Why does weight increase before menstruation?

Many women feel the onset of "critical days" by a change in the general state of the body and some other signs. Someone has a heaviness in the lower abdomen, nausea and dizziness, others feel swelling of the chest, limbs, or suffer from constipation. Each organism reacts differently to the approaching period. But many women notice that weight increases during the menstrual cycle.

In most cases, this situation is completely normal, which is explained by the physiological processes occurring in the woman's body before menstruation. But there are also cases when weight gain is considered in the context of a certain pathology. Therefore, it is possible to answer the question of why this is happening after differential diagnosis.

All women are sensitive to their figure, and serious changes in weight upward become a reason for real grief.

Causes

The origin of weight gain during and immediately before menstruation must first of all be sought in physiological processes. Everyone understands that changes occur in a woman's body every month, which are aimed at realizing the possibility of getting pregnant. They are due to hormonal shifts, and weight gain depends on the influence of such factors:

• Premenstrual syndrome.
• Diet inaccuracies.
• Heredity.

The issue of genetic predisposition is discussed for many conditions, and in the situation under consideration also has a conjectural significance. It cannot be denied that a woman's diet is disturbed, which can be present at any time, sharpening with the onset of menstruation.

In addition, it is necessary to consider the factors that cause pathological weight gain before menstruation. They should be borne in mind when conducting a clinical examination, since the exclusion of physiological causes requires a search for other answers. So, weight gain can provoke disturbances in the work of the endocrine system, due to the following conditions:

• Hypothyroidism
• Diabetes.
• Adrenal pathology.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome.
• Hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction.

Such diseases, of course, have no connection with menstruation, and the time of their occurrence can be completely different. But such conditions should not be discounted.

You can find out why weight changes before the onset of menstruation, based on the results of a comprehensive examination.

Development mechanism

As you know, the menstrual cycle is controlled by hormones. In different periods, there is a change in the concentration of the main regulatory substances - estrogens and progesterone. They affect various metabolic processes and the function of internal organs. Before the onset of menstruation, the level of progesterone remains high in the body. Its biological role is to ensure the onset and normal course of pregnancy. But other effects cannot be overlooked. In particular, there is a fluid retention in the body, which can reach up to 900 grams.

It should also be remembered that a few days before menstruation, the body requires more nutrients, rightly expecting that pregnancy may still occur. This encourages the woman to eat more, which cannot but affect her figure. In addition, hormonal changes can provoke constipation due to a decrease in intestinal motility. Reducing the frequency of emptying also contributes to weight gain. In total, all factors can provoke the appearance of an additional 2-3 kg.

During menstruation and before them, completely physiological processes take place, which can cause some weight gain.

Symptoms

The appearance of extra pounds is definitely not a very pleasant sign for every woman. However, this will not become critical, since with the end of menstruation, the weight will return to its usual numbers. If this does not happen, you need to carefully consider your body and think about why the expected did not come true. If it is rather difficult to answer the question on your own, then it is much easier for the doctor to understand the situation.

During clinical examination, the emphasis is on the symptoms that bother the patient. If she does not make any other complaints besides weight gain, then you have to actively identify and confirm them. Often, this situation is considered in the framework of premenstrual syndrome, which develops in a large number of women. In addition to weight changes, other manifestations may be present:

• Breast tenderness.
• Pain in the abdomen.
• Increased appetite and thirst.
• Swelling of the limbs and face.
• Headaches and dizziness.
• Cardiopalmus.
• Feeling of heat in the face.
• Change in mood.
• Sleep disturbance.
• Nausea.
• Constipation.

It is not at all necessary that all of these signs will be present, but, as a rule, their combination is observed. For some, the symptoms are pronounced, causing significant trouble, and for some, they are almost imperceptible. It all depends on the sensitivity of the woman's body to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle.

In order to still determine why a woman gained several kilograms in a short time, it is necessary to turn to differential diagnosis with other conditions that also require exclusion.

Diagnostics

In cases where a woman gains weight regardless of her period, it is worth considering the possibility of other reasons besides physiological. Maybe there is reason to believe that there are some problems with the endocrine system. Then you need to connect additional diagnostic tools. These include the following laboratory and instrumental confirmation methods:

• Blood glucose test.
• Carbohydrate Tolerance Test.
• Biochemical blood test (hormonal spectrum, electrolytes, etc.).
• Ultrasound examination (thyroid, adrenal, ovarian).
• CT scan.

Examination by a gynecologist will need to be supplemented with an endocrinologist's consultation. Based on the results of a comprehensive examination, it is already possible to make a final conclusion about the causes of excess weight during menstruation.

When pathology is detected, specific treatment is prescribed, the essence of which is to normalize metabolic and endocrine processes in the body.

Treatment-and-prophylactic measures

To avoid serious changes in weight during menstruation, you should heed the advice of your doctor. Many activities are not only therapeutic, but also preventive in nature. When a woman notes the appearance of such problems, you should carefully consider your health, taking into account the characteristics of the menstrual cycle.

Undesirable changes in the body during menstruation can be minimized through fairly simple recommendations. This requires only desire and organization, and the effect will not be long in coming. First of all, you should consider the following rules regarding nutrition during the "critical days":

• Do not overeat, at the same time, the diet should be complete.
• Limit fatty and flour products, sweets.
• Eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, herbs.
• Minimize your intake of coffee, chocolate, and hard cheeses.
• Eat more often - up to 5-6 times a day.
• Give up alcohol and smoking.
• Monitor your weight regularly.

In addition to diet, attention should be paid to adequate physical activity. Now no one doubts the usefulness of morning exercises, walking in the fresh air and swimming. You need to sleep at least 8 hours a day. If you have problems with insomnia, it is recommended to take a warm bath or use other relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises, aromatherapy, or relaxing music.

Drug therapy

If a woman is seriously concerned about her condition and experiences significant discomfort from severe premenstrual syndrome, medications will help. Your doctor may recommend certain medications to relieve unpleasant symptoms. These include the following:

• Sedatives.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory.
• Diuretics.
• Hormonal agents.
• Vitamins (B6, C) and trace elements (magnesium, calcium, iron).

Any medication must be taken as prescribed by the doctor. In no case should you interfere with the work of the body on your own, since this is fraught with many undesirable phenomena.

Other methods

To improve the general condition of the body and reduce the impact on it of adverse factors, you can additionally use other therapeutic agents. Physiotherapy procedures do not lose their relevance, among which it is worth noting electrorelaxation, reflexology and balneotherapy. In addition, psychotherapeutic methods are widely popular. This helps to improve the nervous regulation of processes and normalize the emotional background.

When wondering why you gain weight before your period, you need to consider all the factors. This is mainly due to physiological changes. Then you can use simple methods that allow you to keep in good shape at any time. If some pathology is identified, then there should be no doubt about the need for specific treatment.