Weight Gain During Period: Is It Normal And How Can I Stop It?

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Medical News TodaySubscribeWeight gain during period: What to know

Medically reviewed by Meredith Wallis, MS, APRN, CNM, IBCLC — Written by Jessica Caporuscio, PharmD on December 17, 2019

Overview
What symptoms are normal?
Duration
Avoiding weight gain
Summary

Hormone levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle. These changes can affect appetite and can cause fluid retention. Both factors can lead to weight gain around the time of a period.

This article describes why a person may gain weight during a period, and how to prevent it. We also outline ways to help avoid weight gain during a period.

Weight gain during period

Medical research has identified around 150 symptoms that people may experience in the days leading up to a period. Food cravings, increased hunger, water retention, and swelling are premenstrual symptoms that may make a person feel like they are gaining weight.

Appetite changes

a woman wondering if she will gain weight during her period. — The menstrual cycle may cause appetite changes.

People may notice changes in their appetite throughout their menstrual cycle. For some, these changes may lead to concerns over weight gain.

Changes in appetite tend to occur at distinct stages of the menstrual cycle called the follicular phase and the luteal phase.

The follicular phase. This phase begins when a person bleeds and ends before they ovulate. Estrogen is the dominant hormone during this phase. Since estrogen suppresses appetite, a person may find that they eat less during this phase.
The luteal phase. This phase begins after ovulation and lasts up to the first day of the next period. During the luteal phase, progesterone is the dominant hormone. Since progesterone stimulates appetite, a person may find that they eat more during this phase.

Previous studies have shown that females eat more calories during the luteal phase compared with the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.

A 2016 study found that females tend to eat more protein during the luteal phase of menstruation. Females also report increased food cravings, particularly for sweets, chocolate, and salty foods.

Not all studies show that food cravings result in an increased number of calories consumed and an increase in weight. However, people who do consume more calories as a result of their cravings may experience some weight gain.

Water retention and swelling

People may experience increased water and salt retention around the time of their period. This is due to an increase in the hormone progesterone. Progesterone activates the hormone aldosterone, which causes the kidneys to retain water and salt.

Water retention can lead to bloating and swelling, particularly in the abdomen, arms, and legs. This can give the appearance of weight gain. It may also make a person’s clothes feel tighter.

However, water retention does not always signify weight gain. A 2014 study investigated water retention in females who complained of swelling during their period.

Circumference measurements taken throughout the study indicated that the participants did have significant swelling in the following areas:

face
breasts
abdomen
upper and lower limbs
pubic areas

However, there were no significant changes in weight throughout the participant’s cycles.

What symptoms are normal?

Many people experience both physical and psychological symptoms during a period. Symptoms may include:

depression
anxiety
irritability
angry outbursts
crying spells
confusion
social withdrawal
poor concentration
insomnia
taking more naps
changes in sexual desire
headache
aches and pains
fatigue
skin problems
gastrointestinal symptoms
abdominal pain

People may feel additional symptoms in the days leading up to a period. Symptoms may include:

thirst and appetite changes
breast tenderness
bloating
headache
swelling of the hands or feet

The type, severity, and duration of symptoms will vary from person to person. Additionally, some people may experience a combination of symptoms, while others may not experience any at all.

How long does it last?

Premenstrual symptoms tend to start a few days before bleeding, or menstruation, and stop once menstruation occurs.

Medical providers can diagnose people with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) if:

the person has a pattern of symptoms 5 days before their period for at least three cycles in a row
the symptoms end within 4 days after their period starts
the symptoms interfere with their normal activities

How to avoid weight gain

The following are some examples of how to prevent weight gain during a period.

Diet

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend the following eating habits to help lessen the effects of PMS:

eating complex carbohydrates to reduce mood symptoms and food cravings
eating calcium rich foods, including yogurt and leafy green vegetables
reducing fat, salt, and sugar intake
avoiding or limiting caffeine and alcoholic beverages
keeping blood sugar levels stable by eating smaller meals more often

Supplements

A doctor may also recommend taking a magnesium supplement. This can help to alleviate the following symptoms of PMS:

bloating
breast tenderness
mood disturbances

Medication

Sometimes, doctors may prescribe diuretics to people who complain of water retention during their period. Diuretics help to reduce the amount of water that the body stores.

Researchers have found that certain oral contraceptives can also help reduce water retention. In a 2007 study, females who took 3 milligrams (mg) of drospirenone and 30 micrograms (mcg) of ethinyl estradiol had reduced water retention. Nonetheless, their body weight remained unchanged.

Doctors often use combined oral contraceptives to treat the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

Summary

Hormonal fluctuations that occur throughout the menstrual cycle can affect a person’s appetite. In particular, people may experience food cravings in the days leading up to a period.

Females may also experience water retention and bloating, which can give the appearance of weight gain.

There are several steps people can take to prevent weight gain during a period. A person can practice healthful eating habits throughout their cycle. This includes eating less salt, sugar, and fat, and stocking up on low calorie snacks to satisfy food cravings. In addition, magnesium supplements may help to alleviate bloating and other symptoms of PMS.

People who are concerned about fluid retention should talk to their doctor. The doctor may prescribe diuretics or oral contraceptives to help alleviate this symptom.

Q:

What is the average amount of weight gain during a period?

A:

The symptoms that people experience during their menstrual cycle vary widely from one individual to the next. Symptoms can even differ between cycles, depending on a person’s nutrition, stress level, amount of exercise, intake of caffeine, sugar, and alcohol, and other lifestyle factors. Because everyone is so different, there’s not really an “average” weight gain during the menstrual cycle. While many people don’t notice any bloating or weight gain at all, others might gain as much as 5 pounds. Usually, this gain happens during the premenstrual, or luteal phase, and the person loses the weight again once the next period begins.

Meredith Wallis, M.S., CNM, ANP Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Endocrinology
Nutrition / Diet
Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Women's Health / Gynecology

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Endrikat, J., et al. (2007). A Canadian multicentre prospective study on the effects of an oral contraceptive containing 3 mg drospirenone and 30 microg ethinyl oestradiol on somatic and psychological symptoms related to water retention and on body weight [Abstract].https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17763260
Gorczyca, A. M., et al. (2016). Changes in macronutrient, micronutrient, and food group intakes throughout the menstrual cycle in healthy, premenopausal women.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6257992/
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS). (2015).https://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Premenstrual-Syndrome-PMS?IsMobileSet=false
Tacani, P., et al. (2015). Characterization of symptoms and edema distribution in premenstrual syndrome.https://www.dovepress.com/characterization-of-symptoms-and-edema-distribution-in-premenstrual-sy-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJWH

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Medically reviewed by Meredith Wallis, MS, APRN, CNM, IBCLC — Written by Jessica Caporuscio, PharmD on December 17, 2019

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