Low Progesterone vs. Estrogen Dominance: Which One Is Causing Your PMS?
If your luteal phase is filled with mood swings, irritability, bloating, anxiety, breast tenderness, or insomnia, you might be wondering: Is this low progesterone or estrogen dominance?
Spoiler: it could be either… or both.
These two hormonal imbalances often show up with similar PMS symptoms, and sometimes they go hand in hand. In this post, we’ll break down the difference between low progesterone and estrogen dominance, the signs of each, and how to figure out what’s actually causing your PMS.
Struggling with pms?
🌿 What Is Progesterone?
Progesterone is made after ovulation by the corpus luteum and is the dominant hormone of your luteal phase (the second half of your cycle).
It helps:
Calm the nervous system
Stabilize mood
Balance out estrogen
Prepare the uterus for implantation
Prevent early shedding of the uterine lining
Low progesterone can show up as short luteal phases, spotting, anxiety, and poor sleep.
💥 What Is Estrogen Dominance?
Estrogen dominance isn’t always about having high estrogen—it’s about estrogen being high relative to progesterone.
You can have:
High estrogen and low progesterone
Normal estrogen and low progesterone
Or even normal labs with poor detox or metabolism of estrogen, making your body more sensitive to it
Estrogen dominance symptoms tend to be more inflammatory and bloating-driven, and can amplify PMS.
Want to test your hormones at home? I offer comprehensive labs + interpretation—learn more here.
🔍 Common Symptoms of Each
Here’s how they typically show up:
Signs of Low Progesterone:
Spotting before your period
Short luteal phase (<10 days)
Anxiety, especially at night
Trouble sleeping
Irritability or low mood
Difficulty staying pregnant
Low BBT temps after ovulation
Lighter or irregular periods
Signs of Estrogen Dominance:
Breast tenderness or swelling
Bloating and fluid retention
Headaches or migraines before your period
Heavy periods
Irritability or ragey PMS
Acne around chin/jaw
Fibroids or endometriosis
Worsened symptoms with hormonal birth control or synthetic estrogens
🧪 How to Know Which One Is Causing Your PMS
✅ Track Your Cycle
Are you ovulating regularly?
Is your luteal phase long enough (10–14 days)?
Are you spotting before your period?
If ovulation is weak or inconsistent, progesterone may be low.
✅ Get Proper Hormone Testing
Blood progesterone: Test 7 days after ovulation (not automatically on day 21!)
DUTCH test: Best option to assess both progesterone and estrogen metabolites
HTMA test: Evaluates minerals that support ovulation + hormone clearance (like magnesium, copper, and zinc)
GI MAP: Can reveal sluggish estrogen detox through the gut (think: high beta-glucuronidase or dysbiosis)
Sometimes you’ll find both are off, and that’s totally fixable with the right support.
🌱 Can You Have Both at the Same Time?
Yes—this is actually super common.
Low progesterone can allow estrogen to go unchecked, and poor estrogen clearance can create an environment where progesterone can’t keep up. That’s why many women benefit from supporting both sides:
Boost progesterone through ovulation support, stress reduction, and key nutrients like B6 and magnesium
Clear estrogen with fiber, liver support (think cruciferous veggies, broccoli sprouts, or calcium-D-glucarate), and gut health work if needed
🧠 The Root Causes to Explore
If PMS is showing up month after month, here’s what I look at with clients:
Are you ovulating consistently?
How long is your luteal phase?
Is cortisol stealing from hormone production?
Are you metabolizing and clearing estrogen well?
Do your mineral levels (magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper) support hormone balance?
Functional labs can make this so much clearer—no more guessing in the dark.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to suffer through PMS or feel like your hormones are hijacking your month. The truth is, PMS is often a sign of a hormonal imbalance that can be supported naturally—with the right testing, nutrition, and cycle strategy.
If you’re not sure whether low progesterone or estrogen dominance is to blame for your symptoms, testing is the best next step.
📌Want to test your hormones and create a customized plan to feel better each cycle?
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