,

Should You Exercise While You Have Your Period?

,
Dysmenorrhea, Painful Period - Winnipeg, Manitoba

If you’re anything like me, you’ve excused yourself from exercise because of your period. The last time I did this, I pondered it. Would it make me feel better? Or would I actually just continue hanging out with Aunt Flow in misery?

A quick PubMed search led me to this Cochrane Review, published just last month (September 2019).

Now, this review was looking at the effectiveness of exercise on primary dysmenorrhea (period pain that isn’t caused by ‘pelvic pathology’ – disease, disorder, infection, etc.). This review & meta-analysis included studies with women who experienced moderate-to-severe (primary) period pain. And it’s worth noting - none of these trials compared exercise to the birth control pill.

The studies included in the review used low-intensity exercise (core strengthening, yoga, stretching) or high-intensity exercise (which they considered aerobic training, Zumba), but none of those studies looked at resistance training.

The review concludes that to-date, there is only low-quality evidence. But that evidence suggests that workouts between 45-60 minutes, 3+/week, REGARDLESS OF INTENSITY, may provide a clinically significant reduction in menstrual pain intensity. The authors conclude that given the overall health benefits of exercise (and relatively low risk of side effects in the general population), women might want to consider using exercise to provide relief of menstrual pain (alone, or in addition to typical treatments for painful period).

 

There you have it; prioritize movement during Aunt Flow’s visit. I’ll try to remind myself of this too.

 

Reference(s): PMID: 31538328

 

INTERESTED IN READING MORE?

Featured
Book Recommendation: Taking Charge of Your Fertility

If you’re looking to get a better understanding of your cycle, and/or want to learn how to chart your cycle – this is worth the read. I don’t have a ton of time to walk patients through all of this during our visits, so this is the book I refer them to.

Should You Exercise While You Have Your Period?

If you’re anything like me, you’ve excused yourself from exercise because of your period. The last time I did this, I pondered it. Would it make me feel better? Or would I actually just continue hanging out with Aunt Flow in misery?

Pain During Ovulation - Is It Normal?

Mittelschmerz – the lovely, weird name for the physical sensation experienced during or directly after the release of an egg from an ovary (ovulation). This pain is felt in the lower part of your abdomen and is often one-sided (but can alternate between sides, month-to-month).  Some women will experience this ovulatory pain as a mild, dull, aching sensation and some women may even experience even greater discomfort. Some won’t experience it at all.

Your Questions: Natural Approaches to Period Cramps?

Birth control is NOT the only option for painful (dysmenorrhea) and/or heavy periods (menorrhagia). And before jumping on a medication or supplement your HCP should always look into potential causes of extreme cramping – ie. endometriosis, fibroids, etc.

Prostaglandins are a major factor in menstrual cramps – once a month (when Aunt Flow comes to town) they cause uterine muscles to contract in order to release the uterine lining (endometrium). Prostaglandins aren’t bad (they are important for blood clots, inducing labour, etc.), but if certain prostaglandins are high in your cycle – this can predispose to more painful menstrual cramping.

Your Questions: The Return of Your Period in the Postpartum Phase

I have seen great variation in the amount of time it takes for a woman’s period to return and regulate. To start, prolactin is the main hormone responsible for milk production. And when elevated (hence, for breastfeeding) it works to prevent ovulation. 

Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea - Where's My Period?

Amenorrhea: the absence of your period.

And then amenorrhea is divided into 2 categories: primary and secondary.

We’re going to talk about secondary amenorrhea, which can be observed as: the absence of a period for 3 months in women who had previously had REGULAR cycles, or the absence of a period for 6 months in women who had already been experiencing IRREGULAR cycles.

How Alcohol Affects Your Hormones

So - the liver is responsible for detoxing alcohol. But it’s also important for metabolizing estrogen. In women, more than one alcoholic drink per day has been shown to increase circulation of androgens (ie. testosterone) and estrogens (1, 2) – this predisposes you to symptoms of estrogen dominance.

Sleep and the Connection to Cortisol and Weight Gain

When you have healthy, restful sleep, cortisol levels are reduced to their lowest levels (typically around midnight). If cortisol doesn’t drop appropriately, this contributes to fat production and provides very little fuel (glycogen) to the muscles. So, you’ve got weight gain. And you’re tired.

Functional Testing with the Dutch Test

Have you heard of the DUTCH test? DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones.

It’s a well-rounded, useful hormonal panel that also measures metabolites - giving greater insight into metabolism of hormones.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) - Emphasis on Syndrome

I’m willing to bet you’ve heard the term ‘PCOS’ before.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). The first thing I want to emphasize: it’s a syndrome – not all signs and symptoms show up in every individual with PCOS.

So, how do you know if you have PCOS?