Menstrual Cycle and Blood Sugar: What to Know

Your menstrual cycle is a wonderful cocktail of countless hormones. Each phase triggers physical and emotional changes. But have you ever wondered why you crave sugar so much in the week leading up to your period? Or why you experience those incredibly annoying mood swings?

In this blog post, we'll explore the link between your blood sugar and your menstrual cycle. We'll discover how your blood sugar can impact your life and your cycle, why period cravings are a real issue, how to stabilize your blood sugar, and the effects of sugar on your hormones. Ready to get started?

What is blood sugar?

First things first, a quick biology lesson. Blood sugar, also known as blood glucose, is the main sugar in your blood. It's your body's main source of energy, and you get it from the food you eat.

When you eat, your body converts your food into glucose and releases it into your bloodstream (your blood sugar level rises). In response, your pancreas releases insulin.

Insulin is the hormone that helps convert glucose into energy fuel (so your body actually benefits from it). Insulin essentially opens the doors to all your cells, allowing glucose to pass through and be used for energy.

What happens when your blood sugar spikes?

A blood sugar spike means your blood sugar level rises sharply after eating (you see a spike). If your blood sugar spikes and then drops, you may feel tired, thirsty, or hungry. It's hard work for your body to keep your blood sugar under control, which rises and falls so often throughout the day.

If this happens frequently and your body can no longer handle it properly, insulin resistance can develop. This means your body finds it increasingly difficult to transport blood sugar (glucose) from your blood into your cells. Insulin then works less effectively, and your blood sugar rises.

In some cases, this can lead to type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a disease in which your blood sugar level is persistently too high.

This is because your body doesn't produce enough insulin, or can't use it properly (or both). And when this excess glucose stays in your blood and doesn't reach your cells, it can cause serious health problems.

And what if the blood sugar level is too low?

If you don't eat for a few hours, your blood sugar level drops. When this happens, another hormone (called glucagon) kicks in to convert stored energy back into usable energy . This requires a lot of work from your liver, but it's an important process, ensuring that our brain, heart, and muscles receive the energy they need to function.

But your liver has to work really hard to do this and therefore cannot focus on other tasks: removing excess estrogen and other toxins from the body.

So you don't want your blood sugar to spike or drop too low—neither is good. The key is trying to keep your blood sugar stable. The good news is that this is easy to achieve, for example, with a good diet, exercise, and plenty of fluids (we'll get to that later!).

The influence of your blood sugar on your cycle

Your menstrual cycle, which lasts an average of 28 days, is regulated by various hormones that are perfectly coordinated.

Insulin and cortisol, hormones involved in blood sugar regulation and stress response, also play a significant role in your cycle. When your blood sugar fluctuates, your insulin and corticosteroid levels can become unbalanced, which can lead to irregular periods, mood swings, and fatigue.

You might not notice a significant difference right away, or you might be one of the unlucky ones who experiences symptoms such as increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, or abdominal pain even with a slight increase in blood sugar. There's no universal list of symptoms: everyone experiences them differently.

Why do you have cravings around your period?

Most women experience increased cravings about a week before their period starts. Remember: everyone is different, so there's no exact timing, but cravings usually stop once your period starts, or a few days afterward.

Jessie Inhauspe of Glucose Goddess explains: "Your menstrual cycle affects your glucose levels. In the two weeks before our period (the luteal phase), our glucose usually spikes higher than normal with the same food. Scientists think this is because sex hormones affect insulin sensitivity (how well you can clear glucose from your bloodstream). What does this mean? That we're more likely to experience glucose rollercoasters and cravings during our luteal phase."

These cravings boil down to one thing: changes in your hormones. Before your period, your progesterone levels drop and your estrogen levels rise. This can cause your blood sugar to drop. When this happens, the brain sends a signal to replenish the sugar—it tells you: replenish those sugars. And it's not just about sweets like candy and cookies.

Many women crave chocolate, but others also crave salty snacks like chips, fried foods, and carbohydrates. Whether it's a slice of pizza or a plate of pasta, carbohydrate-rich foods can be comforting, but they can cause blood sugar spikes—creating a vicious cycle.

The key to controlling your hormones is regulating your blood sugar. Because your body is doing its job well and takes its role seriously: it's about your blood and your energy, your body will prioritize managing insulin and cortisol to regulate your blood sugar levels.

But if all the attention is focused on this, it comes at the expense of managing other hormones, including your female hormones like progesterone and estrogen. In short: paying attention to your diet can make a big difference in how you feel during your period.

If you eat a lot of sugary or carbohydrate-rich foods, you may find your PMS symptoms worse. If you regularly experience PMS, try to eat more mindfully to stabilize your blood sugar levels (more on that later).

Stabilize your blood sugar levels naturally

Fortunately, it's not all doom and gloom: the good news is that you can keep your blood sugar levels stable during your menstrual cycle. Here's how:

To eat

One of the best ways to naturally balance your blood sugar levels is to focus on what you eat.

It's important to include complex carbohydrates, fiber-rich foods, and lean proteins in your meals. Below, we've listed where you can find these.

The reason these types of foods work so well is because your body has to work harder to convert the food into energy fuel. This is because they contain fiber and protein. This prevents a big spike in energy, which is what you want: to stay energized and full for longer.

Good fats are also important. You need these fats to produce your hormones and to ensure that our cells and hormones can communicate with each other. Good fats also help you feel full, so you'll feel less hungry.

So where can you find these fantastic foods? Here are a few examples of foods you can regularly include in your diet to keep your blood sugar levels under control:

• Complex carbohydrates : whole wheat bread, brown rice, starchy vegetables such as corn and peas
• Protein-rich foods : meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes
• Fiber-rich foods : beans, broccoli, whole grains, lentils
• Good fats : nuts, seeds, fish, olive oil, avocados and coconut

A balanced diet can also positively influence your menstrual cycle. If you'd like to learn more about how to eat according to your cycle, check out our blog post "Hack Your Cycle with Nutrition ."

Water

Studies have shown that drinking water can help control blood sugar levels. This is because water helps flush more glucose from the blood.

It sounds very technical, but it's a matter of logic: if you're dehydrated, it means your total blood volume is lower than normal, but your blood sugars are the same. This means your blood is more concentrated (not diluted with water) and your blood sugar is higher. Just like with very strong lemonade, so to speak.

Drinking enough water throughout the day can help you avoid spikes and dips in your blood sugar. It can also help curb cravings. Do you find it difficult to drink enough water? Buy a fun and convenient water bottle and take it with you everywhere. Consider adding some lemon or cucumber to your water for flavor. If you prefer something warm, we recommend herbal tea, which also counts as water.

To play sports

Exercise can help control your blood sugar levels in two ways:

1. First, exercise increases insulin sensitivity , allowing your muscles to better utilize the insulin available. This increased insulin sensitivity can last up to 24 hours or even longer after your workout!
2. Exercise causes muscles to contract , which requires energy. The cells use the glucose immediately, regardless of whether insulin is available.

What type of exercise is best? There's no one-size-fits-all approach, and the most important thing is that you enjoy it – that way you'll be sure to stick with it.

It doesn't have to be an intense workout. A combination of different exercises throughout the week will give you the most benefit. Here are a few options:

• Aerobic exercises such as walking, cycling, jogging, or hiking.
• Resistance training such as repetitive exercises with weights, bands, or your own body weight.
• Interval training: short, intense exercises such as running or cycling, combined with rest periods of up to three minutes.
• Gentle exercise such as swimming, yoga, or walking.

Managing your stress

Whether it's from work, relationships, or another part of your life, research has consistently shown that emotional stress can lead to a rise in blood sugar levels .

Stress causes an increase in body levels of the "fight-or-flight" hormone (cortisol). Your body literally reacts as if it's under attack. This causes your body to release extra energy into the bloodstream in the form of glucose. This way, if you actually need to flee from an attack, you'll have the energy to do so!

Every now and then, this isn't a problem, but it's important to understand the difference between short-term stress and chronic, long-term stress. Everyone gets stressed sometimes—that's normal. Traffic jam? Arguing with your partner? The result: a temporary rise in blood sugar. That's normal.

But if you're chronically stressed, every day, for a long period of time, it can cause significant damage. Stress can also affect your menstrual cycle, so it's a good idea to look at how you can manage your stress. Read our blog post here for some practical tips on managing your stress .

Want to lower your blood sugar?

Managing your diet, exercise, water intake, and stress are great ways to stabilize or lower your blood sugar levels. What else can you do to lower your blood sugar?

Get enough sleep

Getting enough sleep is not only wonderful (hello energy and focus!), but it's also important for stable blood sugar levels. Poor sleep habits (e.g., going to bed late) or not getting enough quality sleep (waking up frequently, needing to pee often) can affect your body's insulin sensitivity.

Lack of sleep also increases your cortisol levels, which play a role in blood sugar control. Both negatively impact your blood sugar levels . Finally, sleep deprivation can also disrupt your menstrual cycle.

You need to ensure not only that you get enough sleep, but also that the sleep you do get is good quality. There's no point in lying in bed for twelve hours if your body never gets deep, restorative sleep. Adults need an average of seven to eight hours of good quality sleep per night.

If you'd like to learn more about how to get a good night's sleep, read our blog Sleep and Your Cycle .

Make sure you get enough/the right nutrition

To stabilize or lower your blood sugar levels, you can ensure your body gets enough micronutrients and minerals. Low blood sugar is associated with deficiencies in minerals such as chromium and magnesium .

• Chromium plays a role in insulin function and carbohydrate metabolism. Examples of chromium-rich foods include meat, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
• Research shows that magnesium is involved in the absorption of sugar into cells. This is important for energy production. Getting enough magnesium is easy through supplements or through foods like dark leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, tuna, beans, whole grains, and dark chocolate. Dark chocolate (at least 70%) is a particularly good choice when you're menstruating and craving something sweet.
• Vitamin D is a vitamin naturally produced in our bodies in response to direct sunlight. It's also found in foods and supplements. Vitamin D supports glucose metabolism and plays a role in insulin function.
• Making sure you get enough vitamins and minerals in general not only helps stabilize your blood sugar levels, but it can also help alleviate many menstrual symptoms, such as cramps, headaches, fatigue, and mood swings. It's sometimes overlooked, but if you find the right balance, your body will thank you!

Not sure which supplements are right for you? Take our quiz to find out. Still have questions? Contact one of our experts and ask us anything! We're here to help.

Add specific foods to your diet

Cinnamon is a well-known spice, and it's thought to increase insulin sensitivity. Studies have shown that cinnamon significantly lowers fasting blood sugar levels (a measure of insulin resistance) , so consider adding some cinnamon to your drinks or meals.

Apple cider vinegar is another interesting one to consider. While research is limited, studies have shown that people who drank apple cider vinegar experienced a significant improvement in their blood sugar levels just thirty minutes after drinking it! Glucose Goddess also shows the effects of apple cider vinegar in a handy graph.

It won't cure diabetes, but it might lower your blood sugar. And it's generally harmless and widely available.

Stable blood sugar levels all day long

Now you know some practical ways to prevent spikes and dips in your blood sugar levels, but what does eating look like on an average day?

In her book, The Woman Code, nutritionist Alisa Vitti gives an example of how you could structure your day to keep your blood sugar levels stable. Here's what she says:

• Start your day with a glass of water. Room temperature or warm water with lemon is best.
• Always eat your breakfast within an hour and a half of waking up . It's important to eat breakfast before drinking your first cup of coffee or tea.
• Your breakfast should include protein (think eggs, black beans, turkey, bacon).
• To prevent your blood sugar from dropping too low , you should eat a snack or small meal every two to three hours. Healthy snacks include almonds, avocado, and hummus with vegetables.
• Avoid grains at dinner and instead choose steamed vegetables and a lean protein (chicken, lean meat and fish, eggs, cottage cheese, tofu, legumes).
• If you've eaten too many carbs , go for a walk! Exercise helps the body reduce the glucose load by using it directly as fuel for the muscles.

This might not be possible every day, but the key is balance. Remember: your goal is consistency, not perfection!

The impact of sugar on your hormones

While something sweet is nice and fun every now and then, too much sweetness can throw your hormones out of whack.

Your cycle may make you crave sweets or simple carbohydrates (white bread), but it can also cause blood sugar spikes and crashes that leave you feeling tired, sluggish, and likely even hungrier.

And something sweet might give you a temporary boost, but the resulting crazy cocktail of hormones can actually worsen PMS symptoms. In women with PMS, high sugar consumption has been linked to worse cramps , mood swings, irritability, and depression.

Conclusion

Tracking your blood sugar or blood sugar levels can seem a little intimidating – but start at the beginning: now that you have the knowledge and understand the relationship between your blood sugar, your cycle and how it can make you feel, you can take charge of your health in a way.

This is truly empowering! It can help you reduce the intensity of PMS symptoms and other complaints and improve your quality of life.

So the next time those sugar cravings strike, you'll not only understand the science behind them, but hopefully, you'll now have the tools to overcome them.

Do you have any questions about your hormonal health? Talk to us . We're here for you.