As well as causing menstrual bleeding, research suggests that changes in progesterone and estrogen levels cause the body to retain more water and salt. The body's cells become swollen with water, causing the feeling of bloating.
Elevated estrogen levels just before a period can cause women to retain more water than usual. A drop in the hormone progesterone, which helps to rid the body of excess salt and fluid, means that that water retention may lead to bloating in the days leading up to a period.
Bloating before and during a period may result from changes in levels of the sex hormones progesterone and estrogen. About a week before a woman's period starts, levels of the hormone progesterone fall. Reduced levels of progesterone cause the uterus to shed its lining, which is what causes menstrual bleeding.
Changes to your hormones
As these hormones also control the way your body regulates fluid, when they fluctuate, your tissues retain more water. Water retention causes swelling or puffiness, which may occur in areas of your body such as the breasts and stomach and this increases your body weight but not fat.
Fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels can lead to water retention and bloating, causing you to gain weight. These hormones affect the way your body regulates fluids, leading to swelling in your abdomen, breasts, and hips.
On the plus side, when you're actively bleeding, your body is sloughing off the uterine lining and preparing for a fresh cycle. As the days go on, hunger and cravings dissipate, you lose the bloat (and any excess pounds). In fact, you're at the lowest weight of the month right after you stop bleeding.
Engaging in physical activity, getting plenty of sleep, and reducing stress levels can help with bloating before and during your period. Additional home remedies can include taking a vitamin B6 supplement and drinking water throughout the day.
If you feel heavy and bloated during your period, it's not in your head. “Water retention is a common premenstrual symptom and weight gain during your period is normal,” says Nita Landry, M.D., a board-certified OB/GYN and the author of Dr. Nita's Crash Course for Women.
How Long Does Period Bloating Last? Period bloating generally appears around one to two weeks before your period or also only a couple of days before. Your body supposedly retains the most water on the first day of your period, so the situation should calm down during your period or at least a few days after.
While everybody is different, on average, most people gain approximately 3-5 pounds during their period which should typically go away about a few days after your period starts.
Pregnancy-specific symptoms
While your breasts may feel tender during PMS, they can be tender during the early stages of pregnancy as well. “You may also be pretty fatigued,” Giles added. “The key difference between the two, however, is that with pregnancy, your period doesn't occur.”
One easy way to tell the difference between bloat and belly fat is to note belly fat does not cause your stomach to expand wildly throughout the course of a day; bloat does. One other way to tell the difference between bloat and belly fat is you can physically grasp belly fat with your hand, you cannot with bloat.
For one, you don't burn more calories on your period, contrary to some locker room chatter. If anything, Sims says you burn slightly more calories when your hormones are higher (known as the post-ovulation luteal phase) because your heart rate, respiratory rate, and core temperature increase.
When Should You Not Weigh Yourself? Ladies, do not weigh yourself 1-3 days prior to menstruation or during menstruation. You will be heavier, it's that simple. Just think about it this way: your body is preparing to bleed for a week!
Endo belly is a severely bloated abdomen common in people with endometriosis. Some people say their swelling gets so bad, they look like they're pregnant. “People with endometriosis often have symptoms for years before receiving an accurate diagnosis,” says women's health specialist Megan Billow, DO.
Bloating may occasionally add a pound or two, but it doesn't actually signify weight gain. A simple way to tell the difference between bloating and weight gain or fat is how your stomach looks and feels. If your stomach is tight and hard, then bloating is the cause. If your stomach is soft and thick, then that's fat.
The greater your BMI (particularly in the obese range over 35), the more likely you are to miss your period. It is even possible to stop bleeding altogether, a condition known as secondary amenorrhea.
When you are done with your menses, bloating tends to reduce, mainly because of reduced hormonal fluctuation. Similarly, you also get to shed a few pounds because you have reduced cravings for fatty foods, resulting in added bloating.
The menstrual cycle itself doesn't seem to affect weight gain or loss. But having a period may affect your weight in other ways. Many women get premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS can cause you to crave and eat more sweet or salty foods than normal.
Weight gain before your period is also referred to as PMS weight gain. This weight gain is related to hormonal changes that occur in the luteal phase, which is the phase just before you get your period. The luteal phase is the second phase of your menstrual cycle.
Unfortunately, no matter how much we feel that we may know our bodies, pregnancy cannot be self-diagnosed. The only way to know whether or not you're pregnant is through a pregnancy test.