A very constant question that I receive in the consultation is: why does my period affect my weight? And the reality is that not only does the period affect body weight, but data in bioimpedance are also modified. Weight gain during menstruation is real.
Studies show that you can gain up to three kilos above the usual weight. But this is not a reason to worry because those kilos disappear with the days. And this happens because the factors that cause this increase also disappear.
Now yes, the answer you were looking for:
The hormonal environment is, in large part, the cause of everything. During the last days of your period, estrogen (the female sex hormone) reaches its highest levels, which can make you retain fluids. The same is true for the progesterone hormone, which rises mid-cycle. In addition, this fluid retention can cause an alteration in body composition, which causes that at the time of the assessment, more or less amount of fat and muscle mass can be measured.
Cravings appear (almost never healthy). This does not require much explanation because if you are a woman and have had your menstruation, surely you have experienced these irresistible cravings, especially for sweets.
Physical activity becomes more difficult. This doesn’t require much explanation either. Normally, the period generates general discomfort and causes pain that can be more or less severe. Motivation and mood to be on the go tend to drop dramatically.
That is why I always recommend that you let me know if you are on a period to change your appointment or to repeat the shots when the period is over.
LN Dafnne Corpus
