Weight and Menstrual Cycle: How Does Gaining Weight Affect Your Periods?

Weight gain during menstruation: Changes in weight can make you go from irregular to regular, or it can cause your periods to become irregular or stop altogether. It depends not only on where you started, but also on how much you gain or lose.

An average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days and can range from 24 to 38 days. A typical cycle lasts two to seven days, with an average of five days. According to studies and experts, if you are overweight or underweight, your periods are more likely to be irregular.

How does weight affect your period?

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Your menstrual cycle may change if you are underweight or overweight. Your ovaries and brain work in a sophisticated way to produce menstrual cycles.

Ovulation is caused by changes in particular hormone levels, and your period is caused by additional hormonal changes. If something prevents this interaction from happening, your body may stop ovulating. If you don’t ovulate, you won’t get your period.

Your weight and the amount of fat in your body affect your hormone levels. If you are underweight and have very little body fat, you may skip periods. Missing or heavy periods is another side effect of being overweight. A sudden weight change can also disrupt your menstrual cycle.

If you are underweight or extremely overweight and not having periods, getting back to a healthy weight will probably start your periods again.

effects of weight gain

Your menstrual cycle can be affected by weight gain in several different ways. If you are starting with a normal weight, you may notice a difference in your menstrual cycle and gain weight as you move into the overweight or obese category. If you are underweight and not getting your periods, gaining weight can help your cycles function normally.

scanty menstruation

Women who were of average weight before gaining enough weight to become overweight may begin to experience irregular menstrual cycles. A hormonal imbalance caused by an increase in adipose tissue, or body fat, can prevent ovulation. Excess estrogen produced by adipose tissue can interfere with ovulation and result in missed periods.

PCOS, also known as polycystic ovarian syndrome, is a common cause of amenorrhea in obese women. You may experience missed periods and ovulation problems due to PCOS. Additionally, it leads to excessive production of androgen in the ovaries, a hormone associated with the male sex that disrupts the menstrual cycle.

heavy periods

Obese women are more likely to have heavy menstrual cycles and abnormal uterine bleeding.6 This is most likely because obesity-related systemic inflammation can inhibit endometrial repair and increase monthly blood loss.

normal cycle

When you gain weight due to a lower BMI, your body experiences less stress. This enables your body to ovulate once again and start menstruating as a result. Additionally, it protects your bones and helps your body manufacture estrogen.

Treatment

Regular menstrual cycles are a reliable sign that your body is relatively hormonally balanced. Being extremely underweight or being extremely overweight both lead to hormonal imbalances that stop your periods and eventually lead to major health problems.

Gaining or losing weight to reach a healthy BMI is a common way to treat hormonal imbalances. Consult your doctor, nutritionist and even a personal trainer before starting any weight gain or loss strategy. If you are overweight, you should aim to lose fat rather than gain lean body mass, and if you are underweight, you should aim to gain lean body mass rather than just fat.

(This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for advice provided by qualified medical professionals.)