You'll be surprised to know that there is a relation between irregular periods and weight gain. Increase in weight disturbs a woman’s regularity of menstrual cycles. Also, irregular periods caused by hormonal imbalance lead to weight gain.
With an increase in weight, you may start experiencing symptoms of irregular periods such as:
- skipping menstrual cycles,
- heavy blood flow during periods,
- periods lasting more than five to seven days and
- bleeding when not menstruating.
The aforementioned symptoms can also be experienced during irregular periods prior to gaining weight. Sudden weight gain may also be one of the effects of irregular menstrual cycles.
How irregular periods relate to weight gain?
Increase in weight affects the regularity of the menses simply because it affects the functioning of your hormones. Moreover, many researches on irregular periods have claimed that body develops insulin resistance due to weight gain. With excess of insulin in bloodstream, hormonal production negatively affects the regularity of a woman’s menstrual cycle and she starts experiencing irregular periods.
Endocrine diseases such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Amenorrhea are some other causes of irregular periods that in turn lead to weight gain. A woman suffering from PCOS will have imbalanced hormones, a cause of irregular menstruation. In PCOS, the body produces excess of androgen hormone and women diagnosed with PCOS have strong chances of gaining weight and skipping periods. Hence, it is clear that increase in weight is directly related to irregularity of periods and vice-versa.
What can be done?
Usually, irregular menstrual cycles caused by increased weight are often treated with hormonal medications, but it is essential to incorporate weight-loss program in the hormonal treatment plan. In some women, a slight weight loss, say 5-10 kgs, may result in regular ovulation and periods may become normal.
Women, who are diagnosed with PCOS, are given hormonal treatment and also advised to increase their intake of vitamin B3, B5 and B6. Supplements of these vitamins can also relieve some effects of PCOS.
If left untreated, irregular periods can become troublesome and have an effect on weight gain. Irregular periods due to PCOS increase one’s chances of infertility or other serious problems during pregnancy. To prevent pregnancy complications and health risks, it is necessary for women with irregular periods to maintain the right weight and watch out for what they eat.
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