Your Period And Insulin Sensitivity
A few days before your period starts, do you experience food cravings? Does your stomach growl only a couple of hours after eating? Do you feel hangry most of the time? All of these symptoms can be explained by weakened insulin sensitivity before your menstrual period starts. In this article, we'll look into the connection between insulin levels and the menstrual cycle.
If you've ever had a menstrual period, you know it comes with many symptoms. Unlike the happy women in white pants in period product commercials, many people who menstruate experience less than joyful symptoms. From bloating, fatigue, and brain fog to debilitating cramps and bowel issues — periods can mess with your health quite a lot. But only recently have scientists looked closer at how the menstrual cycle affects women's insulin sensitivity and the connection between the two.
What is insulin sensitivity?
Your pancreas produces a hormone called insulin. It moves glucose molecules to all the cells in your body to give you energy. But this essential hormone does more than that. It also regulates your hunger cues, metabolism, blood sugar, and even brain function.
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Insulin sensitivity refers to how sensitive the cells in your body are to this hormone. When your sensitivity is high, insulin can move glucose more efficiently and it's turned into energy quicker and at a more stable rate. When insulin sensitivity is high, you feel satiated after eating, have more energy and mental clarity, and can go longer between meals.
When your insulin sensitivity is low, cells don't absorb glucose effectively, which leads to higher levels of glucose in the bloodstream. This can eventually lead to insulin resistance, where the body needs to produce more insulin to achieve the same effect on blood sugar levels.
When your insulin sensitivity weakens, you might feel hungry all the time and crave sweet and caloric food. This is your body's way of trying to satisfy the missing energy. You might also feel tired and as if you can't think clearly. The brain is one of the most energy-demanding organs and it needs a lot of it from glucose.
Because cells don't efficiently take up glucose, blood sugar levels remain elevated. This condition, known as hyperglycemia, can cause many health problems over time. In unmanaged cases, it can lead to type 2 diabetes.
How does insulin sensitivity change throughout the menstrual cycle?
For a long time, most studies analyzing how human insulin levels react to certain triggers were done on men, like the majority of human studies. So, when a new study showed that the menstrual cycle also impacts insulin levels, many women probably weren't surprised. Yet, this information is crucial in understanding our metabolism and helping people who have type 1 and type 2 diabetes manage the conditions and live healthy lives.
The study analyzed how the brain reacts to insulin and how its sensitivity changes throughout the cycle. The researchers found that in the follicular phase of the cycle before ovulation happens, healthy, lean women experience the highest insulin sensitivity. They believe it happens to satisfy the energy needs of the growing inner lining of the uterus and preparation for ovulation, which the brain coordinates. However, when the cycle rolls into the luteal phase, insulin sensitivity drops.
The study concluded, “Peripheral insulin sensitivity changes during the menstrual cycle, with relative peripheral insulin resistance occurring in the luteal phase compared to in the follicular phase. Our results suggest that changes in brain insulin responsiveness could be one mechanism that contributes to this phenomenon. The failure of brain insulin to exert its effects on peripheral insulin sensitivity in the luteal phase is likely due to relative hypothalamic insulin resistance in this cycle phase.”
What does lower insulin sensitivity feel like at the end of your cycle?
While recent studies have made an important discovery, they were done on a few people and didn't include women who already have metabolic conditions like type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Plus, insulin sensitivity depends a lot on your lifestyle, genetics, and habits and it changes over time. You might not even notice these slight changes around your cycle. However, noticing insulin level fluctuations can help you learn more about your body and manage your health better if you have metabolic conditions.
When your insulin sensitivity is low, you might experience:
- Fatigue and tiredness even after getting enough sleep. It happens because cells aren’t efficiently using glucose for energy.
- Increased hunger and cravings, especially for sugary or high-carbohydrate foods.
- Weight gain or difficulty losing weight, particularly around the abdomen.
- Brain fog, difficulty concentrating, and memory issues.
- Increased thirst and urination as insulin resistance leads to higher blood sugar levels. When your blood sugar levels are high, the body tries to get rid of excess glucose by increasing your water intake and urination.
- Skin changes, such as acanthosis nigricans, which is characterized by dark, velvety patches of skin, often forming on the neck, armpits, and groin.
- High blood pressure.
Can low insulin sensitivity turn into type 2 diabetes?
It's normal for insulin sensitivity to fluctuate not only throughout your cycle but also during life events. Chronic stress and stressful situations, for example, might weaken glucose absorption because stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline block normal insulin production and function. However, just because at some point in your life you have elevated insulin levels doesn't mean it’ll turn into type 2 diabetes.
But if you have insulin resistance and don't manage it, it might eventually lead to higher risks of metabolic disease.
When your cells don't absorb glucose, more of it starts circulating in the blood, raising your blood sugar. In response to the persistently high blood sugar levels, the pancreas produces even more insulin to compensate. Over time, they begin to struggle to keep up with the increased demand for insulin production.
The beta cells in the pancreas, which produce insulin, also become exhausted from the increased insulin production. An overworked pancreas might stop producing enough insulin to meet the body's needs.
When the combination of insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction reaches a certain point, it causes type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes keeps your blood sugar levels consistently high. Unmanaged diabetes can lead to symptoms such as frequent urination, excessive thirst, fatigue, blurred vision, cardiovascular disease, and permanent cell and nerve damage.
Many aspects affect your insulin sensitivity. Some people are genetically predisposed to have insulin resistance. However, your diet, physical activity, lifestyle, harmful habits, and stress levels all have an impact on how well your body reacts to insulin.
Is there a way to manage insulin levels during your cycle?
If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes or are at risk, changes during your cycle can make managing your condition more difficult. However, if you are a healthy person and don't have increased risks of type 2 diabetes, chances are insulin sensitivity changes throughout your menstrual cycle aren't dangerous. Here's how you can take care of your body to stay healthy.
Balance your meals
Your diet is one of the key factors when it comes to metabolic health. At the end of your cycle, you might start feeling more cravings for sugary foods. Eating too much sugar and caloric food increases glucose levels in your blood, contributing to insulin sensitivity issues.
That's why it's important to try to limit these foods and balance out your glucose intake with other foods. So, for instance, if you eat a sugary snack, try to also eat something high in fiber or protein. These macros slow down glucose absorption and make you feel more satiated after eating, without causing glucose spikes and crashes.
During the luteal stage of your cycle, don't try to cut your caloric intake; instead, eat more balanced meals. Add lean protein, fiber, and complex carbs (whole grains, vegetables, etc.) as they absorb slower. This way, your body gets energy, but it absorbs and burns slower compared to eating chocolate bars, pizza, or similar foods that are predominantly made out of simple, processed carbs.
Move every day
Physical activity and insulin sensitivity are closely related. Study after study shows that people who exercise regularly have better insulin sensitivity and can often reverse insulin resistance. The best part is that your body doesn't really care what exercise you do as long as you move regularly every day.
The best results are seen when people do moderate-intensity exercise for at least 150-170 minutes per week, which is less than half an hour each day. Moderate intensity is about 50-70% of your maximum heart rate. If your maximum heart rate is 190 beats per minute, you should aim to reach the 95-130 zone. Great exercises for metabolic health are weightlifting, walking, cycling, and playing sports like tennis, padel, or basketball.
Start a better sleep routine
Studies show that sleeping less than 6 hours for more than 6 weeks increases insulin resistance by 14.8%. Sleep is so important for everything in your body, from your physical to mental health. During sleep, your body regenerates cells and regulates processes like insulin levels and glucose absorption.
You should always aim for at least 7 hours of good night's rest every night. Better yet, if you clock in 8-9 hours, depending on your health. At the end of your menstrual cycle, you might need to sleep more as your body is reserving energy and preparing for the period.
Manage chronic stress
We mentioned that the stress response in your body releases adrenaline and cortisol. These two hormones increase insulin resistance. While an occasional rush of stress hormones is completely normal, the problem is when they're constantly elevated. Constantly elevated stress hormones mean insulin also stays elevated.
We know that managing long-term stress isn't easy. It often requires professional assistance and lifestyle changes. But the least you can do is try to relax before sleep. If you're stressed before going to bed, it'll affect your sleep quality and everything else you do the next day. Each night before sleep, try to disconnect and relax. Put your phone on mute, don't watch exciting or thrilling shows or movies, dim the lights, and try to create a pleasant and relaxing ambiance. This way, you can reset during the night and respond to stress better the next day.
Be aware of underlying conditions
Endocrine conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can make you resistant to insulin. People with PCOS often have a condition called hyperinsulinemia. They have higher levels of insulin in their blood, even if their blood sugar levels are within the normal range. This is because their cells are less sensitive to the effects of the hormone.
High insulin levels contribute to many PCOS symptoms such as irregular cycles, infertility, and increased production of androgens (male hormones) such as testosterone. Because insulin resistance is a central feature of PCOS, people who have it, also have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
Another problem with PCOS is that it's one of the most commonly missed conditions. Bias in the medical community, inconsistent symptoms, and a lack of detection and treatment guidelines lead to many women being misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed. But if you suspect you have PCOS, it's important to get medical care to manage symptoms and avoid further complications.
When is the time to consult with the doctor?
If you suspect you have insulin resistance or experience related symptoms during menstruation, consult with your healthcare provider. They’ll assess your individual risk factors, provide further evaluation, and help you develop a plan to manage insulin resistance. As a general rule, healthy adults should do blood tests once a year. The basic blood test should include testing your blood glucose levels.
Your cycle and insulin sensitivity
Women are still much more often misdiagnosed and downplayed by the medical community. That's why it's important to understand your body and advocate for yourself. We hope that this article has given you a better idea of how your body changes throughout the menstrual cycle, what symptoms you should pay attention to, and how to manage your insulin to stay healthy.
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