertility, and estrogen dominance.

Sedation, drowsiness (if very high dose)|Dizziness|Bloating|Breast tenderness|Mood changes (rare with bioidentical;more common with synthetic progestins)

Source:Progesterone rarely causes problems even at high doses. High progesterone (>30 ng/mL in non-pregnant women) may indicate ovarian cyst or adrenal tumor (very rare).

Anovulation:Most common cause of low progesterone. No ovulation=no corpus luteum=no progesterone. Causes:PCOS, hypothalamic amenorrhea, thyroid dysfunction, hyperprolactinemia.|Luteal phase deficiency:Ovulation occurs but corpus luteum produces insufficient progesterone. Causes infertility, short luteal phase (<10 days), PMS.|Chronic stress:Cortisol suppresses progesterone production and disrupts ovulation.|Perimenopause and menopause:Declining ovarian function leads to irregular ovulation and low progesterone (before estrogen decline).|Low body weight, excessive exercise:Hypothalamic amenorrhea suppresses LH surge, preventing ovulation.|PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome):Insulin resistance and hormonal imbalance cause chronic anovulation.|Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI):Premature ovarian failure before age 40.

Ovarian cyst (corpus luteum cyst):Persistent corpus luteum continues producing progesterone after cycle.|Adrenal tumor (very rare):Adrenal glands produce small amounts of progesterone;tumors can overproduce.|Pregnancy:Progesterone rises dramatically to support pregnancy.|Congenital adrenal hyperplasia:Rare enzyme deficiency causes overproduction of progesterone precursors.

Source:If trying to conceive:Test progesterone on day 21 of 28-day cycle (or 7 days post-ovulation if tracking ovulation). Should be >10 ng/mL to confirm ovulation and adequate luteal phase.|If starting progesterone supplementation:Retest mid-luteal phase after 2-3 months to ensure adequate replacement.|If on HRT:Monitor progesterone levels if using cream (variable absorption). Oral progesterone dosing doesn't require monitoring if symptoms controlled and withdrawal bleed occurs (if cyclic HRT).|If treating infertility:Serial progesterone testing in luteal phase to confirm ovulation and adequate support.|If perimenopausal with irregular cycles:Test progesterone day 21 (if still cycling) to assess ovulatory status and guide treatment.

Progesterone and Estrogen Balance

Progesterone opposes estrogen's proliferative effects on breast and uterine tissue. "Estrogen dominance"(high estrogen relative to progesterone) increases risk of breast cancer, endometrial hyperplasia, fibroids, and endometriosis. This is common in perimenopause (progesterone declines before estrogen) and anovulatory women.

Source:Prior JC. Progesterone for symptomatic perimenopause treatment. Menopause. 2018;25(12):1453-1455.

Progesterone and Sleep

Progesterone metabolite allopregnanolone acts on GABA-A receptors (like benzodiazepines), promoting sleep and reducing anxiety. Women with low progesterone often report insomnia, especially premenstrually. Oral micronized progesterone 100-200 mg at bedtime improves sleep quality.

Source:Caufriez A, et al. Progesterone prevents sleep disturbances and modulates GH, TSH, and melatonin secretion. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96(4):E614-623.

Bioidentical vs Synthetic Progestins

Bioidentical progesterone (Prometrium, compounded) is chemically identical to human progesterone. Synthetic progestins (medroxyprogesterone acetate/Provera, norethindrone) have different structure and effects:they may increase breast cancer risk, negatively affect lipid profile, and have more side effects. Bioidentical progesterone preferred for HRT.

Source:Asi N, et al. Progesterone vs. synthetic progestins and the risk of breast cancer. Syst Rev. 2016.

Which Providers Test Progesterone?

Full Provider Comparison

Provider	Includes	Annual Cost	Biomarkers
Superpower	✓	$199	100+ (150 with ratios)
WHOOP Advanced Labs	—	$349	65
Labcorp OnDemand	—	$398	30+
Life Extension	✓	$486	40+
Everlywell	✓	$468	83
Mito Health	✓	$349	100+
InsideTracker	✓	$680	54
Function Health	✓	$365	100+
Marek Health Base	—	$250	65
Marek Health Comprehensive	✓	$495	70+
Marek Health Complete	✓	$895	100+
Marek Health Executive	✓	$1950	150+
Blueprint	—	$399	100+
Quest Health	—	$Varies	75+
Empirical Health	—	$190	100+
Oura Health Panels	—	$99	50
SiPhox Health	✓	$125	60
Hims Labs Base	—	$199	50
Hims Labs Advanced	✓	$499	120+
Healthspan	✓	$4188	80+
Vitality Blueprint Standard	—	$375	85
Vitality Blueprint Elite	—	$700	129

Ready to Test Progesterone?

13 providers include this biomarker in their panels

View Top Provider Compare All Providers

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Progesterone test for?

Progesterone is a sex hormones (female) biomarker. Hormone important for menstrual cycle and pregnancy The normal reference range is Follicular:<1.0 ng/mL, Luteal:2.0-25.0 ng/mL, Postmenopausal:<1.0 ng/mL.

Which providers include Progesterone?

13 of 22 providers include this test:Superpower, Blueprint, Mito Health, Function and others.

How often should I test Progesterone?

For most people, testing 2-4 times per year is recommended to establish baseline levels and track trends. Consult your healthcare provider for personalized recommendations.

What is the optimal range?

The standard reference range is Follicular:<1.0 ng/mL, Luteal:2.0-25.0 ng/mL, Postmenopausal:<1.0 ng/mL. Many functional medicine practitioners recommend tighter optimal ranges for peak health. Your ideal range may vary based on age, sex, and health goals.

Why is Progesterone important?

Prepares uterus for pregnancy and maintains early pregnancy. Low levels cause irregular cycles and infertility. Balances estrogen effects.

Medical Disclaimer

This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider about your specific health needs.