Menstrual cycle irregularities are common and can stem from various causes. Most women get their periods every 28 to 35 days and may notice a variation of a few days from cycle to cycle. Losing or gaining a lot of weight through dieting can alter your periods. If your periods suddenly come much more closely together or further apart, see your doctor to rule out a hormonal imbalance or other health concern.
Crash Dieting
Losing a lot of weight quickly by crash dieting may cause your menstrual periods to stop. A loss of periods is a symptom of both anorexia and bulimia, which are eating disorders. If your body detects that you are losing weight quickly or that your body weight is very low, it may send a signal to halt ovulation. If you do not ovulate regularly, you may not get your period regularly, although you may have irregular spotting or bleeding.
PCOS
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, often experience irregular or absent menstrual cycles. Many women with PCOS are overweight or obese, conditions which can also affect the menstrual cycle. If you have PCOS and are overweight, dieting to lose even a moderate amount of weight, such as 10 percent of your body weight, may regulate your periods. While dieting may make your periods more regular, it is important to see your doctor if you think you may have PCOS, because this condition may make you more likely to develop diabetes or heart disease later in life.
Low-Fat Diets
You may reduce or eliminate meat from your diet in order to lose weight. This often contributes to a low-fat diet, which may affect your period and cause irregularities. A few studies have indicated that vegetarians, who typically consume less fat than non-vegetarians, may be more likely to experience menstrual cycle irregularities than non-vegetarians. For example, a 1991 study conducted by A.B. Pedersen and cited in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" showed that, within the sample, 26 percent of vegetarians and 4 percent of non-vegetarians had irregular or absent periods.
Missed or Irregular Periods
While your new diet may be responsible for changes in your menstrual cycle, be careful not to assume that skipped, very light or very heavy periods are due to dieting. A sudden change in your menstrual periods could be indicative of a health problem, pregnancy, perimenopause or side effects of medications that you are taking. It could also be a sign that you are dieting excessively and need to slow down your rate of weight loss. See your doctor if you have persistently irregular or absent periods.
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