IF and light periods

So, it's been 2 years since I started IF, I usually fast 16:8 and on mondays I use to do a 24h fast. I've sometimes skipped IF and was a month having vrrakfast but I didn't feel good so came back to IF. However I see my periods are lighter and instead of 4/5 days they last 2 days, and the second day uses to be very light. My ginecologist said everything was right, but I'm worried my body thinks I'm on starvation mode and doesn't produce enough female hormones. I would like to have kids in one or two years. What has been your experience? Some times I've been doing low carb and sometimes not. My weight is right. I started doing IF because I've abused a lot bad carbs in the past and started having acne and some other symptoms of insulin resistance. I really like this way of eating, my body feels better. But I don't want to damage my female health. Has it happened to you?

Answer

Your menstrual health should not be taken lightly. When I was 19 and lost so much weight that I also ended up losing my period for 4 months I thought it was great, but little did I know it can have long-term effects on your health and fertility.

Dr. Jason Fung recently posted a YT video addressing this very issue about women and fasting.

He and other experts recommend to try fasting during weeks 1 & 2 of your menstrual cycle, as weeks 3 & 4 can be particularly challenging for many reasons, including that women’s bodies use more carbs during this time.

Many other health experts recommending ramping up carbohydrates during weeks 3 & 4 for optimal female reproductive health.

Not to mention that women’s bodies are scientifically known to require more carbohydrates on average, compared to men, which is something I think is not talked about nearly enough in the fasting communities.