Hormones and intermittent fasting—What women need to know

Intermittent fasting, has become one of the most popular trends in recent years, promising everything from weight loss to improved mental clarity.

What many don’t realize, especially women, is intermittent fasting can have serious implications for your hormones, particularly during perimenopause and menopause. While it might seem like a quick fix for weight loss, the reality is that intermittent fasting can be disruptive to your hormonal balance, exacerbating symptoms and even contributing to weight gain.

Hormones are responsible for regulating everything from your metabolism to your mood.

For women, this system is especially intricate, with key hormones like estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, and insulin playing critical roles in your overall health. When you engage in intermittent fasting, you’re not just changing the timing of your meals, you’re also impacting these delicate hormonal balances.

Cortisol, often referred to as the stress hormone, is one of the primary hormones affected by intermittent fasting. When you skip meals or go long periods without eating, your body perceives it as a form of stress. In response, it releases cortisol to help you cope.

While cortisol is essential for your body’s fight-or-flight response, chronically elevated levels can lead to increased belly fat, anxiety and disrupted sleep. That is something women in perimenopause or menopause, who are already dealing with fluctuating hormone levels, don't need.

Elevated cortisol can exacerbate symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and disrupted sleep patterns.

Insulin is another hormone that’s directly impacted by intermittent fasting. While fasting can temporarily improve insulin sensitivity, over time, it can also lead to insulin resistance if not done correctly. Insulin resistance makes it harder for your body to use glucose for energy, leading to higher blood sugar levels and, ultimately, weight gain.

Women in perimenopause and menopause are already at a higher risk for insulin resistance due to hormonal changes and fasting just adds fuel to the fire.

Estrogen and progesterone are the cornerstones of female reproductive health and their levels naturally fluctuate during perimenopause and menopause.

Estrogen is closely linked to fat distribution and, as its levels decline, many women notice an increase in abdominal fat. Intermittent fasting can further disrupt estrogen and progesterone levels, intensifying symptoms like weight gain, irregular periods, and even worsening mood swings and depression.

The reduced intake of essential nutrients during fasting periods can also impair the body’s ability to produce these hormones, leading to even more pronounced imbalances.

The irony is one of the main reasons people turn to intermittent fasting is for weight loss. But for women, especially those in perimenopause and menopause, it can have the opposite effect.

When your body is under stress from fasting, it releases more cortisol, which not only increases your appetite but also encourages your body to store fat, particularly around the midsection, the very area most women struggle with.

Intermittent fasting can slow down your metabolism. As your brain never shuts off, going long periods without eating means your body must take from your muscle in order to get glucose to provide fuel for the brain. Muscle is what burns fat and keeps metabolism fired up, so over time that actually slows down your metabolism, adding yet another hurdle for women already battling perimenopause and menopause.

In addition to weight gain, the hormonal imbalance caused by intermittent fasting can intensity common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause like hot flashes, mood swings, anxiety, fatigue, disrupted sleep.

The bottom line is, nothing thrives in a deficit. Your back account, relationships, health, nothing.

Rather than restricting, adopting an approach that focuses on eating balanced, nutrient-dense foods in a way that stabilizes blood sugar, the key to managing your hormones, especially during perimenopause and menopause, allows your hormones to balance, metabolism to fire back up and your body naturally releases stored fat. Here are a few tips:

• Eat frequently: Eating frequently throughout the day helps keep your blood sugar stable and prevents cortisol spikes. Aim for eating within the first hour you wake up, and every three to four hours thorughout the day.

• Prioritize protein: Protein is essential for hormone production and helps keep you full and satisfied. Include a source of protein with every meal and snack, such as lean meats, eggs, beans, or nuts.

• Healthy fats: Healthy fats are crucial for hormone production, brain health and digestion as well as help keep you satisfied between meals. Avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish like salmon are some excellent choices.

• Focus on fibre: Fibre-rich foods, like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, help regulate your digestion and keep your blood sugar stable. They also promote a healthy gut, which is essential for hormone balance.

• Stay hydrated: Dehydration can worsen symptoms like hot flashes, fatigue and muscle cramps. Aim for two to three litres per day, and always more water than any other beverage, including coffee.

• Manage stress: Go phone free for the first 30 minutes of every day. Take a few mins to move your body, meditate, pray, read, journal, etc.,—something that allows you to start your day calm with intention rather than hitting the ground running.

Intermittent fasting might seem like a convenient way to lose weight or boost your health, but for women, especially those in perimenopause and menopause, it can be more harmful than helpful.

The stress it places on your body can disrupt your hormones, leading to weight gain and worsening symptoms. Instead of restrictive fasting, focus on nourishing your body with balanced, regular meals that support your hormonal health.

Remember, your body needs nourishment, not deprivation, to feel your best, love your body and love life.

For more information on balancing blood sugar and hormones, watch Tania's free video.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.