Keto diet and menstrual cycle

newbies
#13

I have been keto since January and started spotting about 3 weeks into the diet. I spot on and off throughout the month, with a day or two like a light period. I have taken birth control continuously (for 10 years) and only used to (pre-keto) have periods when I give them to myself. None of my doctors were concerned about the spotting and my pap came back normal. Personally, it bothers me because I know something is out of balance. I have scoured the internet and found very little info, but there is a common theme between birth control, keto, and spotting.

Here are links to a few podcasts that I found somewhat helpful to help me understand female hormones better:
The Keto Diet Podcast Episodes 29 & 39

Keto for Women

I really wish I knew what is not in balance and causing this spotting so I could work to get my hormones back to normal. I have been contemplating other contraception methods and I think I am going to try the lowest hormone IUD, Skyla. I would love to go off the hormones all together, but I don’t think any of those options will work for me. If anyone has knows where to get more info on this topic please share!

(Kevelyn Davis) #14

Omg im having the same issue…on BC and cycle started 1 week early and its heavy. I have no idea when it’s going to stop now because the BC seems to not be doing its job anymore…

#15

After spotting, having light period continuously for a month, I decided to stop taking BC and about 4 days later, my period stopped completely. Not sure what next cycle is gonna look like. Hope everything goes back to normal.
All I can say is that it takes time. Have my finger crossed for you!

#16

Hi @spearson, thank you so much for sharing the podcasts!

(Bynabi Hong) #17

I started keto diet on 21/6 rite after my menstrual cycle, since then my period is gone!!! I’m not overweight, just wanne shed couple pounds…I have been keeping my net carb intake within 30g, I’m in ketosis but not really losing weight at the moment.

I lost 3lbs in the first 3 weeks of keto diet but those lbs come back since early August…
And it has been 2 weeks I’m having horrible sleep…feel like im having water retention…just feel rough anyway…have read article saying increase carb intake may help sleeping condition, but I’m not evening losing weight from having ketosis.

(Rachel) #18

Whenever I really restrict carb intake (Fat fasting), I stop having my period. When I increase my carbs I can count on starting my period within 2 days.

(Lisandra Mathews) #19

I’m having the same issue with spotting since I’ve gone full keto two cycles ago after being low carb for 1 1/2 years ago. How have you fared since ceasing your birth control? Did the spotting permanently go away?

#20

My second cycle on keto came as expected, no cramps, no pains, no spotting after. During my second cycle (yes, after my period came not before), I completely broke my diet for a week because I was out of town. I went back on track after I was back home, and currently I’m not restricting my carb as low as 20g, I don’t limit leafy greens, it just makes me feel better. Looking forward to seeing what happens next cycle.

#21

I am 3 months in and bleeding almost daily for the past three weeks.:frowning:

#22

Update: Got the IUD and the spotting stopped…:thinking:

(Madeena Albrey Porath) #23

About 3 weeks into this WOE I started spotting a few days after my initial period was over. This continued for a few weeks and eventually stopped after the end of my next cycle. It was extremely frustrating at the time, but all is well now. KCKO!

#24

I am 23 days late for my period…experienced spotting for a month…now my period is gone…
What can I do to get my period back? I am actually doing lazy keto, I don’t track macros… Should I carb up or go back to normal diet for a couple days? HELP…

(Jessika Nilsson) #25

You could try eating more food, I had to up my calories for a while, and still am, for my period to return when it went missing after a period of too many extended fasts with not enough food in between.
I’m still making sure I eat more until my period has completely stabilized (some more protein since I strength train a lot, but mostly fat).
I think I might have unintentionally been undereating as I usually never got hungry, but I could usually always eat more… So maybe you’re body just needs more food (/calories) ?

#26

Hi Jessika,

Thank you for your suggestion!

I think I’ve been eating a lot, taking excessive amount of calories…I’m 5’7 and 133lb, didn’t really lose weight since I went keto. I do weight lifting and HIIT regularly. Did you try to reduce your workout while eating more?

(Jessika Nilsson) #27

First I stopped with the extended fasting, then the intermittent fasting and started eating breakfast, lunch and dinner and upping my calories. I did stop my cardio, but that was at most once a week and usuallly hillsprints for max 30 minutes.
I kept up my strengthtraining sessions as usual, (60 minutes,4 times a week, pretty heavy)
So I only reduced the training I thought could be increasing the cortisol, and therefore I skipped the cardio. But lots of walking instead :wink:

But I did gain weight too though, but not sure how much was from needing to eat more and how much was from how my body later reacted to the stressfull event of a close relatives sudden death. My period was already really late by then, but it sure didn’t help to stress the body out with mourning…
Since then I’ve picked up yin yoga on my rest days (3 times a week) to try to lower my stress levels. I’m also back to doing intermittent fasting (16:8) but still eating more than before.

And I thought I was eating about 2200-2500 kcal everyday, but when I checked I was about 500 kcal off. So I wasn’t eating as much as I thought prior to loosing my period. So sometimes it’s not enough to think, sometimes it might be a good idea to check :wink:

Edit: For reference: I’m 5’6 and weighted 134lbs when I lost my period, but I had lost about 5-6 lbs during a month using extended fasting.

#28

Thank you for sharing your experience! Really appreciated that!

(Courtney ) #29

I’ve had my Mirena for nearly 5 years, it’s my second and both times I never had a period. I was on keto for 3 months and experienced spotting then I had some bumps in the road and stopped eating keto and all spotting and symptoms left. I went back on keto 4 days ago and today got a full on period. Questions: is it just keto and my body is adjusting hormone levels? If so, is my IUD still functioning during this adjustment?

(Harjit Singh) #30

Hiya, has everything gone back to normal for you? I just finished my first month on Keto and experiencing the same thing as you pretty much. Go my period 2 weeks early and have had a full period for like 5 days now and i’m on the pill. I feel like giving up Keto - did your period end up normalizing eventually?

(Harjit Singh) #31

Hi ! did everything eventually normalize with your period?

(Catya) #32

Hello there,
Looks like the best suggestions for this thread seem to have a “wait it out” mentality. Much relieved. Spotting is incredibly inconvenient, especially when it goes on for quite a while. I’ve been keto for about 1 month now, which I know is very short term, but have always had VERY regular periods - spotting is a totally new experience. Glad to know there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel!