A variety of factors can cause irregular periods. Rapid weight loss or gain, poor nutrition or over-exercising, and pregnancy can all disrupt your period. An "irregular" period is one that occurs earlier or later than usual, is heavier or lighter than usual, does not appear at all, or occurs at random. Many people experience irregular periods at some point in their lives if not all of them.
Missing several periods in a row could indicate pregnancy or another condition. Being overweight can sometimes lead to a condition known as PCOS, and irregular periods are one of the most common symptoms of PCOS.
Correlations of weight gain and irregular periods
Gaining or decreasing weight might have a beneficial or negative impact on your menstrual cycle. A change in weight, for example, may cause you to go from irregular to regular periods, or it may cause your periods to become less frequent or stop entirely. It is determined not only by how much you gain or lose but also by where you started.
How does it affect each other?
- It's likely that you'll skip your period if you have a normal body mass index (BMI) and acquire weight. Increased fat storage (also known as adipose tissue) causes a hormonal imbalance, which can prevent ovulation.
- There is no set amount of weight increase that causes a missing period, but the more the gain and the faster it occurs; the more likely your period may be affected.
- Weight gain and reduction can both cause you to miss your period and can help you regulate it.
- Your menstrual cycle is the product of an intricate connection between your ovaries and brain. Ovulation is caused by changes in your hormone levels, and your period is caused by other hormonal changes. Anything that disrupts this relationship may cause your body to cease ovulating. You'll miss a period if you don't ovulate.
Putting on Weight When You're Underweight
- It's possible that you won't receive your period if you're underweight. Your low BMI is usually caused by calorie restriction, severe activity, or illness. These are external stressors that trigger hormonal changes that prevent ovulation.
- This also results in an extremely low estrogen level, which is particularly detrimental to bone health.
- You reduce the burden on your body by gaining weight if your BMI is low. This enables your body to ovulate and, as a result, menstruate once more. It also preserves your bones and replenishes your body's estrogen production.
Losing Weight When You're Obese
- When you are significantly overweight, especially when your BMI is greater than 35, it is likely that you do not have regular periods. Your increased fat mass, or adipose tissue, produces extra estrogen, which contributes to ovulation problems and missed periods.
- Obesity-related estrogen excess, can increase your risk of breast and uterine cancer. Losing weight will return your periods to normal and correct your estrogen excess.
- Regular menstruation is a good indicator of your organism's relative hormonal balance.
- The two extremes of being extremely underweight or extremely overweight lead to hormonal imbalances which cause your period to stop and, over time, may lead to serious health problems.
- To achieve a healthy BMI, you can correct hormonal imbalances by gaining or losing weight. This should cause your ovulation and periods to resume.
Do note
Keeping track of when one's periods occur can assist people in recognizing irregularities and spotting patterns. Irregular periods can be caused by a variety of factors, including certain medical conditions. The majority of causes of irregular periods are not serious, but a few are. A doctor can determine the cause and, if necessary, recommend treatments or other approaches.
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5503870/
- https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/conditions/stopped-or-missed-periods