Intermittent fasting has been considered a panacea for weight loss in recent years – but doctors are warning millions of women to avoid it.
It’s estimated that one in ten Americans follows the diet, which involves eating within a strict time window to reduce the amount of calories you eat.
However, experts told that prolonged fasting can affect the hormones that regulate menstruation in women.
This can lead to irregular periods, which have been linked to a higher risk of ovarian cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and mental health problems.
Some women say that if they fast eight to 12 hours a day, their periods stop altogether.
Jennifer Aniston (left) and Nicole Kidman (right) are two celebrities who have reportedly been on an intermittent fasting regimen
Carolyn Williams, an Alabama-based nutritionist, recommends opting for nutrient-dense foods like lean meats, leafy greens, and whole grains during the eating window to help prevent hormonal imbalances
While intermittent fasting, which involves alternating between fasting days and eating normal days, can be good for weight loss, it forces the body to go without nutrients for extended periods of time. This can lead to hormonal deficiencies and cause the menstrual cycle to become irregular or absent altogether.
Fasting too long or too frequently can disrupt the production of two hormones: luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH).
Both are secreted by the pituitary gland in the hypothalamus, which acts as the brain’s control center.
LH and FSH regulate the menstrual cycle by preparing the body for ovulation, when the ovary releases a mature egg.
Too much restriction can impede these processes because hormones cannot function properly without the right nutrients.
Without these hormones, women are more likely to have irregular periods and, less commonly, interfilia. Because without a period, women cannot ovulate, which reduces their chances of conceiving.
“It’s kind of a cascade of effects on hormones,” Carolyn Williams, an Alabama-based nutritionist, told .
Following an intermittent fasting regimen involves alternating between fasting days and days of eating normally. On fasting days, dieters restrict their food intake to specific time slots of the day, e.g. B. only for breakfast or dinner.
TikTokers Sparky (left) and Kristine Crouch (right) shared that fasting made their periods irregular or caused them to stop altogether
A TikToker with the username Sparky shared that her menstrual cycle stopped in 2021. At that time, she regularly fasted before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
“It ruined my hormones,” she said. “It definitely contributed to the loss of my period.”
In April, fasting expert Kristine Crouch posted a TikTok video explaining how she stopped getting periods during a prolonged fast.
“After my fast I got my period and it has been so regular for many years.”
Ms Williams said that while everyone’s calorie needs are different, less than 1,200 a day is generally considered insufficient.
“If you’re feeling tired, that’s a sign you’re not consuming enough calories.” “You need to have enough calories for your body to function,” Ms. Williams said.
“You have to be consuming enough calories to actually burn fat.” “If you’re not consuming calories, your body will shut down or slow down because it doesn’t know what to do.”
Eating nutrient-dense foods during your eating window is key to avoiding these hormonal downsides. This includes foods high in fiber, protein, fatty acids like omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins.
Ms. Williams suggests opting for lean proteins like chicken or turkey, nuts and seeds, fruits and dark leafy greens, and beans and lentils.
“Once you’re within your eating window, it’s really important to eat enough calories and make sure your food choices are quality.” [and] nutrient-dense food choices,” she said.
“It’s not about cutting calories drastically. Rather, it’s about consuming the calories within a specific window of time so that your body has a clear break between your eating window and your fasting window.’
However, Ms. Williams does not recommend the diet if you already have irregular periods.
“If you already have irregular periods or are struggling with infertility, I don’t know if this is the best time to do intermittent fasting,” she said.
“I would contact your doctor because the last thing you want is to disrupt your hormones.”
She also recommended avoiding intermittent fasting if you are pregnant, planning to conceive, or have had an eating disorder in the past.
Although fasting is not a new concept, it has received a lot of attention in recent years.
Intermittent Fasting has 1.5 billion views on TikTok and 5.1 million on Instagram. In addition, a survey by the International Food Information Council last year found that one in ten Americans practices the diet.
However, its effectiveness has also been widely discussed.
For example, in a study published last year in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, researchers followed 36 diabetics over a three-month period. They found that nearly 90 percent, including those taking insulin, were able to reduce the amount of diabetes medication they took.
Additionally, a 2017 study found that two weeks of intermittent fasting resulted in significant weight loss and improved glucose levels.
However, a study published in June found that while intermittent fasting helped patients lose weight, it was no more effective than simply counting calories.
In some cases, intermittent fasting might actually improve hormone levels in women. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that causes high levels of the male hormone androgens and causes irregular periods, could benefit from the diet.
“You tend to have higher levels of androgens and testosterone, so intermittent fasting can lower those levels, which can contribute to a more regular menstrual cycle,” Ms. Williams said.