The days leading up to a period can be tough. Common struggles at this time include bloating, fatigue, irritability, headaches, food cravings or that general sense of being unwell. For some people, these symptoms are present in the entire second half of their menstrual cycle. This means two out of every four weeks are spent feeling rubbish.
Once ovulation has taken place oestrogen naturally dips and progesterone should rise. Balance is key here to achieve hormonal equilibrium, but if progesterone isn’t strong enough oestrogen can have the upper hand. This can lead you to feel anxious, heavy ad out of sorts. Progesterone levels can struggle for a number of reasons, including stress, nutrient gaps or changes in perimenopause.
The week before your period, your body is already doing more behind the scenes. Hormones are changing, inflammation rises slightly and nutrient demand increases. You will find yourself seeking out more food at this point, or generally having a larger appetite. If you add in daily stress, poor sleep or long working hours then cortisol, the stress hormone, will increase.
This matters because cortisol and progesterone share the same building blocks. High stress will therefore reduce progesterone availability. This in itself will can cause anxiety, poor mood and sleep. Elevated cortisol can also take its toll on your immune system, making you more likely to feel run down, catch a cold or develop a skin flare-up. At the same time, it can ramp up inflammation, which makes cramps, aches, and digestive upset worse. Also, prostaglandins are rising at this point to help your uterus shed its lining. If your inflammation levels are already high, this increase can cause cramps, headaches, diarrhoea and nausea.
Blood sugar control becomes more sensitive in the second half of the cycle. Without enough protein, fibre or healthy fats, energy can dip quickly, triggering mood swings, fatigue, and stronger cravings. Also, nutrient demands will rise at this point, your body is using more magnesium, zinc and B vitamins. If you are low on these nutrients this can make symptoms worse.
If you find yourself consistently unwell before your period, hormone testing can be a helpful step. The DUTCH Complete test is a urine test that provides a detailed picture of how your hormones and stress response are working together.
It can highlight:
- Oestrogen and progesterone balance. Important for mood, cycle regularity and fertility. Healthy progesterone not only helps with sleep and calmness but is also vital for ovulation and early pregnancy.
- Cortisol rhythm and metabolism. Showing whether stress hormones are impacting your energy, sleep or immune resilience.
- Melatonin. Important for sleep but also for egg quality and ovarian health.
- Androgens including testosterone and DHEA.
This information can help explain why symptoms appear or increase in the week before your period. It provides a targeted approach to help you move forward using personalised nutrition.
