21/07/2022
8 REASONS FOR MISSED OR IRREGULAR PERIODS
Abnormal menstrual cycles can be a complicated issue to fix, since womenâs hormones (and menâs, too) are impacted by a number of different factors and bodily systems.
In women with a regular cycle, normal o***y functioning releases one egg about every 25â28 days. Although the average time between periods varies depending on the woman, especially during puberty and the perimenopause periods, most women will have their periods once monthly when theyâre in good health.
When a woman stops getting her period â which is called âamenorrheaâ â itâs a solid indication that something isnât right. Primary amenorrhea is when a young woman never got her period to begin with during puberty, while secondary amenorrhea is when a woman has had her period in the past but stops getting her monthly period for three or more months.
Having a regular, moderately pain-free period each month is a good indication that hormones are in balance and the reproductive system is working properly. The opposite is also true: Irregular periods, missed periods, or very painful and intense PMS symptoms are a sign that levels of one of more hormones are either lacking or are too high. Whether itâs an underlying health condition, chronic stress levels, a poor diet, too much exercise or low body weight, frequently missed periods â when youâre sure you arenât pregnant that is â are not something to ignore.
Aside from being pregnant and going through menopause, which both normally stop a woman from getting her period, here are the other major causes for irregular periods or amenorrhea.
1. High Stress Levels
When youâre under a lot of stress for an ongoing period, your body can start to conserve energy by preventing ovulation. Experiencing a traumatic event, or even a lot of âordinaryâ stress, can suddenly cause the adrenals to work overtime, which can disrupt the production of thyroid hormones, estrogen and other reproductive hormones.
Why does this happen? Essentially, your body makes sure that emergencies get priority. Comfort is nice and being fertile is important, but itâs still secondary to survival. A built-in survival mechanism that is ingrained in all of us is the ongoing production of crucial âfight or flightâ stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Adrenaline and cortisol are the two major players related to our stress responses that help us get away from threats (whether real immediate ones or just perceived ones). Adrenaline and cortisol are completely necessary and sometimes beneficial â helping us to run, climb, exert energy, sweat and regulate our heartbeat, for example â but too much can become a problem.
2. Poor Diet
A poor diet low in nutrients, antioxidants and probiotic foods yet high in stimulants can tax the adrenal glands and thyroid. For example, a high intake of sugar, hydrogenated fats and artificial additives, or pesticides is linked with thyroid issues and adrenal fatigue that can raise cortisol.
Excess cortisol hinders the optimal function of many other essential hormones, such as s*x hormones. It can also promote the breakdown of bones, skin, muscles and brain tissue when high over a long period of time. This cycle of excess cortisol can lead to protein breakdown, which results in muscle-wasting and potentially osteoporosis.
If youâre struggling with menstruation, make sure to eat enough food and make it the right kind. Eat high antioxidant foods that are nutrient-dense, especially plenty of fats (even saturated fats that are good for you) and proteins. Also, choose a high-calorie supplement if you are underweight, have low body fat or are an athlete.
3. Extreme Weight Loss and Low Body Weight
When your body mass index (BMI) falls below 18 or 19, you can start to miss your period due to having too little body fat. Body fat is important for creating enough estrogen, which is why very thin women or those with serious conditions like anorexia and bulimia can experience absent or missed periods. Increased physical activity and nutritional demands of intensive exercise can sometimes lead to a low body weight that put you at risk for hormonal problems.
4. Over Exercising
Although moderate exercise is very important for ongoing heart health, mood regulation, sleep and maintaining a healthy body weight, too much exercise can also put excess pressure on your adrenal, thyroid and pituitary glands. Women who rapidly start exercising at high intensities â for example, by training for a marathon or some other major event that requires a high level of physical excretion â can stop getting their period suddenly.
Like other stress hormones, cortisol is released in response to any real or perceived stress, which can be physical (including exercise) or emotional. Such stressors include overworking and overtraining, in addition to things like under-sleeping, fasting, infection and emotional upsets. Today, with pressure to stay thin and in shape, some women feel they need to exercise intensely and âbreak a good sweatâ too much and too many days per week.
5. Thyroid Disorders
You may never suspect it, but it just might be that your thyroid is the cause of your problems related to hormonal imbalances. Some reports show that thyroid disorders may be one of the leading causes of missed periods, with roughly 15 percent of amenorrhea patients experiencing thyroid irregularities. The thyroid gland, often called a âmaster glandâ and considered a crucial controller of the endocrine system, largely controls your metabolism and impacts many s*x hormones.
6. Stopping the Birth Control Pill
Some women stop getting their period somewhat intentionally while on birth control, but even when they stop the pill their period doesnât return. While some doctors advise that a womanâs period should adjust and return within a few months of stopping the pill, many women experience missed or irregular periods for years afterward.
A womanâs natural menstrual cycle is composed of rising and falling levels of estrogen and progesterone but taking birth control pills keeps estrogen at a sufficiently high level, which fools the body into thinking itâs pregnant and results in irregular periods. It takes the body many months or even years to correct this and return to homeostasis.
7. Ongoing Hormonal Imbalances and Disorders
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormone imbalance in women that negatively impacts ovulation. When a woman has PCOS, she experiences altered levels of s*x hormones â including estrogen, progesterone and testosterone â that can result in abnormal body or facial hair growth, weight gain, blood sugar problems, acne, and irregular menstrual cycles. PCOS can be diagnosed by a womanâs gynecologist who will test for hormone levels, review symptoms and family history, and potentially examine the ovaries for cyst growths.
8. Food Allergies and Sensitivities
Undiagnosed gluten sensitivity or celiac disease can both impact hormone levels. Because these conditions can cause nutrient deficiencies, negatively impact gut health and add chronic stress to your adrenal glands, they have the ability to affect s*x hormone production.
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Extracted from Dr. Axe