BF% and Hormones

lisalsd1
lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I googled this question, but couldn't get a "definitive" answer. I thought women on MFP might be more knowledgeable than the internet.

Has anyone experienced a drop in body fat throwing off your cycle? At what level of body fat has this happened?

I had my BF% tested a year and a half ago (24.5%). I've been lifting and have lost several pounds (haven't been retested); but using math only, I'm estimating I'm around 22% or slightly less. I think this might be effecting my cycle.

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    yep, losing weight can affect your hormones.

    How much fat do you get in your diet?
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Perimenopause here.. dropping body fat has not affected my hormones to the negative side, but to the positive side.. I no longer have symptoms and my TOM are very regular..more so now
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    My macros are set for 30% fat; consistently go over on fat. A few years ago (after having kids), I was irregular; started taking vitamin D, that kept my cycle regular for 3 years. Maybe it is dietary/vitamin related.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Well, I know that every month I've managed to keep a good enough deficit to lose 2 pounds or more, I haven't got my period (and don't seem to actually lose any weight either because I only lose after my period). Once I start eating at maintenance level again, it comes back.

    So who knows.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    edited May 2015
    Yes. When I was at this weight when I was in college, my period would often go 35-53 days. When I gained weight, it became regular at 30. After babies - when I was thin, thin, thin, it went long again. Now I'm thin, but went into menopause.

    I was never overly thin - 5'10" and 135-150 when my period went very long. I'm 150 and slightly above average for muscle now.

    I think it's very individual on BF, because different people are more or less affected by being around other women and more or less affected by their BF.

    Higher carbs (over 35%) make me much more sensitive to weight in terms of hormones - and there's a lot of science to back that up. That is not low carb.

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