Reproductive
Ovaries (corpus luteum)
Progesterone
Prepares the womb for pregnancy and balances oestrogen.
What it does
- Prepares and maintains the womb lining for pregnancy
- Regulates the menstrual cycle
Too much
- Used in contraception and HRT
- side effects can include bloating and mood changes
Too little
- Low progesterone can cause irregular periods and difficulty maintaining pregnancy
Keeping it balanced: Cycle-related symptoms are common — seek advice if they disrupt daily life.
Sources & references
Think a hormone may be out of balance?
The symptoms of hormonal excess and deficiency are non-specific — tiredness, weight change, low mood and poor sleep have many everyday causes. No hormone problem can be self-diagnosed from a symptom list.
Diagnosis needs blood tests interpreted alongside your history, sometimes repeated at set times of day because many hormones vary hour to hour. Speak to a GP if symptoms are persistent; seek urgent care for severe symptoms such as confusion, fainting, chest pain or extreme thirst with frequent urination.
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