Intermittent Fasting… PASS

Why I Don’t Recommend Intermittent Fasting for Cycling Women

When it comes to intermittent fasting, it's a "NO" from me, for women who are still in their reproductive years. Here’s why:

1. Hormonal Fluctuations
   Women’s hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone, fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle. During the luteal phase (the second half of the cycle), your body naturally requires more energy and nutrients. Restricting food during this time can worsen hormonal imbalances, potentially causing irregular periods or even amenorrhea (loss of your menstrual cycle). This can be particularly disruptive for women trying to maintain hormonal balance.

2. Increased Stress Response
   Intermittent fasting can raise cortisol levels, which is the body’s main stress hormone. Higher cortisol levels can cause issues with your hormonal balance, leading to issues like disrupted sleep, mood swings, and general stress-related hormonal imbalances. Women, in particular, tend to be more sensitive to stress-related hormonal changes than men, making fasting potentially more harmful than helpful.

3. Lack of Research on Women
   Most of the research supporting intermittent fasting has been conducted on men or postmenopausal women—both groups with different hormonal profiles compared to cycling women. The limited research on pre-menopausal women means that we simply don’t have enough evidence to confidently say that intermittent fasting is safe or effective for this group.

4. Risk of Disordered Eating (THIS ONE IS BIG IMO)
   For some women, intermittent fasting can lead to disordered eating patterns. The cycle of restricting and then possibly overeating can trigger behaviors like binge eating or obsessive control over food. Given the societal pressures many women face around body image and dieting, this is a risk I don’t think is worth taking.

So while intermittent fasting might be beneficial for some (cough active men cough), it’s not something I’d recommend for women who are still cycling or looking to get pregnant in the next 1-3 years.

Hormonal balance, stress management, and a healthy relationship with food are far more important in the long run in my opinion!! If you’re interested in bettering your health, many other approaches can support your body without the potential downsides of intermittent fasting.

Want to chat about different strategies to get rid of weird symptoms, better manage weight, and/or balance hormones? Let’s chat