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Can Your Period Affect Your Blood Sugar


The Fab Four: Hormones And Your Blood Sugar Levels

How Periods Affect Your Diabetes

Every month, explains Smith, the body cycles through hormones that are meant to essentially prepare the body for pregnancy. There are three phases that your body cycles through: the follicular phase, ovulatory phase, and luteal phase.

The four hormones that regulate your menstrual cycle are estrogen, progesterone, luteinizing hormone , and follicle stimulating hormone , Smith explains. To a very small extent, testosterone production is a factor here, too.

Each of these hormones will impact your blood sugars and sensitivity to insulin differently as their production levels fluctuate throughout the entire month-long cycle. Heres how it breaks down:

Days 1-10: Relatively Smooth Sailing


The first day of your cycle begins on the first day of your period. While some women may experience higher blood sugars and insulin resistance on this day, your insulin sensitivity should return to normal for the remainder of your period. The few days following your period are generally insignificant as well in terms of blood sugar challenges.

Days 11 – 14: Erratic Blood Sugars Typical

The ovulatory phase is the first part of your cycle where you may notice higher blood sugars and insulin resistance, Smith explains. As your body prepares to release an egg , your levels of LH, FSH, and estrogen all rise, causing a brief but notable spike in blood sugars.

This phase is generally noticed in blood sugar levels for no more than 2 or 3 days at most, says Smith.

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Birth Control And Diabetes

There are many forms of birth control available. In general, the choice you make can be based on the same reasons a woman without diabetes would make it. The only difference is the risk for blood clots may increase with Type 2 diabetes and oral contraceptives.

The risk for blood clots also increases if you smoke, dont exercise, are overweight, are over age fifty, have high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. If you have these risk factors and choose to use an oral contraceptive anyway, be sure to use a low-dose pill and have your cholesterol and blood pressure checked regularly.

How Does Type 2 Diabetes Affect Your Menstrual Cycle

Type 2 diabetes is also known to affect the menstrual cycle in a woman in similar ways as type 1 diabetes. The chances of heavier bleeding, irregular menstrual cycle, various types of infections, etc.are known to be more common in women in type 2 diabetes.

The difference between how type 1 and type 2 diabetes affect the menstrual cycle in women is the fact that while in the case of type 1 diabetes, menopause starts earlier as compared to that in the healthy women in type 2 diabetes the condition is known to start at a later date usually than in a normal healthy person.

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Diabetes Can Cause Irregular Menstrual Cycle

Women with diabetes are at higher risk of menstrual abnormality due to hormonal disruption. Dr Budyal says, Women with type 2 diabetes are more likely to be obese and at higher risk of PCOS . As a result, they are at higher risk of irregular periods, scanty flow, and abnormal hair growth over the face and other body parts.

In addition, women with diabetes are at risk of developing a condition called anovulation. This indicates that ovulation, the process where the ovary releases an egg into the fallopian tube is not happening. Ovulation is required for pregnancy and no ovulation means it can make it harder to get pregnant.

Use A Period Tracker App To Help Manage Diabetes Around Your Period

avocado regulates blood sugar

There are so many free period tracking apps these days. They all serve the same purpose: to help you pinpoint when your body is most likely ovulating and when your period is going to start.

Usually, a young or grown woman doesnt need to track her ovulation and menstrual calendar this closely until shes trying to get pregnant. As women with diabetes, it serves an entirely different purpose and can be very helpful.

The more consistently you use it, the more accurate the information will be which will help you anticipate those tedious blood sugar fluctuations, too.


Open your Apps Store application on your smartphone , and choose any of the top few free results. It will likely assume your menstrual cycle is 28-days from start to finish .

If you track your period consistently for 3 months, you can see if your body indeed follows a 28-day cycle or if its possibly a little longer. Then adjust the settings in the app .

If you notice your cycle is longer than 35 days, inform your healthcare team immediately as this can be a sign of other problems.

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Can Diabetes Make Girls Start Their Periods Late

As long as your daughters diabetes is being managed, it shouldnt delay or speed up when she gets her first period. The average age to get your first period is 12, but it can happen any time during puberty.


Being underweight can delay periods starting, or stop them once they have started, but as long as your daughters weight and sugar levels are being managed, this shouldnt happen.

Managing Blood Glucose Levels Alongside Your Cycle

If you are diabetic and already carefully managing your blood sugar levels, youll probably have this down to a fine art. But if you experience particularly bad PMS symptoms like mood swings and bloating, then it can be all the more challenging. You may find it helpful to control these menstrual symptoms through use of hormonal contraception, such as the pill or injection, but it is worth bearing in mind that these can impact your blood sugar control too.

One symptom to watch out for is food cravings, as these can easily affect blood glucose levels. A craving for carbs or sweets combined with a lack of physical activity around your period could affect this, so always be aware of your bodys reaction to certain times of the month, and dont be afraid to ask your GP if you experience any issues that you feel negatively affect your daily life.

Want to minimise food cravings? Here are a few tips:

  • Limit your intake of alcohol, chocolate and caffeine, as these can affect your mood and increase the likelihood of you reaching for the high-carb, high-sugar treats
  • Have regular, set meal times and avoid snacking throughout the day
  • If you do need a snack, stick to low-fat, low-carb treats that are less likely to spike your blood glucose
  • Do regular exercise throughout the month to decrease your blood glucose levels and manage your mood

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How Do Periods Affect Your Diabetes

Are you wondering why your blood sugars are off when you arent doing anything differently than you did last week? Well, the reason why your blood sugar may be more difficult to control the closer you get to your periods has to do with the hormonal changes of your menstrual cycle.

Also, read: Do periods mess with your digestion? Rely on these expert tips

Dr Budyal says, Menstrual cycles can affect blood glucose, especially in type 1 diabetes patients. An increase in progesterone levels in the later half of the menstrual cycle can affect the way Insulin works in our body and can cause an elevation in blood glucose. Also, some women may experience cravings around periods.

Menstrual Cycle And Adjustment Of Diabetes Therapy

Diabetes and Menstruation: How Periods Affect Your Blood Sugar | 5 Fun Facts About Periods

Knowing your cycle is important, because it’s the only way to adjust for the fluctuations in blood sugar. For example, I personally need more basal insulin in the week before my menstrual period and then let the basal rate run at 130% – 150% percent. Many people with diabetes on a pump have created an additional basal profile for this time, so that all they have to do is just switch to it at the appropriate moment.

Then, as soon as your period starts and hormone concentration decreases, less insulin is usually needed. Individualization is key and it can take some time to work out whta’s best for you.


This is precisely why accurate documentation and support from your healthcare team are so important and helpful.

What are your experiences? Does your cycle affect your blood sugar levels? And what about therapy adjustments?

With this in mind, Power to the Period!

The mySugr website does not provide medical or legal advice. mySugr blog articles are not scientific articles, but intended for informational purposes only.

Medical or nutritional information on the mySugr website is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a physician or health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.


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How Your Menstrual Cycle Can Affect Blood Test Results

We know that sex hormones fluctuate substantially throughout the menstrual cycle, but are other blood biomarkers influenced by your period, too? Yesresearch shows that many blood biomarkers can vary substantially according to menstrual cycle phase. And these fluctuations can have important implications when interpreting blood test results. In general, it’s best practice to get blood tests done at the same point in your menstrual cycle each time for consistent comparisons.

A womans period can be a very personal topic.* But here at InsideTracker, we strive to provide evidence-based science to empower individuals to take control of their healthso let’s talk about it. In this article, well take a look at why a regular cycle is important and how blood testing with InsideTracker can be best executed according to your menstrual cycle.

How Can I Stop My Period Early Naturally

You can stop your period faster once its started with these 5 Start exercising and consuming neatly. If you feel up to working out, exercise is believed to help lighten menstrual flow and cut back bloatingCredit: Getty Contributor. Up your vitamin C. Drink purple raspberry leaf tea. Avoid using tampons. Have an orgasm.

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Ever Heard That Age Old Saying: You Are What You Eat

Well Divas, its time to start taking nutrition more seriously. After all, nutrition is a huge factor that influences our everyday lives. When done right it can make amazing improvements on our general health and well-being, it can even help with those pesky period symptoms.

Now, there are many things that influence our bodies, not just what we eat, including our own menstrual cycle. In fact what we eat, how we exercise and where we are in our menstrual cycle all tends to work with each other and can affect our PMS symptoms, and possibly even disrupt our menstrual cycles. This means we have to get more in touch with our cycles and understand how foods affects our bodies in both positive and negative ways.

First we recommend you take the time to understand your menstrual cycle. This means researching and understanding what is happening to your body during the different phases of your cycle. For example when your period is about to begin, your progesterone levels rise as your body prepares to shed the uterine lining and this as well as other factors can cause you to experience PMS symptoms. Understanding your cycle and body can be a very liberating experience. In fact many users of The DivaCup like the fact that they get to know more about their body and menstrual flow when using the cup.

Now Lets Look At A Few Foods To Limit For A Healthy Reproductive Cycle And Better Nutrition Overall

Smoking and Other Factors That Affect Blood Sugar

You may not want to read this, but the best dietary changes to make are the ones we dont really want to make. This means that we need to limit or cut out artificial sugars, caffeine, smoking and alcohol.

Sugars.

It is important to manage your refined sugar intake not only because it can make you gain weight, but it can also disrupt your bodys blood sugar levels. Eating sugary foods will cause your blood sugar levels to go up and the higher your blood sugar goes, the more sever your period symptoms may be. Its important to keep them at a steady level and so we recommend natural sugars in moderation.


Caffeine.

The ol morning motivator can cause heightened anxiety and lead to sleep deprivation, which in turn can cause PMS symptoms. Though it is worth noting that some people may find that a little bit of caffeine can help with period cramps.

Smoking.

Smoking can be very dangerous as it can disrupt and cause irregularities to your menstrual cycle.

Alcohol.

A depressant that often makes PMS symptoms worse.And there you have it, some great suggestions on what to eat, and not eat, for a healthier period and lifestyle in general. It is important to make the right food choices, particularly when you have PMS, as eating healthy can help to beat those pesky PMS symptoms for good.

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Add Nutrients To Support Blood Sugar Balance

It can be helpful to add in some key nutrients to support sugar cravings. Both chromium and cinnamon can help lower the bodys response to insulin and magnesium can help reduce cravings.


Reducing your sugar intake can have a positive impact not only how you feel during your menstrual cycle but throughout your cycle. For more information and support on reducing your sugar intake, it can be helpful to contact a nutrition professional.

Its important to note that nutritional therapy is not a replacement for medical advice, practitioners always refer any client with red flag signs or symptoms to their medical professional. The information provided here is general and is not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure any diseases or conditions.

Nutritionist Resource is not responsible for the articles published by members. The views expressed are those of the member who wrote the article.

Why Is There An Increase In The Blood Glucose During Periods

As seen above, just a few days before and after getting the periods, the hormones, estrogen, and progesterone lead to resistance of the body towards insulin. This effect is however temporary in nature and is known to stay for only a few days. Having said that, it is imperative to know that the fluctuation in blood sugar during diabetes is not the same for all women. While a few women might experience an increase in the blood glucose levels, there are others who experience a drop in the level of glucose. As such, you need to consult an endocrinologist as to how the situation should be dealt with.

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Can Type 2 Diabetes Be Cured

Although theres no cure for kind 2 diabetes, research show its conceivable for some people to reverse it. Through nutrition adjustments and weight loss, you might be able to reach and dangle customary blood sugar levels with out medicine. This doesnt imply youre completely cured. Type 2 diabetes is an ongoing disease.

Can metformin motive overdue period?

If you’ve gotten PCOS, metformin could make a large distinction before you even get pregnant. This is because it could if truth be told help you conceive. PCOS makes it more difficult so that you can turn out to be pregnant. It can cause missed or irregular periods, and it can motive small cysts to develop on your ovaries.

How can u save you diabetes?

Here are 13 tactics to steer clear of getting diabetes. Cut Sugar and Refined Carbs From Your Diet. Work Out Regularly. Drink Water as Your Primary Beverage. Lose Weight If Youre Overweight or Obese. Quit Smoking. Follow a Very-Low-Carb Diet. Watch Portion Sizes. Avoid Sedentary Behaviors.

What must no longer be eaten throughout classes?

To help information you along the best way, here is a listing of what to devour all the way through periods and foods to steer clear of all the way through period. Avoid: Alcohol. Avoid: Caffeinated beverages. Avoid: Processed foods. Avoid: Foods top in fat. Avoid: Dairy products. Avoid: Fried foods. Avoid: Refined grains. Avoid: Foods with a top salt content.

What should I consume for heavy periods?

Periods And Diabetes: Whats Typical Whats Not

Diabetes and the Menstrual Cycle

Women with diabetes are at higher risk for menstrual abnormalities due to what is called anovulation, Dr. Jungheim said. Anovulation is when ovulation, a normal part of the menstrual cycle where the ovary releases an egg into the Fallopian tube, does not occur. This is really important, as ovulation is required for pregnancy. When women arent ovulating regularly and predictably, it can make it harder to get pregnant. On the flip side, if you dont have a period then you wont know when you are more fertile, or more likely to conceive when having sex.

If someone with diabetes notices that she is experiencing vaginal bleeding more often than every month, or less often than every month, she should see her healthcare professional for further investigation, said Dr. Jungheim. However, know that women can sometimes have periods that are more or less frequent than what is considered the average experience. Learn what is normal for you, and be aware of period changes that arent typical for you.

A doctor who focuses on the female reproductive system is a gynecologist a doctor who oversees pregnancy and childbirth is an obstetrician. Some healthcare professionals specialize in both and are known as obstetrician-gynecologists or Ob-Gyns. A doctor who specializes in fertility and infertility is a reproductive endocrinologist.

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Hormonal Contraception And Insulin Resistance

In the same way that natural hormonal fluctuations can affect glycemic control, the use of hormonal contraceptivesincluding birth control pills, contraceptive patches, and contraceptive ringsmay do the same.

These hormonal contraceptives contain forms of estrogen, progesterone, or both. Some studies have shown that estrogen, as well as progesterone, can trigger insulin resistance, making it harder to control your blood sugar.

In general, it is absolutely fine to use these forms of birth control if you have diabetes. Still, it is important to be aware of their effect on glycemic control. Pay extra attention to your blood sugar whenever you are starting or changing hormonal contraceptive methods.

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