Why Do I Crave Different Foods Right Before My Period?
By: Mehdia Amini, MD
The Endocrine Science Behind Premenstrual Hunger and That Sudden Desire for Carbs
If you find yourself reaching for chocolate, bread, pasta, or something salty in the days before your period, there is a physiologic reason for it. Many women notice a remarkably predictable change in appetite during this part of the month. Meals that normally feel satisfying suddenly do not seem like quite enough. You may become hungrier between meals, want something sweet after dinner, or find yourself thinking about foods you barely crave during the rest of the month.
The menstrual cycle is a dynamic endocrine process. The normal rise and fall of estrogen and progesterone affects much more than the reproductive system. These hormones also communicate with areas of the brain involved in hunger, satiety, mood, and food reward.
Estrogen generally has an appetite-suppressing effect and may enhance signaling from leptin, a hormone involved in satiety. This helps explain why food intake tends to be lower around ovulation, when estrogen levels are at a peak. After ovulation, progesterone rises, and during the luteal phase appetite and energy intake tend to increase. As both hormones fluctuate and eventually fall before menstruation, they may also influence other neurotransmitters such as serotonin, which plays a role in mood and appetite regulation. This may partly explain why carbohydrate-rich foods become more appealing during this time.
Carbohydrate intake raises insulin, which changes the balance of amino acids circulating in the blood and can increase the relative availability of tryptophan, the precursor used to make serotonin. To the brain. This does not mean that premenstrual cravings are simply caused by “low serotonin”, but it illustrates how reproductive hormones, brain chemistry and metabolism can interact to influence what and how much we feel like eating.
Your Body May Also Be Using Slightly More Energy
Energy expenditure appears to increase modestly during the luteal phase in some women. Progesterone also raises core body temperature after ovulation, one of the physiologic changes historically used to help identify that ovulation has occurred. The increase in metabolic demand is not enormous. But combine it with changing appetite signaling, altered food reward, and perhaps a day of inadequate eating, and suddenly that intense evening hunger makes considerably more sense. This is especially relevant if you have spent the day trying to “be good” by eating as little as possible.
Coffee for breakfast.
A small salad at lunch.
Very few carbohydrates.
Then 8 p.m. arrives, and you cannot stop thinking about chocolate.
Before assuming that your hormones are malfunctioning, ask a simpler question: Did I eat enough today? Normal premenstrual physiology layered on top of under-fueling can make cravings considerably more intense.
So What Should You Actually Do?
The goal should not be to eliminate every premenstrual craving. Instead, anticipate the change. During the days when you know your appetite tends to increase, make your meals more satisfying. Prioritize protein, fiber-rich carbohydrates, and healthy fats, and avoid excessively long periods without eating. And importantly, do not respond to carbohydrate cravings by eliminating carbohydrates altogether. A meal containing protein plus a quality carbohydrate, such as chicken with potatoes and vegetables, Greek yogurt with berries and nuts, or eggs with whole-grain toast and fruit, is often far more satisfying than trying to suppress hunger with coffee or a tiny snack.
And if you eat a balanced dinner and still want some chocolate afterward? Have some chocolate. Good metabolic health does not require never experiencing hunger, never eating dessert, or maintaining the same appetite every day of the month.
When Is It Worth Looking Deeper?
A predictable increase in appetite or cravings during the several days before menstruation that improves once your period begins is generally compatible with normal menstrual physiology. What deserves further evaluation is a significant departure from your usual pattern.
If cravings or appetite changes become extreme, persist throughout the month rather than following a menstrual pattern, are accompanied by major changes in weight or menstrual regularity, or significantly interfere with your daily life, it is reasonable to discuss them with your physician.
The important distinction is between normal hormonal fluctuation and hormonal disease. Hormones are supposed to fluctuate. Estrogen is supposed to rise and fall. Progesterone is supposed to increase after ovulation and fall before menstruation. And your appetite does not have to remain identical while all of this is happening.
Conclusion
Research supports measurable changes in food intake across the menstrual cycle, with overall energy intake tending to be higher during the second phase of our menstrual cycle, the luteal phase. Studies also demonstrate cyclical changes in food cravings, although exactly which foods women crave, and how strongly, varies considerably from person to person.
Biology is likely to reflect several overlapping systems rather than one culprit: changing estrogen and progesterone levels, appetite-regulating pathways in the brain, serotonin signaling, food reward, and subtle changes in energy requirements. So if you suddenly find yourself hungrier or thinking about chocolate far more than usual a few days before your period, you do not necessarily need to “fix your hormones.” Your body may simply be responding to the normal hormonal shifts of the menstrual cycle.
But if your cravings feel extreme, are happening all the time throughout the month, are accompanied by significant changes in your periods, weight, energy levels, or other new symptoms, it may be worth looking deeper. Understanding what is normal, and recognizing when something falls outside of that pattern, is where a thoughtful hormonal evaluation can make a difference. Schedule a FREE meet and greet with Dr. Mehdia Amini to learn if she is the right fit for you?
