Weight loss can make your period come less often or stop altogether. But it also has a positive effect, making it more regular or even helping to regulate your cycle.

Overweight women are more likely to miss their periods than underweight ones. This is because their increased fat mass or adipose tissue produces excess estrogen, which increases their breast and uterine cancer risk.

Gaining Weight

Losing weight and gaining weight have both been shown to affect your period in various ways. The amount of change that results from a weight loss or gain depends on your starting weight, as well as where you started from.

Overweight women are more likely to experience irregular periods than those who are overweight but not obese. This is because gaining weight (especially during a time when you have a higher BMI) disrupts a number of hormones that control menstrual cycle regularity, including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, luteinizing hormone and insulin.

In addition, gaining a lot of weight in a short amount of time (or even within a year or two) can cause the thyroid gland to become overactive, leading to excess production of reproductive hormones that may cause you to stop having periods altogether. If you are trying to lose weight, it’s important to talk with a dietitian about the best way to do so and keep your menstrual cycles under control.

When you lose weight, you will also need to eat less and move more to keep your energy levels up. The best diets are ones that include a variety of nutritious foods that provide the right balance of vitamins and minerals.

However, when you lose too much weight too quickly (by exercising excessively or restricting calories), you can actually reduce your body’s ability to produce a key hormonal messenger called leptin that triggers the hypothalamus to start the first menstrual cycle. This means that your first period will start later than it should.

The lack of leptin in your system also makes it harder for your ovaries to release an essential fertility hormone called estrogen. This can cause a variety of problems that can range from not getting pregnant to menstrual disorders and abnormally heavy bleeding.

If you have a low BMI and are underweight, it’s often due to calorie restriction, exercise or illness. Calorie restriction causes a hormone imbalance that interferes with ovulation, making it difficult to get your period.

Excessive exercise, on the other hand, can also trigger a stress response in your body that alters your hormone levels. This can make your menstrual cycle more irregular and cause you to miss your periods entirely, a condition called secondary amenorrhea.

Losing Weight

Weight loss can affect your period in several ways. For example, if you lose weight through excessive calorie restriction or strenuous exercise, it can cause your period to become lighter and less frequent. This can make your periods more difficult to manage, which can negatively impact your health and wellbeing.

Excessive weight loss can also cause you to stop having periods altogether, a condition known as amenorrhea. This can be a serious issue, especially for women who are trying to conceive, and should be discussed with your gynecologist.

A woman’s menstrual cycle is controlled by the interaction of hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone. Changes in these hormone levels cause ovulation, which results in a period.

If you are overweight, your body can create excess estrogen and this can result in a range of problems with your menstrual cycle, including irregular bleeding or missed periods. This can affect your fertility and increase your risk of breast and uterine cancer.

You can get your period back on the right track by losing a few pounds safely and healthily. This is best done by focusing on small, achievable changes to your eating and exercise habits over a period of time, such as cutting out carbohydrates or lifting weights.

It is very important to ensure that your diet includes foods high in protein and fibre, as well as plenty of water to help keep you hydrated. These foods will support your body’s ability to sustain a healthy weight, and help prevent you from gaining the unwanted weight in the future.

When you are overweight or obese, you may have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Getting your weight under control can reduce these risks and help prevent you from suffering from the many unpleasant symptoms of obesity, such as increased stress levels, fatigue and depression.

Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, can lead to weight loss that can interfere with your menstrual cycle. This is because diets can restrict the amount of calories a woman needs to eat and this can reduce the body’s ability to produce the hormones required for ovulation.

Underweight

A woman with a low BMI or body fat percentage may have problems with her menstrual cycle. This is due to the amount of estrogen in her body – which is crucial for ovulation – being too low.

There are also a number of other health conditions that can cause a woman to lose her period. For example, if you are diagnosed with a hormonal disorder such as hyper or hypothyroidism, you may not have enough estrogen to maintain your period, and this can result in missed periods and other fertility issues.

Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia nervosa can also make you severely underweight, which can affect your menstrual cycle. This can cause you to miss your period or not ovulate, which can lead to infertility.

It’s not always easy to know if you are underweight, but your doctor can help. He or she can perform a simple blood test to see if you are ovulating, and they can recommend ways to increase your body’s levels of estrogen so that your period will return.

If you are underweight, it’s important to eat small meals throughout the day. These should be nutrient-rich and contain a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.

Your diet should also include plenty of fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, lean protein sources, dairy products and whole grains. This way, you can meet your daily caloric needs and stay healthy.

You should also try to avoid eating too much junk food. These are not only bad for your weight but they can also make you feel sluggish and weak.

The most important thing is to eat regularly, so make sure you are eating five to six smaller meals during the day. You should also try to get some physical activity each day.

Women who are underweight are also at risk of developing other health conditions, including cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. They are also more likely to experience irregular menstrual cycles and amenorrhea, which is a lack of periods.

Overweight

Overweight women are at increased risk of gynaecological problems such as infertility and abnormal menstrual cycles. These include heavy menstrual bleeding, irregular cycles and short periods. The association between obesity and abnormal menstrual cycle has been reported in various studies. However, to date, most studies are focused on adolescent or university students and may not be representative of women in the general population.

The relationship between weight and period irregularities is complex. While overweight women have increased risk of developing gynaecological diseases, their menstrual cycles are also affected by other factors such as adolescent hormones and the uterine lining.

Some studies have found that the excess estrogen produced by fat cells can cause menstrual irregularities. This excess estrogen can interfere with ovulation, making a woman miss periods and possibly lead to breast or uterine cancer.

It is also possible that obesity can increase the inflammation of the lining of the womb (uterus) and cause heavy menstrual bleeding. It has been shown that mice fed a high fat diet (as compared to a normal one) had significantly delayed endometrial repair and prolonged menstrual bleeding – even after a progesterone withdrawal.

During the process of gaining weight, your body makes a hormone called estradiol that is similar to oestrogen. The extra estrogen can make you feel more fertile, but this hormone also increases your risk of ovarian cancer.

Overweight and obese women are also more likely to have anovulation, where no egg is released from the ovaries. This is a common condition that can affect women in their thirties and forties.

Another common issue that affects overweight and obese women is the development of polycystic ovarian syndrome. This is a hormonal disorder where the ovaries produce small, cyst-like glands.

A large number of women are affected by PCOS, which is a common hormone problem that can lead to infertility. It can also cause a range of other issues such as acne, hair loss and trouble losing weight.

Regardless of whether you are overweight or underweight, it is important to talk to your GP about how your weight may be affecting your menstrual cycle and ovulation. They can help you find ways to manage the symptoms of your ovulation disorders, so you can start getting regular periods again.