Fasting during menstrual cycle

KetoChris321 · 2017-06-08 20:36:56 UTC

Does anyone else find doing extended fasting during (really before) your menstrual cycle more difficult? I have completed several 5 and three day fasts quite easily, no hunger at all. All of a sudden I don’t seem to be able to complete them, I have ravenous hunger. I thought that to be strange, I have been Keto for at least a year now. When I looked at my calendar, I was due to begin in ten days. Any thoughts?

birddog27 · 2017-06-08 22:25:00 UTC

It is very, very, very difficult for me to fast the whole time. Not only do I crave food - my satiety signals (feeling full) disappear for 3-4 days +/- of it starting.

I have tried a couple different things. I have not fasted for the week prior and week of and pigged out (keto) and gained 7 pounds. I have fasted the week prior and feasted the week of and gained 4 pounds. My last cycle, I fasted the week prior and started fasting again half way through my cycle, the point that the cravings stop (for me any way)and only gained 2-3 pounds. That is how I am going to try and handle it from now on.

I will say, any weight gain is all water retention and bloat - it goes quickly so not a huge deal.

KetoChris321 · 2017-06-09 00:19:01 UTC

Yes, it’s so true about the feelings of satiety being gone for a while. I thought maybe I was doing something wrong, but I keep my carbs at or below 20 grams. Thought I lost my fat adaptive state. I guess it’s just hormones.

Thank you for your response Jennifer. I think I will play with my fasts leading up to the start of and during my cycle and see what works for me as well. Maybe some ADF cycles. Thanks again!!

birddog27 · 2017-06-09 00:45:40 UTC

I think I have read that women’s hormones can kick them out of ketosis at some points in the cycle. I would like to start tracking my ketosis levels to see if that does happen.

birddog27 · 2017-06-09 05:43:27 UTC

It’s funny this topic came up, I’ve been fasting since Monday and my cycle should start early next week. Today was the hardest freaken fasting day I’ve ever had. I’ve been craving food all day, I did give in and eat some olives (fat fasting) and now I can’t go to sleep because I’m thinking of all the food I NEED to est. SMH.

I will be frying up some eggs tomorrow for break-fast.

KetoChris321 · 2017-06-09 13:55:23 UTC

So …pigged out this morning(Keto of course) feel so much better. So much better that I feel I can probably not eat until tomorrow. I may have had more carbs than my 20 grams I will try to do what I heard on a 2 Keto dudes podcast, which is do a long workout to burn down some glucose.

Emacfarland · 2017-10-06 17:50:02 UTC

Yes, I have noticed this too, I don’t do very long fasts but usually fast at least 18 hours most days. Premenstrual I can’t make it that long. So I do the best I can

gingogenic · 2019-02-10 20:32:32 UTC

Sorry to reanimate an old thread, but hopefully it will be a vaguely welcome zombie!

I was down an internet research rabbit hole on female hormones and metabolism and this thread popped up.

I just wanted to add some context to this, for anyone else that stumbles across and ends up reading this thread.

The menstrual cycle has a direct effect on appetite, insulin sensitivity, preference and utilisation of different fuel sources and metabolism. For instance, during the luteal phase (the week or two before your period) your metabolism increases and you actually burn more calories. The female body is more able to metabolise (and prefers) fat for fuel during the follicular phase (prior to ovulation). These are only a few examples but most of them more than explain why women finding fasting easier at certain times in their cycle than others. I strongly recommend some googling, there are some great blogs out there that give straight forward guidance on how to hack/optimise your diet and exercise routine to best ride the hormonal changes.

I don’t try and start fasting during the luteal phase. It’s a disaster. Couple of days into my cycle, is optimal for me. And I tend to do more “fat burning” low intensity exercise then. I up my protein and do a few seriously heavy lifting sessions mid cycle when my testosterone is high, leading to more muscle gains. And I eat a bit more during my luteal phase, but only to satiety. I used to struggle horribly with all this, until the penny dropped and I realised I was fighting my own hormonal cycles.

Here’s a few to get you started;

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Metabolic changes during the menstrual cycle.

JT Bisdee, PJ Garlick and WP James, The British journal of nutrition, May 1989

1. Eight women maintained on a constant diet throughout a single menstrual cycle were studied for cyclical changes in body-weight, carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. 2. A cyclical variation in weight occurred with two phases corresponding to the time of ovulation and menstruation. 3. Creatinine and nitrogen excretion in the urine also tended to be higher in the luteal phase. 4. Analysis of gas exchange in a respiratory chamber for 24 h periods at intervals during the cycle suggested that carbohydrate utilization tended to be less in the early follicular phase. 5. Feeding with a mixed diet produced marked increases in carbohydrate utilization during the day with little change in fat utilization from the fasting state. Carbohydrate utilization was less when fasting at night and tended to be less when fed during the day in the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. 6. Weight changes were not readily ascribed to changes in colonic function, or in glycogen or body protein storage.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Menstrual cycle and basal metabolic rate in women.

SJ Solomon, MS Kurzer and DH Calloway, The American journal of clinical nutrition, Oct 1982

Basal metabolic rate, resting metabolic rate (RMR), and energy cost of selected activities were measured in six healthy young women who were participating in a study of protein requirements. The women were confined to a metabolic unit for 92 days during which they consumed a defined formula diet. The basal metabolic rate of the women was 20.7 +/- 2.6 kcal/kg body weight/day and the caloric requirement for maintenance of weight was 38.7 kcal/kg body weight/day. Basal metabolic rate varied significantly with the menstrual cycle. Basal metabolic rate decreased at menstruation and fell to its lowest point approximately 1 wk before ovulation subsequently rising until the beginning of the next menstrual period. RMR was 0.99 +/- 0.16 kcal/kg/h. The energy expenditure while sitting was 1.06 times RMR, while walking it was 2.81 times RMR, and while performing treadmill exercise it was 3.47 times RMR.

Iced · 2019-02-10 20:58:50 UTC

Thanks some good information here.

SecondBreakfast · 2019-03-20 14:13:50 UTC

This might be a slight segue off the topic, but I’m curious…For those who have fasted before/during your cycles, especially anyone who is peri-menopausal— did you notice any change in the actual cycle? i.e…was the flow lighter or heavier?
The reason I am asking is, I am peri-menopausal. About 3-4 months ago, my cycles became so heavy and so painful, it’s unbearable. I’ve gone back to work, but have to get 3-4 days off around my cycle every month, because the flow is so bad, I can’t leave the house. I’ve done extended fasts before, but don’t recall how or if it affected my cycle. I decided on Monday night to start fasting through the first day or two of my cycle which is supposed to start Thursday. Not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing to do now, but generally, I feel great after an extended fast.
Someone on another thread suggested an endometrial ablation- which would have an absolute God-send. But, I’ve a had a C-section, and they won’t do an ablation if there is scarring from that. So, short of a partial hysterectomy…options are limited. I just wondered anyone might have experienced some benefit to fasting around day 23 to day 28/1/2? Thank you for any help, suggestions and advice!!!

Brittany_Allen · 2019-03-24 17:11:54 UTC

Thanks for this! I’ve noticed I feel SO hungry right before my period starts and i was looking for some more information on the topic.

Cristi_Voss · 2019-04-04 18:17:53 UTC

What do you mean fat fasting? In reference to eating olives?

birddog27 · 2019-04-04 18:33:43 UTC

I fast for autophagy and eating protein will stop autophagy. If I feel I need to eat a little something, but want to continue to fast, I will eat a few olives and see if I can continue. Something it works, something it doesn’t.

Olives are also really good for breaking a fast since they are basically fat and fiber. Helps the digestive tract start up with little digestive track upset.

Tee2 · 2019-04-09 01:19:32 UTC

Has anybody experienced missing periods?
I have been IF and EF for 2 months now and have not had a cycle since i started. Bizarre!! But maybe a coincidence with just maybe things changing with age.
Anyone else?

Jody2 · 2019-04-11 18:11:57 UTC

Second Breakfast, I’m curious what your experience has been since you posted? Did you see any changes to your period? I’m also wondering how fasting will affect my cycle and perimenopausal symptoms. I had been taking a low dose hormone to ease symptoms, but stopped taking a few weeks ago.

SecondBreakfast · 2019-04-15 23:05:01 UTC

For the March cycle, had almost no cramps. Just a tinge of pain in my right ovary area, and it wasn’t that bad.
Blood flow was wayyyyyyy easier. It was more even, and not quite as much. It lasted 13 days, but it wasn’t nearly as heavy and painful, and the flow tapered off a lot sooner than previously. So, all in all, much much MUCH better. I’ll take ‘longer and less’ over ‘gushing and heavier’ any day.

Also, I increased my Omega 3’s, took tons of fish oil, (like 5/day), Pro-gest cream, started ginger capsules, and have been strict keto’ing.

I think the fast must have had some great effect on the beginning of the cycle. The fish oil had a massively positive effect on the cramping, as well. I did a long read on prostaglandins, and how Omega 3’s have a great effect on them and help stop cramping and pain. I am a few days out from Aunt Flo visiting again, and still no migraine, no cramps, no weight gain…feeling incredibly good considering what has always been that impending doom!

So, I say, go for it. I feel SO much better. I’m looking forward to my next cycle to see how it goes. Never thought I’d say that, but, here we are. HTH!

SecondBreakfast · 2019-04-16 13:57:22 UTC

@Jody2 —I forgot to direct the above reply to you! Sorry!!!

And, I double- checked my calendar, and Aunt Flo is supposed to arrive on Wednesday. Therefore, I started EF last night around 6pm. Will aim for 36-48 hours and see how we go.

Timing is perfect, as hubby is out of town for 3 days, the two older kids are working, the youngest is in school, and I have to go to work this afternoon through tonight. SO. I shall not be cooking for myself or anyone else!

As of right now, no headaches. no bloating. no cramping. no nothing. I feel perfectly normal and entirely non-pms.

I don’t know if this phenomenon is due entirely to fasting, or if its a combination of EF, ginger capsules, and omega 3’s. I know though, that the fasting definitely helped things because I hadn’t implemented the ginger and the omega 3’s until after my last cycle had already begun.

HTH!

Jody2 · 2019-04-16 14:30:04 UTC

Yeah that’s the problem about throwing everything at it LOL but if it works, keep going! Megan Ramos at IDM say fasting is really impactful for our hormones and she has menopausal women patients that have started having periods again on their fasting programs.

I am in my first cycle of non-hormone therapy, so I am having some wacky PMS symptoms. Hopefully next month’s cycle will be telling.

Keep the updates coming!