Your Plan Of Action – The Natural Approach
- Look for the underlying cause such as stress, underweight, nutrient deficiencies, thyroid conditions and other causes of hormonal imbalance
- A good B complex may be useful plus eating a healthy diet including a variety of nuts and seeds
- Herbs may be particularly useful in regulating the cycle
Best Test Options: Hormonal Test MGL5
Suffering from irregular periods or no periods is a fairly clear indication that your hormones have become imbalanced. There are a variety of reasons for this and also many ways to address the imbalance. Many women are unconcerned about having irregular cycles or no periods until they begin trying for a baby, but other women find it very difficult to plan without knowing when their periods could appear.
You should talk to your doctor about possible causes of spotting during periods or irregular cycle and keep up to date with regular cervical smear tests. If you have no periods, it is essential to see you doctor or gynaecologist. Women should have periods when they are not pregnant unless they are post-menopausal. If you have no periods, you will not be getting exposure to natural levels of oestrogen each month which can have a detrimental effect on your bones, your brain health and many other systems.
Note that it is quite normal for periods to become irregular if you are approaching the menopause. We can organise a blood test to check this.
Causes Of Irregular Or No Periods
PCOS is the major cause of irregular or no periods and should be ruled out with blood tests and an ultrasound. Polycystic ovaries come on a spectrum, and you may not satisfy all the criteria for the full syndrome, but it may still be the cause of your irregular periods.
Your thyroid hormones are the master hormones and a thyroid condition should be ruled out in the case of irregular periods. Thyroid conditions are extremely common in women and most commonly diagnosed in women over 30.
Irregular or no periods can be caused by stress, excessive exercise, calorie restriction, being underweight and malabsorption of nutrients, particularly iron deficiency. We can help to identify the most likely cause of your hormonal imbalance.
Your period can also become irregular or even be absent after major hormonal changes such as pregnancy, breastfeeding, miscarriage, fertility treatment or coming off the Pill. If you have no periods, it is important to rule out any serious underlying cause with your doctor. If no cause can be found, then the nutritional route can be very helpful.
Can Nutrition Help Irregular Or No Periods?
We have excellent experience helping women to restore regular cycles and ovulation through dietary and lifestyle changes, using herbs and supplements where necessary. Balancing blood sugar is often the first step in hormonal balance and can be achieved by eating more regularly and opting for complex carbohydrates paired with protein and healthy fats.
Avoiding foods high in sugar and reducing caffeine may be important for managing stress if that is a factor. Achieving a healthy weight may be critical depending on the underlying cause.
Nutrients
As well as eating a healthy diet, supplementation can be beneficial.
B Vitamins
These are often called the ‘stress’ vitamins because they can help you to cope with the pressures of everyday life. As stress can be such an important factor in causing irregular or no periods it is important that you have some help in dealing with it. Vitamins B2, B3 and B6 are also necessary for thyroid hormone production and B5 (pantothenic acid) is essential for optimum adrenal function. Both imbalances in thyroid function and stress can affect your cycle.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are particularly relevant with irregular periods. It is believed that antioxidants may help to prevent cells from becoming ‘abnormal’. This is extremely important if you have been diagnosed with thickening of the womb lining (endometrial hyperplasia). Antioxidants include vitamins A, C and E and the minerals zinc and selenium.
Phytoestrogens
Flaxseeds (linseeds) are a source of phytoestrogens and have been shown to encourage regularity of the cycle. Phytoestrogens work on beneficial oestrogen receptors in the body and can contribute to hormonal balance.
Herbs For Irregular Or No Periods
Agnus castus is the herb of choice for regulating the cycle. It has a balancing effect on the female hormones. We may recommend a combination of herbs depending on your hormone imbalance.
Tests
A Hormonal Test MGL5 (blood) can identify hormonal imbalances. It will measure a number of different hormones and also check on thyroid function which can be affecting your female hormones.
We can also check if you are deficient in key nutrients such as magnesium and the B vitamins. Our Nutritional Profile MGL4 (blood) will show you what vitamins and minerals you actually need to take.
Where to Start?
Make sure you are eating well to support your hormones. If you would like personalised advice on what to do next then request a consultation with one of our qualified nutritionists.