Can Keto Affect Your Period?
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What would be the main recommendations for women that worry about their body’s reaction to keto? This article explains how a reckless attitude towards ketogenic diet could affect womens’ bodies and discusses ways to avoid these negative side effects.
The Keto diet has come to the spotlight due to the guaranteed weight loss results and advanced health benefits provided for hundreds of thousands of people that swear by it.
However, some evidence suggests that keto diet might lead to changes in the menstrual cycle. Today we explore the possible keto diet outcomes for women.
Why is the ketogenic diet so popular?
In recent years, the popularity of this high-fat, low-carb diet skyrocketed. The following started to grow even though this dieting method is quite radical.
It’s based on the insight that after you reach the metabolic state ketosis, your body starts to burn fat for fuel instead of carbs.
To achieve it, you have to eliminate most of the carbs from your diet.
This means that you cannot eat most vegetables, grains, beans, milk and it’s products and exchange them with high-fat and high-protein foods like fatty fish, nuts, butter, avocados, eggs, or oil.
There is a huge difference between educated keto and uneducated keto. The first version helps to balance out the food to make sure that you get all the necessary nutrients and microelements through balanced meals. This requires some practice, dedication, and maybe even a meal plan.
The second one looks more like a fad diet that is based on thinking that you can eat bacon with eggs all day and call it a healthy diet. Obviously, the second version is not sustainable.
The difference between these versions of keto diet can be huge. So, you need to make sure to educate yourself about properly balancing out your meals. Reading a couple of articles online is unfortunately not enough.
Keto diet’s impact on hormones
Rapid weight loss, excessive exercising, or fast weight gain are common causes of changes in the menstrual cycle. It can manifest as irregularities, the atypical density of the periods, or even its disappearance.
Your body reacts to the new diet by changing up the hormone balance. Weight loss causes lower levels of estrogen hormone that is responsible for the reproductive system and menstrual cycle.
A low-carb diet can also change the luteinizing hormone levels that can result in lighter or shorter periods.
Should you be worried?
What would be the main recommendations for women that worry about their body’s reaction to keto?
It all goes down to your personal preference and current health status. Remember that in order to achieve and enjoy the amazing weight loss results, you should only try a keto meal plan that is prepared by a professional and adjusted to fit your health goals and current wellness status.
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- If you feel good after trying the keto diet and your cycle doesn’t change at all, by all means, continue!
- If your notice changes in your menstrual cycle, but your healthcare provider thinks that you can continue with the keto diet, you might want to try Keto Cycle and have 2 days a week when you eat a higher dose of carbs.
- If you plan a pregnancy, it would be wise to try a less restrictive diet that contains more vegetables and fruits.
Edibel Quintero is a medical doctor who graduated in 2013 from the University of Zulia and has been working in her profession since then. She specializes in obesity and nutrition, physical rehabilitation, sports massage and post-operative rehabilitation. Edibel's goal is to help people live healthier lives by educating them about food, exercise, mental wellness and other lifestyle choices that can improve their quality of life.
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