Heyy, I can totally sympathize with this. My period just ended two weeks ago, but my body is apparently ready for another round so I started again this morning.
It’s all about hormone releases - significantly more of us (anecdotally speaking) experience more/more frequent periods during weight loss, because the hormones stored with fat are released as the fat is.
Basically an early period is a harbinger of fat loss. So… Yay?
This is my experience too. Clockwork periods my whole life. Started fasting (24-60ish hrs) in September and now I’m getting extra periods. Am on my third this month. I mean, come on.
Now when I’m not fasting, I load up on iron and vitamin C (synergistic) to compensate for the extra blood loss. Also drinking nettle tea.
A poster on r/fasting with a similar experience suggests that maybe when you’re burning fat, the fat is releasing stored estrogen just like the birth control pill. When you eat again, the fat burning stops and estrogen drops off, triggering your lining to shed.
Anyone have any thoughts about this or supporting research? Can’t seem to find any confirmation.
Next question is. - could this be a bad thing? It’s certainly inconvenient, but is it also unhealthy?
How many other women have this experience after longer fasts (24hr++)?
You may just be spotting and not starting a period? Recent sexual activity could cause that. I’m not a doctor but I don’t see how diet would trigger an early period…
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Edit to add: And for the record, you are not “supposed” to miss periods, but you will if you’re malnourished.