Periods and Keto

MaggieFinn

Okay, this might be TMI for some of you, but I thought I'd ask. Guys, feel free to skip this one.

I'm in my late-40s, and hadn't had a period in 9 months when I started keto. Two weeks in, my period showed up again- with a vengeance. Extremely heavy bleeding for a solid week. I've never bled so much in my life!

From what I've read, it's not uncommon for there to be changes in your period- related to the estrogen stored in the fat I'm now burning, I think. I gained back a pound and a half while I was bleeding, but it's off again a couple of days later. Should I expect a return to a monthly period or was this a one-time thing? Any idea if it will be quite so heavy? Any advice for how to avoid that weight gain next month?

Thanks for the advice for this keto newbie. (24 days and 11 pounds down)

Running_and_Coffee

My first period on keto was brutal, second was still worse than usual, and now I’m normal again. More symptoms, lasted longer, occurred every three weeks the first two times. Grateful that improved!

tcunbeliever

I didn't have any changes for mine...but I was LCHF even before keto.

It's not just the estrogen you are releasing as you metabolize fat, your body manufactures hormones from fat, so if you were nutritionally deficient in fat, then you were not able to manufacture hormones in the quantity needed...and now, on keto, you should definitely be getting plenty of fat, therefore, plenty of hormone building blocks.

My understanding is that it can take a few months for the hormone pendulum to balance back out, and for some people it can reverse the hormone clock by years or even a decade.

Sabine_Stroehm

You're probably experiencing per-menopause MEETS a keto diet. It'll be a challenge to know what's what for a while.

nvmomketo

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

You're probably experiencing per-menopause MEETS a keto diet. It'll be a challenge to know what's what for a while.

I agree. It's hard to tell what is what once peri menopause hits.