Do higher levels of progesterone in the Luteal Phase decrease insulin sensitivity?

[j_lipinski]

After reading Lara's Blog # 6 on insulin resistance, I came across an article that mentioned the fact that higher levels of progesterone in the Luteal Phase decrease insulin sensitivity.

https://www.levelshealth.com/blog/six-w ... lic+Health

I'd really like to know if this is in fact correct.

Thank you

[Lara]

There's been some debate about that and conflicting results. I suspect the direct effect of progesterone is that it does slightly decrease insulin sensitivity, but at the same time, progesterone can have an important testosterone-lowering effect (see my cyclic progesterone blog post). Progesterone also increases metabolic rate, so those two latter effects mean it indirectly improves insulin sensitivity.