As with most diet and eating methods, some people have reported stellar results with intermittent fasting, saying it gives them energy and mental clarity along with helping them lose weight. Others say it leaves them shaky, irritable and exhausted. But recently, one big question has emerged: Is intermittent fasting bad for women? We consulted the experts to get the answer. Here’s what they had to say.
Intermittent fasting and hormones
When it comes to whether or not intermittent fast affects women and men differently, the answer from experts is a resounding yes. The reason for this? Hormones. Alisa Vitti, founder of FLO Living and author of Woman Codeand In The Flo,tells Parade.com that if women try intermittent fasting and don’t do it properly, they can end up doing their bodies more harm than good. “Women’s bodies are biologically built for fertility and reproduction. Extended periods without food tells the body that now isn’t a good time for reproduction,” she explains. Not planning to get pregnant anytime soon, if ever? “Fertility isn’t the only problem,” says Vitti. “Women need to consider that estrogen and progesterone do more in the body than get us pregnant. Estrogen helps us with metabolism, weight loss, mood, anxiety and stress, energy, bone density, and cognitive function, to name just a few. If you’re a woman, intermittent fasting can disrupt estrogen balance and throw a wrench in all these essential physiological processes.” Helen Kollias, PhD, Director of Science for Precision Nutrition, echoes this. “In the grand scheme of your life’s health decisions, experimenting with IF seems tiny, right? Unfortunately—for some women, at least—the hormones regulating key functions like ovulation are incredibly sensitive to your energy intake.”
Intermittent fasting for women
Before you write off intermittent fasting completely, consider this: If you do it in a way that’s tailored to your body and hormones, you’ll probably end up with some great benefits. “The best, safest way for a woman to practice IF daily is a nocturnal 12-13 hour fast between dinner and breakfast,” Vitti says. In other words, don’t even think about a 24-hour fast, and you should probably be wary of the 16-hour fast, too. She has a few other “rules” for women trying IF, too. “Don’t fast on consecutive days. Pick no more than two or three non-consecutive days in a week to practice intermittent fasting,” she says. “Don’t do intense workouts on fasting days, and don’t fast when you’re bleeding.” She adds that if you give this slow, steady approach to intermittent fasting a try for a couple months and feel great, you can consider going for a longer window of time each day without eating—up to 16 hours. “But pay close attention to how you feel, and drop back to a smaller window—or stop intermittent fasting altogether—if you start experiencing symptoms of hormone imbalance.” There are specific signs that intermittent fasting might be wreaking havoc on your body and hormones. These include an irregular period (or one that stops entirely), problems sleeping, and a change in metabolism or digestion, according to Vitti. “You may also feel moody or experience brain fog, notice negative changes in how your hair and skin looks, or always be cold,” she says.
Who should skip intermittent fasting entirely?
Kollias says that women who have a history of disordered eating should probably skip intermittent fasting—one of the negative side effects of IF can be binge eating, among other disordered eating behaviors. Vitti echoes this, and adds a few other groups to the list. “Don’t intermittent fast if you’re pregnant or are trying to conceive, you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or trouble waking up in the morning, have adrenal fatigue or are currently dealing with PMS, PCOS, fibroids, endometriosis or other diagnosed hormonal issues,” says Vitti. Feeling a little wary of intermittent fasting? “When you know how to use intermittent fasting in a way that is safe for your unique female biochemistry, you can reap some amazing benefits,” Vitti promises. In other words, if you’re gentle with yourself and pay close attention to your body’s cues, you may just end up with all the benefits people who swear by IF rave about. Next, here are the top intermittent fasting tips you need to know about.
