Why does weight increase before menstruation? Why weight may increase during menstruation. Critical days and age

Menstruation is one of the periods of the female cycle, manifested by the release of blood from the genital tract. And before menstruation, many women notice changes in their bodies. Swelling, mood changes and weight gain are constant companions of premenstrual syndrome. The last symptom is considered the most common, and appears under the influence of internal factors. Knowing why weight increases before menstruation, the gynecologist will give recommendations to ease the course of premenstrual syndrome.

Factors affecting weight

There are the following reasons why weight increases before the onset of menstruation:

changes in hormonal levels;
accumulation of excess fluid in the body;
psychological problems.

Any change during this period is temporary, and after the end of your period everything returns to normal. Blood loss varies from woman to woman, so when the bleeding stops, corrective treatment may be required.

Hormonal background

The most common cause of excess weight is an increase in appetite due to hormonal changes. The following hormones have a particular effect:

estrogens;

Normally, after the cessation of bleeding, a mature egg is released on the 14th day from the first day of menstruation. From this point on, the level of estrogen drops, and the amount of progesterone begins to increase. The hormone is responsible for creating a supply of nutrients and prepares the body for the onset of a possible pregnancy. This condition is inherent in nature for the normal growth of the embryo in the uterine cavity. A woman notes a set of useful substances in the form of extra pounds.

Under the influence of progesterone, every month a woman has a strong appetite before her period. Food preferences are given to sweets that lift your spirits and soothe you.

At a doctor’s appointment, a woman will say: “I really want sweets and I’m gaining weight before my period.” This complaint is considered the most common against the background of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). This condition occurs a few days before menstruation.

At the beginning of the second phase of the cycle, in addition to an increase in progesterone concentration, a decrease in serotonin is also observed. It affects mood, which changes in the premenstrual period. The woman becomes irritable and emotional. She is drawn to chocolate, which affects serotonin levels. Sweets will improve your mood, but this state only lasts for a short time. Then the craving for chocolate comes again. Excessive consumption of sweets inevitably leads to weight gain.

Typically, excess weight does not exceed 1 kilogram and after the end of menstruation, the gained weight disappears without a trace. This condition is due to the following reasons:

enlargement of the mammary glands;
tendency to constipation.

Hormones, the concentration of which is normally increased in the second phase of the menstrual cycle, help relax the intestinal muscle fibers. As a result, peristalsis is impaired, which is manifested by constipation and increased gas formation. Rare bowel movements before menstruation also affect weight gain.

Fluid retention in tissues

The accumulation of excess fluid in tissues before menstruation depends on hormonal activity. Estrogens retain sodium in the body and, as a result, water. Most often, swelling is observed in the following areas:

mammary gland;
face;
stomach;

Progesterone deficiency is always combined with high estrogen levels during premenstrual syndrome. Together, these processes have a diuretic effect. Sensitivity to prolactin may increase. As a result, it retains fluid that should normally be excreted by the kidneys.

The amount of vasopressin increases before menstruation. Its task is to have an antidiuretic effect on the kidneys. As a result, the frequency of urination decreases and fluid excretion slows down. Therefore, the weight before menstruation increases, and heaviness in the legs appears. This condition protects the woman from future blood loss and dehydration.

Not only the physiological processes of water retention are associated with changes in hormone concentrations. This is often determined by a woman’s taste preferences. Eating certain foods makes it easier for water to accumulate in tissues. These include:

salty;
sweets;
bakery products;
preservation and marinades.

The listed products attract water and no longer allow it to come out naturally. Gradually, weight begins to increase, which becomes noticeable not only on the scale, but also in the woman’s feelings.

Swelling gradually decreases during menstruation. In some cases, women note that they lose up to 2-3 kg of weight. Therefore, it is important to go through short-term changes and not start losing weight by exhausting the female body with diets.

The legs in the shin area swell noticeably before menstruation with a decrease in physical activity. A decrease in physical activity is associated with the appearance of apathy, fatigue and drowsiness.

Anemia

With moderate blood loss, up to 30 g of iron is released with menstrual blood. Anemia and hormonal changes increase hunger, and to satisfy it you have to eat sweets and flour products. As a result, women notice that weight increases during menstruation, and after their end they go on a diet again. To prevent anemia, you need to eat iron-containing foods (beef, buckwheat, liver).

Psychological problems

Some women begin to recover not only due to water retention in the tissues or anemia. The anticipation of upcoming pain in the premenstrual period and the periods themselves are often frightening. This spoils the mood, hysteria begins, irritability and insomnia appear. You have to use sweets and flour products as sedatives, which leads to rapid weight gain.

When the craving for sweets is great, you can treat yourself to chocolate in limited quantities. In order not to gain weight without harming your figure, you are allowed to eat several tiles a day. How many days this condition will last is determined by the individual characteristics of each girl. Cravings for sweets will disappear when hormones stabilize after menstruation.

If it is difficult to control your appetite, then you should follow some recommendations:

It is necessary to replace sweets with complex carbohydrate dishes. It is best to switch your taste preferences to vegetables and fruits that are rich in fiber as much as possible.
Wholemeal pasta and bran are recommended. They will help not only maintain a stable amount of kg, but also get rid of bloating and constipation.
The menstrual cycle causes the body to lose a certain amount of blood each month. Therefore, it is recommended to take care of hemoglobin by taking iron supplements. For prevention, they are taken 3-4 days before the expected period.

To alleviate premenstrual syndrome, you need to know the reasons for weight gain before menstruation. This will allow you to select correction methods and prevent the development of obesity.

For every woman, weight gain is an undesirable and unpleasant event, and if it also happens every month, then it’s time to think about whether everything is okay with your body.

Experts say that one of the features of female physiology is a change in weight shortly before the critical days. If your body weight has increased by no more than 3 kg and after the end of menstruation the weight returns to normal, then there is no need to panic. If body weight does not decrease after regulation, you need to look for a pathological reason why weight increases before and during menstruation.

Internal factors for gaining kilograms

Most often, weight gain during menstruation is caused by processes that occur in the body before their onset. It is not for nothing that critical days received such a name, because before their arrival, the female body is actively preparing for a possible conception, as a result of which the hormonal background changes along with the metabolism. Weight gain before menstruation can be caused by a combination of the following factors:

fluid retention in the body. The period of critical days is characterized by high fluid consumption, especially with heavy discharge. If intense menstruation is repeated from cycle to cycle, the body begins to prepare for dehydration and stores moisture. At this time, a woman may complain of swelling of the face and limbs. Typically, weight loss occurs immediately after menstruation due to the removal of fluid from the body. If the swelling does not go away after menstruation, you should take diuretics, and if the swelling is more persistent, you may need to consult a specialist;
problems with the digestive system. Shortly before menstruation, the concentration of progesterone in a woman’s body increases greatly. This hormone has a relaxing effect on the uterine muscles, as a result of which the uterus presses on the intestines, causing an accumulation of gases, which can cause the abdomen to visually enlarge. For some women, constipation is a precursor to menstruation, and the accumulated stool causes weight changes. Usually weight fluctuations stop with the onset of critical days;
insatiable appetite. Even with mild manifestations of premenstrual syndrome, most women experience hormonal disorders before menstruation, as a result of which there is a strong desire to eat as many harmful carbohydrates as possible, which include buns and chocolates. The situation is aggravated by the increasing concentration of progesterone, which can provoke attacks of hunger and real gluttony. If the appearance of extra pounds on critical days is associated with gluttony, then with the end of menstruation they will not go away on their own, but will accumulate from month to month, and will eventually develop into obesity;
anemia. This disease is familiar to all women who are trying to overcome excess weight with the help of debilitating unbalanced diets. Such gastronomic experiments cause a drop in hemoglobin. When during menstruation the body, along with menstrual blood, loses about 30 mg of iron every day, the situation is further aggravated against the background of reduced immunity. Iron deficiency anemia can cause an acute feeling of hunger, which is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. In order not to increase body weight, such hunger attacks should be satisfied not with flour and sweets, but with seafood, liver or eggs.

Psychological reasons

Not only physiology is to blame for weight gain before menstruation, because in 90% of women, an unstable psychological state provoked by premenstrual syndrome can also lead to similar phenomena. A week before the critical days, your mood begins to change sharply; bouts of irritability can be replaced by complete apathy. And if a woman is sensitive to the topic of weight, then any fluctuation can provoke additional psychological problems.

Some women are subconsciously afraid of feeling menstrual pain again, which is why they are very worried about the onset of their menstrual periods. Lack of self-control and the desire to “eat up” your fears with tasty, but high-calorie food leads to the fact that kilograms are added before our eyes. An important role in this is played by others who, seeing a woman’s depressed or irritated state, try to appease her with chocolate or other sweets.

Sometimes women deliberately give in when they find out that weight gain before menstruation is a physiological process. But this is the “pitfall”, because if the weight gain is truly physiological, then after regulating the weight will normalize, but after overeating it is quite difficult to lose excess weight.

How much weight can you gain?

Experts cannot say what the exact norm for weight gain is during menstruation, since weight increases depending on the woman’s genetic predisposition. It is impossible to overcome such a root cause with medications and strict diets. As studies have shown, the predisposition due to which weight is gained during menstruation is laid in the female body at birth.

But not only due to heredity and the characteristics of the female body, body weight increases during menstruation; uncontrolled consumption of food and liquid on the eve of and during the period also contributes to weight gain. In order for the increase to be insignificant, you should be attentive to changes in gastronomic preferences on the eve of critical days and avoid consuming unhealthy foods and dishes.

Wines in sweets

During menstruation, cravings for sweets, especially chocolate, may increase significantly, this is due to a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood. To prevent sweets and flour from affecting body weight, during this period hemoglobin should be raised with iron-containing preparations or products.

In the second half of the menstrual cycle, an increase in progesterone levels is observed, and with the arrival of menstruation it drops sharply, while the production of prostaglandins, substances that promote endometrial detachment, increases. In addition, the level of estrogen, which ensures the secretion of the hormone of happiness, serotonin, sharply decreases. A woman’s mood may deteriorate, but what can best lift it? Of course, sweet candy or a fresh bun. But replenishing the serotonin deficiency with sweets has a negative impact on the female figure; in this situation, a woman should curb her appetite with a couple of slices of dark chocolate or make an effort and give up junk food in favor of slow carbohydrates (porridge and vegetables).

Proper nutrition

There is no need to start losing weight immediately with the arrival of menstruation; at this time, the protective functions of the female body are reduced, and strict diets can only worsen the general state of health. In order not to gain weight, the main thing is that the diet at this time is balanced. There are several tips for creating a menu for the period of regulation:

7 days before the expected menstruation, you need to increase your fiber intake, it will relieve swelling. You should add apples, legumes and vegetables to your diet;
You don’t need to drink liquid for about an hour after eating; it further stretches the stomach, helping to further increase portions;
serotonin can be increased with the right foods: bananas, tomatoes and corn;
You need to consume iron-containing foods and fermented milk separately from each other, since they are not absorbed together, which leads to a loss of strength and a desire to “jump off” the diet.

For a diet to be effective, it should not bring negative emotions to a woman. And since during menstruation there may be sudden upward changes in weight or weight loss (the “plateau” effect), you need to take into account the rule not to weigh yourself during menstruation.

General rules

It doesn’t matter why a woman gained weight before or during menstruation, following the general rules will help reduce it:

do not eat fatty, fried and salty foods. Eliminate mayonnaise and sauces, replace them with vegetable oil in small quantities. Avoid alcohol, canned goods and baked goods. These foods retain fluid in the body;
instead of excluded foods, you need to eat vegetables, fish and wholemeal bread;
you need to limit fluid intake in the evening, since tea, coffee or a bottle of mineral water can cause the development of edema;
A lack of nutrients can provoke an increase in appetite. If you take calcium and magnesium supplements, you can significantly reduce the symptoms of PMS, eliminate swelling, swelling of the abdomen and mammary glands. Pharmacies sell special vitamin complexes that normalize the functioning of the entire body during this period;
It should be remembered that in the first half of the menstrual cycle, weight loss occurs faster, and in the second half, the weight loss process may slow down and even stop;
Do not forget about moderate physical activity; during this period you can do gymnastics, swimming or dancing.

In order for regulation to stop bringing discomfort and negative emotions, you should control your weight and prevent overeating.

Minasyan Margarita

A woman's hormonal system is a very delicate and extremely complex mechanism. On different days of the cycle, the predominance of one or another hormone dictates its own rules to the female body, affecting her mood, appetite, and sleep. Only a small percentage of lucky women have the rare luck of not noticing this hormonal riot of premenstrual syndrome. The vast majority felt it completely and completely, because hormones are the root cause of why the belly swells and weight increases before menstruation. They are also the culprits of sudden mood swings and increased appetite.

Theories about the appearance of extra pounds during PMS

Scientists have been trying for a long time to determine the cause of PMS. But years of research have still not provided a clear picture of its appearance. The clinical characteristics of the syndrome include 100 symptoms, including anxiety, hardening of the mammary glands, sweating, tremors, and numbness of the extremities. In severe manifestations, changes in blood pressure, disturbances in heart rhythm are observed, the temperature may rise, and suffocation may occur. The pathogenesis has not been sufficiently studied, which explains the considerable number of versions of the origin of premenstrual syndrome:

Hormones

One of the most common is the hormonal theory, which states that in PMS progesterone is inhibited by estrogen, causing swelling and psychological discomfort. In addition to an increase in estrogen levels, many of those examined experienced an increase in the amount of prolactin, which entails fluid retention. Thus, even a woman who has always weighed the same and had no fluctuations in the numbers on the scales notes that before the adjustments, the weight increased. read the article at the link.

Neuropeptide metabolism

The second version about a disorder of neuropeptide metabolism looks no less interesting and convincing. When explaining why weight increases during menstruation, attention should be paid to the interaction of neuropeptides. Changes in their levels lead to frequent mood swings, enlarged mammary glands and bloating. Some of those examined had problems with the gastrointestinal tract: constipation could occur, and stomach pain periodically occurred.

Individuality

Separately, it is worth mentioning studies that focus on the fact that PMS is based on the individual characteristics of each specific organism: a lack of certain vitamins or minerals, genetic predisposition, a history of genitourinary tract diseases, excess weight, constant stress. The truth is that initially, extra pounds indicate eating disorders or hormonal imbalances, therefore, during moments of the syndrome, weight in this category of subjects increases more actively before menstruation.

It is worth noting, whatever the reasons behind premenstrual syndrome, its consequences for all women are very similar: the appearance of extra pounds shortly before the start of the menstrual cycle, decreased libido, an enlarged belly and swelling. Girls often become irritable, their concentration decreases, and most experience an increased appetite. Depending on the complexity of PMS and the reasons for its occurrence, it is possible to correct the condition using hormonal therapy, therapeutic exercises, or communication with a psychologist.

How to deal with period weight gain

Gaining weight before menstruation is normal for everyone. On average, a woman gains about 900 g of weight painlessly for her figure. And they all go away easily with the end of menstruation. But there are many cases when the monthly gain is from 1.5 to 3 kg, which the body is not able to remove. As a result, the gained kilos are stored in fat, which will not be easy to get rid of. In addition, frequent changes in weight either decreasing or increasing reduce the elasticity of the skin, which increases the risk of stretch marks appearing on it.

To prevent PMS and weight from becoming synonymous for you, you need to control your kilograms during the entire cycle.

Weigh yourself before and after your period every month and note the numbers you get. This will allow you to control the kilograms you have gained, as well as determine whether your weight increases during your period depending on the amount of food you eat.

Notice your mood changes. During the period of raging hormones, dramatic changes occur in women’s behavior and eating habits change. At one moment you want more sweets, at another - your appetite begins to drop until you have a complete aversion to food.

The desire to cry is replaced by an attack of anger. In order to remain calm and not lash out at your loved ones, you need to learn to be distracted in time. Reading a book or an interesting article, walking, watching your favorite movie, knitting or drawing will help reduce your stress level.

Exercise. Light physical activity improves mood, helps reduce stress and reduce appetite, which, in turn, will help control weight during critical days. Choose relaxing activities without strenuous cardio programs or heavy strength training.

Proper nutrition for weight control

The best assistant in maintaining your usual weight and good health will be a well-chosen diet.

Consume less salt and more water

As already mentioned, changes in hormonal levels before and during menstruation affect fluid retention, which entails an increase in body weight. Reduce your salt intake during this period and you will see swelling decrease. Follow the correct drinking regime and amount of water consumed.

Eat less sweets

Uncontrollable cravings for sweets indicate a decrease in estrogen. The desire to eat a huge cake at the same time as chocolate visits many women at such moments. The lower your estrogen, the faster your desire to eat sweets may increase. Complex carbohydrates will come to the rescue. A sufficient amount of them in the diet brings long-term satiety. Contained in cereals, legumes, wholemeal bread, whole grain pasta.

Create a varied menu

Weight gain before menstruation will be more controllable if the body does not experience a deficiency of important microelements such as magnesium and calcium. Their lack leads to an increase in appetite, and the mood can change every minute. If your diet is not rich in these microelements, you can make up for the deficiency with pharmaceutical drugs, having previously agreed on the feasibility and schedule of administration with your doctor. Magnesium and calcium in the required amount relieve chest pain and bloating, and the craving for sweets decreases several times. There are often cases when the PMS problem goes away completely.

Don't cut out fats

There is no need to be afraid of gaining weight from healthy fats; their deficiency is much more dangerous. With a sharp restriction in the diet of fats, the brain tries to solve the problem of their lack in all ways, as a result of which appetite and desire for sweets may increase. A lack of fat has a negative impact on the balance of the entire body and the reproductive system in particular, and can lead to constipation and edema. A woman's body cannot be healthy without fat. Healthy fats are found in vegetable oils, nuts, fish, and dairy products.

Postpone diets

Since periods affect weight, many women have an increased desire to lose weight during this period. Although weight gain is physiologically justified during menstruation and the excess will go away with the end of the cycle, a woman does not give herself the opportunity to gain weight by limiting her diet. Remember why you gain weight before your period and put off losing weight for a while; it is extremely important for you to eat well. The diet should not be limited; the body needs the most important building materials - carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Exercise

What to do after menstruation

With the onset of menstruation, the main symptoms of PMS disappear, hormonal levels and emotional stability are restored, bloating disappears, the woman no longer gains weight, and her appetite returns to normal. It is worth remembering that the body loses iron along with the blood, and therefore after menstruation it is necessary to replenish its reserves. The champions for iron content are seafood, red meat, eggs, cauliflower and legumes.

Having figured out why weight increases before menstruation, you can stop fighting yourself and learn to find a compromise. This will significantly change your psychological state.

You can distract yourself from obsessive thoughts about food by chatting with friends and your favorite hobbies. Good music and dancing will save you from the blues. For irritability - yoga and some breathing exercises.

Remember, the norm for weight gain before menstruation is on average about 1 kg. Therefore, having discovered an increase, there is no need to panic, hate yourself and stop eating for the entire period of critical days. Learn to calmly accept yourself, not get upset and not get hung up on the topic of “getting better or not getting better.”

Take care of your health, value your body, and then harmony and balance will not leave PMS a chance.

There are days when it seems that everything is against us! Physical activity is hard, the scales are treacherously going off scale, your favorite skirt that you wore just yesterday no longer fits today! What's going on? The secret lies in the peculiarities of the menstrual cycle, which affects a woman’s appetite, metabolism, and physical endurance.

First phase of the cycle(menstruation).

Diet and weight loss. At the beginning of the cycle, any diet is contraindicated. During this period, progesterone levels drop and the production of large amounts of prostaglandins begins - substances that irritate the lining of the uterus and provoke the onset of menstruation. At the same time, estrogen levels drop sharply. But this hormone takes part in the production of serotonin - the hormone of good mood. It is not surprising that at the beginning of the cycle, many women fall into a depressed state and try to compensate for the lack of good emotions through sweets, which, as we know, do not contribute to weight loss. There is only one way out - replace harmful carbohydrates with healthy ones: fruits, vegetables, cereals, honey. But it is better to abstain from strong meat broths, tea, coffee and chocolate during this period, since they all enhance the effect of prostaglandins. True, if you really want something sweet, you can allow yourself a couple of shares of chocolate, but nothing more.

Not the best time to weigh yourself. Under the influence of hormones, fluid is very poorly removed from the body, and therefore the woman gains extra pounds. But not due to fat, but due to water, which accumulates in all tissues. Don't worry, after 5-7 days your metabolism will return to normal and the excess water will leave your body.

Physical activity. In the first days of the cycle (days 1-7 of menstruation), physical activity is difficult. Women with painful periods have no time for sports at all. However, experts do not advise lying on the sofa all the time, since passive rest in a horizontal position reduces the tone of the uterus, thereby increasing pain. If you feel strong enough to get out of bed, go for a walk. After wandering around the park or city streets for at least half an hour, you will improve blood supply to the pelvic organs and relieve uterine spasms.

Getty Images/Fotobank

Mid cycle (ovulation).

Diet and weight loss. During this period, nature planned the onset of pregnancy, and therefore the woman’s body produces a large amount of androgens - male sex hormones. Under their influence, metabolism increases, and therefore all diets bring excellent results. However, doctors do not recommend being too zealous. Remember, a lot of blood is lost during menstruation, and therefore switching to a strict diet will only worsen iron deficiency. To prevent this from happening, eat a balanced diet, not forgetting foods rich in iron (beef, apples, buckwheat, pomegranates, veal, liver).

Weight. Ideal time to weigh yourself. After the end of menstruation, a woman’s hormonal background changes towards estrogen. All excess fluid is excreted in the urine, and the weight returns to normal.

Physical activity. During ovulation, a woman becomes more resilient. She is active and resistant to stress. That is why on days 12-14 of the cycle (plus two days before and after) any physical activity, including extreme ones, is easy.

Second phase of the cycle (egg destruction)

Diet and weight loss. If pregnancy does not occur during ovulation, then in the second phase of the menstrual cycle the death of the unfertilized egg begins. That is, if in the first phase of the cycle the female body was tuned to creation (follicle maturation), then in the second - to destruction. That is why the period from 15 to 20 days of the cycle is considered ideal for “destroying” fat deposits. Feel free to arrange fasting days for yourself or switch to diet food. However, a week before your period starts, you may feel a voracious appetite. This happens due to an increase in the level of luteinizing hormone (LH), which stimulates the release of the corpus luteum from the ovary. It is under its influence that mood and appetite change. Losing weight during this period will be especially painful, and the effectiveness of the diet promises to be very low. So don't bother yourself needlessly. It is better to refrain from simple carbohydrates (sweets and flour products) in favor of complex ones (whole cereals, wholemeal bread) and proteins (lean meat, fish). This will help you stay slim even without dieting.

Weight. During this period, the weight is still normal, and therefore you can safely step on the scale. But at the end of the cycle, many women begin to complain of engorgement and soreness of the mammary glands, sweating. Weight gain (1-1.5 kg) is often observed. If you are prone to swelling, try to reduce the amount of water and salt you consume. Drink diuretic teas (birch buds, hibiscus, raspberry or linden). You can eat watermelons, strawberries, apples.

Physical activity. The hormonal levels remain stable, the woman is cheerful and active, physical activity goes well. But towards the end of the cycle, under the influence of hormones, physical activity becomes more and more difficult. You shouldn’t break yourself by forcing yourself to play sports, as this can result in increased blood pressure or headaches.

Irina Chernaya

We thank gynecologist Natalia Lelyukh for her help in preparing the material.

Before the onset of menstruation, the female body undergoes hormonal changes, which negatively affect mood, metabolic processes and water balance. A decrease in estrogen concentration helps reduce the production of serotonin, the hormone of happiness. It is these factors that provoke irritability and mood swings before the onset of menstruation. To improve their psycho-emotional state, girls and women, as a rule, begin to eat a lot of sweets, which contributes to weight gain.

Factors of weight gain before the onset of menstruation

There are many reasons that provoke weight gain before the onset of menstruation. Knowing about them, every woman can prevent the problem of excess body weight.

Fluid retention

Against the background of hormonal activity in tissues, there is accumulation of excess water. Estrogens prevent sodium from leaving the body, and therefore fluid too. In most cases, swelling occurs in the area:

belly;
shins;
faces;
mammary glands.

When sensitivity to prolactin increases, fluid is retained in the body, while it should be excreted by the kidneys.

Vasopressin before the onset of menstruation it increases. Its main task is to have an antidiuretic effect. As a result, it happens reduction in urinary frequency, and there is also a slowdown in fluid removal. For this reason, weight increases, and heaviness appears in the legs. This condition provides the female body with protection against dehydration and bleeding.