The body prioritizes survival over reproduction. Under prolonged stress, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis demands precursors that would otherwise synthesize progesterone, leading to secondary luteal phase deficiency.
According to clinical data from the Cleveland Clinic, restoring adrenal rhythm requires non-stimulatory adaptogens, targeted morning sunlight exposure, and evening magnesium supplementation to blunt excessive nocturnal ACTH secretion.