Low Progesterone Causes: 5 Tests to Find Yours
You were told low progesterone is the problem.
You were told that’s why you can’t sleep.
Why your period is missing.
Why you feel anxious.
Why pregnancy isn’t happening.
And the solution?
Birth control.
Hormone replacement therapy.
Maybe bioidentical progesterone cream.
But here’s the truth:
Low progesterone is not the root cause.
It’s a symptom.
And if you stop at the hormone test, you miss the real reason your body is struggling.
Let’s break this down 👇
Symptoms of Low Progesterone (Insomnia, Anxiety, Skipped Periods, Diarrhea)
Low progesterone absolutely creates symptoms. I’m not denying that.
You might experience:
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Insomnia
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Light periods
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Skipped periods
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Infertility
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Anxiety “for no reason”
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Faster bowel movements or diarrhea
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Feeling wired instead of calm
Progesterone is your calming hormone.
It helps you:
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Sleep deeply
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Feel emotionally steady
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Support implantation and pregnancy
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Slow digestion appropriately
Think about pregnancy.
Women often feel:
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Sleepy
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Calm
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Slower digestion
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Slight constipation
That’s progesterone doing its job.
When progesterone drops?
You feel wired.
Unsettled.
Unstable.
But here’s where conventional medicine stops.
They say: “Your progesterone is low.”
Then they prescribe progesterone.
And that’s it.
No one asks why.
Why Low Progesterone Is a Symptom of Inflammation
Here’s the big statement:
Low progesterone = high inflammation.
Every time.
Progesterone doesn’t randomly disappear.
It drops when your body feels unsafe.
And what makes the body feel unsafe?
Inflammation.
Now let’s define that correctly.
Inflammation doesn’t just mean a swollen ankle.
It means internal stress signals screaming at your nervous system.
And stress comes in three forms.
I call this the Stress Triangle.
The Stress Triangle: Psychological, Physical, and Biochemical Stress
Most people think stress means mental overwhelm.
That’s only one side.
Here are the three types of stress that suppress progesterone:
1️⃣ Psychological Stress
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Financial strain
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Relationship conflict
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Career pressure
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Health anxiety
Your brain perceives threat.
It releases stress hormones.
Progesterone production drops.
Your body chooses survival over reproduction.
Makes sense, right?
2️⃣ Physical Stress
This one surprises people.
Physical stress includes:
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Surgery
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Car accidents
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Concussions
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Running a marathon
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Giving birth
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Chronic sleep deprivation
Even positive events stress the body.
Here’s something wild.
There’s research linking traumatic brain injury to microbiome changes.
Yes — a concussion can alter gut bacteria.
Why?
Likely vagus nerve disruption.
The nervous system shifts.
Gut signaling changes.
Inflammation increases.
Progesterone drops.
3️⃣ Biochemical Stress (The Most Ignored Root Cause)
This is the big one.
And it’s the one most doctors miss.
Biochemical stress includes:
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Low stomach acid
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Liver congestion
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Mold toxicity
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Parasites
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H. pylori
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Candida
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Heavy metals (copper, mercury, uranium)
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Nutrient deficiencies
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Food sensitivities
You can feel “fine” mentally and still have massive biochemical stress.
Let’s say you’re bloated.
You think:
“I’m stressed because I’m bloated.”
But what if:
You’re bloated because of low stomach acid.
And low stomach acid means:
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Poor zinc absorption
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Poor iron absorption
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Poor B12 absorption
Now you’re inflamed.
Deficient.
Hormone production drops.
That’s biochemical stress.
And it directly suppresses progesterone.
Root Causes Behind Low Progesterone (GI Map, OAT Test, HTMA, Food Sensitivity Testing)
Here’s the truth:
There is no single protocol for low progesterone.
Because there is no single cause.
Ten women can have low progesterone.
All ten can have different root causes.
This is why guessing fails.
Instead, we test.
Here’s what I recommend:
🧪 GI Map
Looks at:
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Pathogens
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Parasites
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H. pylori
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Digestion markers
🧪 OAT Test
Evaluates:
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Metabolic stress
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Yeast overgrowth
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Detox burden
🧪 HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis)
Assesses:
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Heavy metals
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Copper toxicity
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Mineral imbalances
🧪 Food Sensitivity Testing (Zoomer Tests)
Identifies:
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Hidden immune triggers
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Delayed reactions
🧪 Baking Soda Test
Simple at-home test for stomach acid.
(Download it at betterbellytherapies.com/constipation)
When you test thoroughly, you uncover the inflammation.
When inflammation drops…
Progesterone rises.
Naturally.
My Story: Mold, Blastocystis Hominis, Copper Toxicity & Hormone Chaos
Let me be real with you.
I thought I had tried everything.
Gluten-free.
Probiotics.
Supplements.
Detoxes.
Nothing fully worked.
Then I ran a GI Map.
I almost didn’t.
I thought, “Nothing will show up.”
Wrong.
I had Blastocystis hominis.
A stubborn parasite.
I cleared it.
I felt better than I had since childhood.
Here’s what I also had:
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Mold toxicity
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Candida
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Copper toxicity
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Low magnesium
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Low sodium
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Low potassium
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Food sensitivities to corn and rice
I was eating gluten-free.
But I was sensitive to what replaced gluten.
You cannot guess your way out of this.
You have to test.
And interpret correctly.
I regularly see misread lab results.
Someone runs a GI Map.
Markers are elevated.
They’re told it’s “normal.”
It’s not.
Interpretation matters.
Why Birth Control and HRT Don’t Fix the Real Problem
Hormones can help temporarily.
I’m not anti-medication.
But they do not fix inflammation.
If you still have:
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Mold
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Parasites
-
Liver congestion
-
Nutrient depletion
Your body will stay stressed.
You might feel slightly better.
But the root fire keeps burning.
And eventually?
Symptoms return.
Or new ones show up.
Because inflammation never left.
How the Better Belly Blueprint Restores Progesterone Naturally
This is exactly why I created the Better Belly Blueprint.
It’s not another supplement protocol.
It’s a testing and interpretation system.
Inside, you’ll learn:
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Which labs to order
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How to interpret them
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How to build a customized protocol
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How to address multiple root causes at once
You don’t need a doctor to order labs.
You can use HSA or FSA.
You don’t need to guess anymore.
When clients remove:
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Parasites
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Heavy metals
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Food triggers
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Liver congestion
They sleep again.
Their periods return.
Anxiety drops.
Progesterone normalizes.
Because inflammation resolves.
If you’re ready to stop guessing,
learn more about the Better Belly Blueprint at betterbellytherapies.com/blueprint.
Doors are always open.
Quick Recap
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Low progesterone is not a root cause.
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It signals inflammation.
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Inflammation comes from psychological, physical, and biochemical stress.
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Biochemical stress is most commonly missed.
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Testing (GI Map, OAT, HTMA, food sensitivity panels) reveals hidden drivers.
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Fix inflammation → progesterone restores naturally.
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Guessing wastes time. Testing saves years.
FAQ
Can inflammation really lower progesterone?
Yes. Chronic inflammation signals danger to the body. The brain reduces reproductive hormones in response.
Is taking progesterone bad?
Not necessarily. It can provide temporary relief. But it does not resolve the underlying inflammatory trigger.
What’s the most overlooked cause of low progesterone?
Biochemical stress — especially hidden infections, heavy metals, and food sensitivities.
Can low stomach acid affect hormones?
Absolutely. Poor digestion reduces mineral absorption, which directly impacts hormone production.
How long does it take to restore progesterone naturally?
It depends on your root causes. Many clients see changes within months after removing inflammation.
About the Author
Written by Allison Jordan, FDN-P
Gut health specialist and founder of Better Belly Therapies. Allison helps women uncover hidden root causes behind hormone chaos, digestive issues, and chronic inflammation using advanced functional lab testing and personalized protocols.
EPISODES MENTIONED:
- 267// The Best Food Sensitivity Test for You, with Vibrant Wellness
- 298// Low Stomach Acid Explained: A Real Root Cause of Acid Reflux, Candida, Constipation, and SIBO
- 273// Stop Doing Leaky Gut Tests. Do this instead.
- 233// H. Pylori: Symptoms of H. Pylori, How to Interpret H. Pylori Test Results, and Why H. Pylori Treatments Fail
- 234// Symptoms of Candida Overgrowth, How to Test for Candida, and Why the Candida Diet and Candida Cleanses Don't Work 😱(+ What to Do Instead!)
- 235// SIBO Symptoms, SIBO Testing, and Why SIBO Treatments Fail
- 236// Parasite Symptoms, Parasite Tests, and Why Parasite Cleanses Fail
- 237// C. Diff. Infection Symptoms, How C. Diff. is Spread, and Why Chronic C. Diff. is Missed
- 238// Symptoms of Toxic Mold + The Best Mold Test to Get
- 42// 6 Secrets Your Sleep Can Tell You About Your Gut
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