How Your Period Affects Your Appetite

"Is it Normal that I lose my appetite once I get my period?"

"Is it Normal that I get really bad food cravings before my period?".

If you've ever asked yourself any of these, you're not alone.

The menstrual cycle can significantly influence appetite, energy levels, performance, and more.

NOTE ON LANGUAGE: I aim to use inclusive language in my practice. In this post, gendered terms like “female” and "women's health" are used to align with existing research and clinical terminology. I recognize and respect that people of all gender identities may experience menstruation and hormone-related changes.

For decades, scientists have avoided recruiting female research participants due to potential challenges with the menstrual cycle impacting methodology, and making data more difficult to interpret. Although there is a long way to go, women's health including the menstrual cycle are topics that are being focused on more in research today. This can be an important step in improving women's healthcare and better understanding the female body in sports.

Is it normal to have cravings before your period, but a lower appetite once it starts?

In short, YES. Losing your appetite when you get your period is fairly common, along with feeling hungrier leading up to it. This may be largely due to changes in hormones.

Let's explore why this might happen...

Overview of the Menstrual Cycle

The main hormones at play during the menstrual cycle are Progesterone, Estrogen, Follicular Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing hormone (LH).

The levels of these hormones change as someone progresses through their cycle. The "main" phases include:

• The Follicular Phase

  • Ovarian follicles mature and develop in preparation for their release in ovulation (1)

• Ovulation

  • Dominant follicle ruptures, and egg (ovum) is released (1)

• Luteal Phase

  • Maintains corpus luteum (1), which is a collection of cells that helps produce the hormones necessary to maintain a pregnancy

Each phase of the cycle involves complex physiological changes. We are going to review the cycle as it pertains to appetite as mentioned in the title of this blog post- a complete physiology review is beyond the scope of this article, but feel free to review the cited sources to review more detailed information.

Figure 7.4 "Phases of the Menstrual Cycle" from: Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); Ernstmeyer K, Christman E, editors. Medical Terminology [Internet]. 2nd edition. Eau Claire (WI): Chippewa Valley Technical College; 2024. Chapter 7 Female Reproductive System Terminology. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK607451/

A Brief look into How Hormonal Changes can Influence Appetites

During the luteal phase, Progesterone (in purple) sharply declines.

Progesterone may stimulate appetite (2) and is highest during the luteal phase, which occurs after ovulation and before menstruation or the early follicular phase (when bleeding occurs). This may be why people experience more cravings and a higher appetite during the luteal phase before menstruation begins (3). If pregnancy does not occur, progesterone levels fall sharply going into the early follicular phase. This drastic decline in progesterone can reduce appetite or make you feel fuller more quickly. In the photo on the left, you can see the significant decline in progesterone (purple). As the cycle progresses into the follicular phase estrogen begins to rise (though it is still relatively low at the very start), and progesterone remains low. At this point, people may notice a reduction in hunger compared to the luteal phase (3, 4). This is partly because progesterone’s appetite-stimulating effect is gone, but also because estrogen tends to suppress appetite by interacting with the hypothalamus - which is the part of the brain that is responsible for appetite regulation (estrogen shares a similar pathway to Leptin - a hormone that helps regulate appetite). It is important to acknowledge that symptoms that may arise during PMS and/or menstruation (bleeding) such as cramping, bloating, nausea, GI upset (constipation, diarrhea), can also influence our appetites.

Below is a quick summary:

• During the luteal phase (after ovulation, before your period), progesterone is high. Progesterone can stimulate appetite, which may explain why cravings and hunger increase during this phase.

• Shortly before your period begins, progesterone drops sharply, often leading to reduced hunger.

• Estrogen, which starts rising again in the follicular phase, tends to suppress appetite by interacting with the brain’s appetite-regulating centers (similar to how leptin works).

• GI symptoms like cramping, bloating, nausea, diarrhea, or constipation can also impact your appetite during this time.

How can I manage my hunger and fullness around my period?

It can be challenging to navigate changes in appetite and energy levels around your cycle, especially if you are working towards building strength or improving body composition. Here are some strategies that can help:

1. Prioritize Protein Rich Foods

   • Protein rich foods tend to be more filling. If your appetite is higher than usual, prioritizing protein rich foods (and fibre rich foods) may help regulate it. But if your appetite is lower, then protein rich foods might not be as appealing. In these cases, liquids such as protein shakes may be easier to tolerate than solid foods.

   • Try to make at least 1/4 of your plate protein rich foods, to help optimize muscle maintenance

2. Balance your plate

   • Make sure you are still getting your main food groups:

     • Complex Carbs: Provide a steady release of energy and fibre (Make 1/4 - 1/3 of your plate

     • Protein: Supports muscle growth and satiety (Make 1/4 - 1/3 of your plate)

     • Fruits and Vegetables: Provides antioxidants to boost immune health (Make 1/3 - 1/2 of your plate)

       

3. Be aware of your hunger and fullness levels

   • Even when your appetite is low, hunger can sneak up on you! When this happens, you usually end up eating more than you normally would

   • Using the scale below, aim to start eating when you're closer to a 3 or 4 and stop when you're around a 5 or 6

     

4. Maintain physical activity

   • There is limited evidence to support "Cycle Synching" workouts, and many of these protocols online are too generalized and may not apply for everyone.

   • Instead, maintain your usual workout routine, but listen to your body. It may be helpful to sometimes gauge workouts based on rate of perceived exertion (RPE). For example if you normally lift heavy weights on a particular day (RPE 8 or 9), try to maintain the RPE rather than aiming for a weight that may feel too heavy if you're fatigued. An RPE 8 or 9 when your energy is lower may be less weight than when your energy levels are at your baseline. This way you're keeping your workouts consistent, but are just adjusting based on what your body is telling you.

     

     Illustration of the experimental design. (GXT Graded exercise test, TM treadmill, C cycle, V _ O 2max maximum oxygen from: Kang, J., Hoffman, J. R., Walker, H., Chaloupka, E. C., & Utter, A. C. (2003). Regulating intensity using perceived exertion during extended exercise periods. European journal of applied physiology, 89(5), 475–482. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-003-0811-9

   
   

5. Track your cycle

   • This can help you understand trends on how possible hormonal changes influence your hunger and fullness cues. By looking at patterns overtime, you can better anticipate what to expect and know how to prepare to cater to your bodys needs.

   • Various apps including Clue and Flo provide tracking tools.

   
   
   
   

Your body isn’t 'failing' you when your appetite changes; it’s simply responding to normal hormonal shifts. While a few days of lower intake won’t derail your long-term goals, being aware and consistent with nutrition helps support your performance, strength, and recovery.

Looking for guidance on how to fuel your body through hormonal shifts, performance training, or digestive challenges? Let’s work together to create a plan that supports your goals and lifestyle. Check out the services I offer here for more information, and book a free discovery call here so we can chat about how we can use nutrition to meet your goals!

(1) Holesh, J. E., Bass, A. N., & Lord, M. (2023). Physiology, Ovulation. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.

(2) Hirschberg A. L. (2012). Sex hormones, appetite and eating behaviour in women. Maturitas, 71(3), 248–256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2011.12.016.

(3)Kammoun, I., Ben Saâda, W., Sifaou, A., Haouat, E., Kandara, H., Ben Salem, L., & Ben Slama, C. (2017). Change in women's eating habits during the menstrual cycle. Annales d'endocrinologie, 78(1), 33–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ando.2016.07.001

(4) Salem, A. M., Latif, R., Rafique, N., Aldawlan, M. I., Almulla, L. B., Alghirash, D. Y., Fallatah, O. A., Alotaibi, F. M., Aljabbari, F. H., & Yar, T. (2022). Variations of Ghrelin and Obestatin Hormones During the Menstrual Cycle of Women of Different BMIs. International journal of women's health, 14, 1297–1305. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJWH.S375594