Why Breaking Up Your Progesterone Dose Can Make All the Difference

And what really happens when you take more than your body needs at one time

If you’ve been taking a higher dose of bioidentical progesterone—say 300, 400mg or more—you might assume that taking it once or twice daily is enough. But here’s what many women find: the dose feels too strong at first, then wears off too quickly, or worse—it causes side effects like mood swings, drowsiness, or worsened estrogen symptoms.

That’s not always a sign you’re on the wrong dose. It might mean your application timing needs a tweak.

What your body does naturally

In a healthy, cycling woman, the body produces about 20–25 mg of progesterone per day during the second half of the menstrual cycle (the luteal phase). But that’s not released in one big dose—it’s secreted gradually over the course of the day.

In pregnancy, progesterone production increases dramatically. By the third trimester, the placenta is producing anywhere from 250 to 600 mg per day, and some research suggests it can reach up to 1,000 mg (1 gram) daily.

In menopause, progesterone production drops significantly. The adrenal glands may produce a small amount—typically around 1–2 mg per day, if that—which is far less than what’s made during the reproductive years or pregnancy.
But here’s the key: those low levels can be completely adequate—especially if estrogen levels are also low and a natural hormonal balance is being maintained. Low progesterone and estrogen doesn’t automatically mean misery.
As always, balance is everything.

A side note on pregnancy and progesterone: how much is really being made?

Even though the placenta is mean to produce large amounts of progesterone, who’s to say it actually is?

Many practitioners assume that once a woman passes the first trimester, the placenta is doing its job. But many women still suffer from signs of low progesterone in late pregnancy—such as anxiety, poor sleep, or preterm labor symptoms—and later go on to develop postnatal depression (PND).

If a woman was already dealing with estrogen dominance before getting pregnant, it’s entirely possible that her progesterone production (even from the placenta) is falling short. A stable pregnancy doesn’t guarantee optimal hormone production—and low progesterone in pregnancy is likely more common than we realize.

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What happens if you take a large dose all at once?

When you take a large amount of progesterone in one go, especially if you’re not pregnant, your body may not be able to use it all efficiently. What isn’t used might:

- Be excreted through urine or bile

- Be broken down into inactive metabolites

- Convert into neurosteroids like allopregnanolone, which can be calming in small amounts but overwhelming and sedating in excess.

Some women worry that progesterone will automatically turn into cortisol, but this only happens when the body is under chronic or acute stress and actively NEEDS to make more cortisol. If there’s no demand, your body typically won’t make that conversion. The excess will be stored, metabolized, or eliminated—not transformed into cortisol just because it’s there. *As always, it’s best to find out why there is such a demand for cortisol instead of shutting off the most important stress hormone the body has.

Why smaller, more frequent applications are often better

Regardless of whether you’re taking 50 mg or 400 mg per day or more, breaking your dose up into multiple applications throughout the day can be more effective as well as potentially reducing the amount needed!

Here’s why:

- It mimics your body’s natural rhythm

- It helps maintain steady hormone levels

- It minimizes side effects like fatigue, mood swings, or estrogen “kickback”

- It gives your tissues time to absorb and respond

Instead of taking 200 mg at once, many women feel better applying 50–75 mg two or three times per day, especially using transdermal creams or sublingual forms.

Your liver matters more than you think

None of this works well if your liver isn’t doing its job.

Your liver is responsible for detoxifying and clearing hormones like estrogen. If it’s congested, sluggish, or undernourished, hormonal therapies can become frustratingly ineffective—or even make you feel worse.

That’s why I have taken a break from private client consultations to focus on a much larger and ubiquitous message

The Detox Essentials Mini Course and the Advanced Detox Course—to help you support your hormone metabolism from the ground up.

If you’re using hormones (or even thinking about it), this is non-negotiable foundational work.

🌀 Learn more HERE

"More isn’t better. Balance is better." - Kitty Martone