Comments on: Impact of the Menstrual Cycle on Determinants of Energy Intake – Reseach Review

By: lylemcd

lylemcd — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:07:21 +0000

Read the comment directly above yours, that addresses your question. And yes, you need to raise calories gradually.

By: Jenna

Jenna — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:02:20 +0000

Lyle,
do you have any advice for women who have severely dieted , weight has remained the same (normal range) for long periods yet menstrual irregularities and other side effects visible? Bodyfat levels are in the 20’s yet. Do you suggest slowly raising calories to a higher level (coming from 800 or less). Would this aid in restoring normal menstruation/ovulation? Thanks!

By: lylemcd

lylemcd — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:56:56 +0000

Dieting of all sort tends to impact on the menstrual cycle, lengthening one of the phases and shortening the other (and offhand I forget which is which). A researcher by the name of Ann Loucks has done a lot of work on this and found that the issue start with a ceratin threshold of energy availabiliity (roughly intake – expenditure) is crossed and that level is about 12 cal/lb. And it doesn’t matter if the deficit is from diet or exercise, the issues still arise (due to impaired LH release specifically).

Unfortunately, most won’t be able to lose fat without crossing that threshold. But if extreme deficits are causing you issues (and there is just HUGE variability between women in what responses occur), go with a more moderate deficit. The article Setting the Deficit – Small, Moderate or Large addresses this.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:46:04 +0000

Hi Lyle

I have experienced major changes in my cycle (timing) and some extreme PMS. This has happened to me twice now. Once when i started dieting and training (over a year ago) and again these last few weeks (I was off of training and diet due to a major leg injury). Since being back on the diet and intense training my symptoms during ovulation are extreme. Major bloating and very sore breasts (i can’t even sleep on one side). This isn’t normal for me.

When my cycle went haywire last year i was on birth control pills and i dropped them hoping it would help and in a few weeks my cycle got back on track. There were also major PMS symptoms which were not normal for me but again they did subside.

Will starting an extreme calorie deficit and intense training change the way women react to those hormones, particularly progesterone?

Thanks

By: COURTNEY

COURTNEY — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:43:12 +0000

Im not sure where to begin…I was diagnosed with PMDD several years ago. It truly is crippling. I have all of the emotional deregulation, depression,and anxiety. What is equally bad is the physical symptoms. Every month I can gain 8-10 lbs. I believe its a combination of water and over eating. My drive to train is dramaticaly decreases post ovulation. its interesting when I am training at the gym I find my self becoming angry at myself for being weak and angy at others for being near my space. I want to be annonomus everywhere but its impossoble giving what I do for a living. I will train, sleep, eat and see my patients. Ill often cancle therapy session with my clients because Im just too exhausted and honestly I dont care to be the emotional septic tank on those pms days.. Everyday ill spend a significant amount of time reseaching scholoarship in search of valadation. I will review the same literature multiple times from month to month for whatever reason it relieves my anxiety. Ofcourse this article was the jackpot…

When I start my pieriod…even a few days before I feel a since of calm, almost euphoric feeling. I am a different women. My clothes fit, I feel sexy, I cant wait to see my clients. I get an incredible amount accomplished in the next 18 days.

Thank you for doing this lit review. This paper was my xannax….

By: lylemcd

lylemcd — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:59:01 +0000

I’m not sure what you’re asking in terms of ‘working in reverse’. There has been some work on anti-obesity effects of soy if that’s it. I’m not sure if the mechanisms have all been worked out but estrogen working through a central pathway might be part of it.

As to the phytoestrogen issue, certainly soy has bioactive phytoestrogens which, for the most part, tend to exert less of an estrogenic signal than estrogen in the body. Whether or not this amounts to any sort of biological effect depends entirely on teh amount consumed. In teh midst of the anti-soy hysteria, many lost the fact that actual daily soy intake in Asian cultures is fairly small, maybe 10 grams of protein per day. Which provide ~30 mg phytoestrogens. But Americans being Americans, people heard ’soy is good’ and went nuts and started eating it in everything. And when you start mainlining soy, you do start to get biological effects. This is discussed in detail in The Protein Book.

By: bec

bec — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:36:34 +0000

I’ve heard a bit about how having too much soy can cause there to be too much estrogen in the body and therfore fat loss is halted… given this paper has just explained that estrogen is not the bad guy, could the ’soy theory’ work in reverse? Is there any truth to the claims on soy and estrogen anyway?

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:49:21 +0000

I’m trying to figure out why around the 4th day of my period and continuing on for another 5 days I have a definite increase in energy and a general feeling of well being.
How do I mimic this for the rest of the month?

By: Jenny

Jenny — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:10:41 +0000

This is a very interesting article. Its great to see it all in ‘black&white’. Personally speaking i cannot get enough food into me on day 1 and 2.. maybe what i need is rest but i have to keep going so i look to food for energy, but seriously i am like a bottomless pit. i do try to have ‘good’ foods around but chocolate has to factor sometime in those days.. without fail! other then that i thought i was always starving in the week or so before my period but realised that its actually day 22-24, then it seems to settle down a bit until day 1 and 2.. its different to normal hunger – it simply cannot be ignored! maybe its something to do with the fact that i’m a vegetarian.. who knows!

By: Alison

Alison — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:43:28 +0000

Really interesting article – I’ve been on a weight loss programme for nearly a year now and without fail almost all my biggest losses have been in the 4 or 5 days at the very end of my cycle. I’ve also noticed that if I go to the gym on the 1st day of my cycle I have loads more energy than at any other time (but that this can change quickly for the next 2 or 3 days).

I find the links fascinating – and would also like to learn more about what the links are between hormones and fluid retention.