The carnivore diet, a highly restrictive eating plan consisting exclusively of animal products, has gained popularity for its potential benefits, including weight loss and improved management of certain health conditions. As women increasingly explore this dietary approach, it's crucial to understand its potential effects on hormonal health, particularly during the menopausal transition. This article delves into the carnivore diet, its potential impact on menopause, and the phenomenon of spotting, while considering existing research and anecdotal evidence.
Understanding the Carnivore Diet
The carnivore diet is an eating plan that excludes all plant-based foods, emphasizing the consumption of animal products like meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and some dairy. It's considered a ketogenic diet due to its ability to induce ketosis, a metabolic state where the body primarily burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates.
Potential Benefits of the Carnivore Diet
Proponents of the carnivore diet report various benefits, including:
- Weight loss
- Reduced inflammation
- Improved mental clarity
- Better management of autoimmune conditions
- Increased energy levels
It's worth noting that much of the evidence supporting these claims is anecdotal, and further scientific research is needed to confirm these effects.
Menopause and Hormonal Shifts
Menopause marks the end of a woman's reproductive years, characterized by a decline in estrogen levels and the cessation of menstruation. This hormonal shift can trigger a range of symptoms, including hot flashes, sleep disturbances, mood changes, and vaginal dryness.
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The Carnivore Diet and Menopause: Potential Effects
Many women report that the carnivore diet helps manage menopause symptoms. Some possible mechanisms include:
- Hormone balance: Meat and seafood can improve hormone function, primarily by boosting testosterone levels. Menopausal women need testosterone to preserve and increase libido, retain muscle mass, and avoid disorders like osteoporosis and depression. Meat raises testosterone because it contains lots of zinc, which promotes its production in the body. Eating fish, in particular, is a great way to raise progesterone levels, because it is high in vitamin D, a nutrient that promotes progesterone production.
- Weight management: The carnivore diet's ketogenic nature may aid in weight loss and body composition, which can be beneficial during menopause, as hormonal changes can lead to increased body fat storage and loss of muscle mass. Research shows that ketogenic diets help to keep insulin levels low, making it easier to burn stored body fat and prevent body fat deposition.
- Reduced inflammation: The diet's elimination of processed foods and potential allergens may contribute to reduced inflammation, potentially easing some menopause symptoms.
Spotting: What is it?
Spotting refers to any vaginal bleeding that occurs outside of a woman's regular menstrual period. It can range from light staining to heavier flow and may be caused by various factors.
Spotting and the Carnivore Diet: Possible Connections
While there is limited research on the direct link between the carnivore diet and spotting, several potential connections can be explored:
- Hormonal fluctuations: Any drastic change to your diet or activity levels may affect the timing of your period. It could arrive early or late. The carnivore diet's impact on hormone levels, particularly estrogen, could potentially disrupt the menstrual cycle and lead to spotting, especially during the menopausal transition when hormone levels are already fluctuating.
- Weight loss: Rapid weight loss, a common outcome of the carnivore diet, can also affect hormone levels and menstrual regularity, potentially causing spotting.
- Nutrient deficiencies: Restrictive diets like the carnivore diet can increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies if not carefully planned. Deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals can affect hormonal balance and menstrual health.
Other Potential Causes of Spotting
It's important to note that spotting can have various causes unrelated to the carnivore diet, including:
- Hormonal imbalances: Conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or thyroid disorders can cause spotting.
- Infections: Vaginal or cervical infections can lead to inflammation and bleeding.
- Structural abnormalities: Polyps, fibroids, or other growths in the uterus or cervix can cause spotting.
- Medications: Certain medications, such as hormonal birth control or blood thinners, can increase the risk of spotting.
- Other factors: Stress, trauma, or certain medical conditions can also contribute to spotting.
The Keto Diet and "Keto Crotch"
Some people report experiencing increased vaginal odor and discharge while following the keto diet, a phenomenon known as "keto crotch." While not scientifically investigated, it's possible that "keto crotch" could be bacterial vaginosis (BV). BV occurs when the balance of bacteria in the vagina is disrupted, with other bacteria replacing the lactobacilli that maintain the natural vaginal microbiome. A diet high in fat may alter the vaginal pH, creating an environment conducive to BV.
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The Carnivore Diet and "Keto Crotch": A Potential Link?
Given the carnivore diet's emphasis on high-fat consumption, it's conceivable that it could also contribute to changes in vaginal pH and increase the risk of BV, potentially leading to symptoms similar to "keto crotch."
Important Considerations and Precautions
Before embarking on the carnivore diet, especially during menopause, it's crucial to consider the following:
- Consult a healthcare professional: Discuss your plans with a doctor or registered dietitian to assess potential risks and benefits, especially if you have underlying health conditions or are experiencing menopause symptoms.
- Monitor hormone levels: If you experience spotting or other menstrual irregularities while on the carnivore diet, consider getting your hormone levels checked to identify any imbalances.
- Ensure adequate nutrient intake: Work with a healthcare professional to ensure you're meeting your nutritional needs, as the carnivore diet can be restrictive and may require supplementation.
- Listen to your body: Pay attention to how your body responds to the diet and make adjustments as needed. If you experience any concerning symptoms, discontinue the diet and seek medical advice.
The Role of Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates play a crucial role in various bodily functions, including energy production, hormone regulation, and thyroid function. Restricting carbs too severely can have adverse effects, particularly for women.
Low Carb Diets and Hormones
Low carb and low calorie diets may affect women’s adrenals Your hormones are regulated by three major glands: Hypothalamus: located in your brain, Pituitary: located in your brain, Adrenals: located at the top of your kidneys, All three glands interact in complex ways to keep your hormones in balance. This is known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is responsible for regulating your stress levels, mood, emotions, digestion, immune system, sex drive, metabolism, energy levels, and more (3). The glands are sensitive to things like calorie intake, stress, and exercise levels. Long-term stress can cause you to overproduce the hormones cortisol and norepinephrine, creating an imbalance that increases pressure on the hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands (4). This ongoing pressure may eventually lead to HPA axis dysfunction. Although you may have heard the term “adrenal fatigue” associated with similar health concerns from long-term stress, this is not a medical term and its use is controversial. The accepted medical term is HPA axis dysfuntion (5, 6). Symptoms of HPA axis dysfuntion include sleep problems, a weakened immune system, and a greater risk of long-term health problems such as cardiovascular disease, stomach ulcers, and mental health conditions (7). Studies of diet changes in people with obesity suggest eating too few calories can act as a stressor, increasing production of cortisol - commonly known as “the stress hormone.” However, many of these studies reported no problems with HPA axis function (2). An older 2007 study found that, regardless of weight loss, a low carb diet increased cortisol levels compared to a moderate-fat, moderate-carb diet. But these researchers studied obese men only. More evidence is needed to understand the connection between diet and cortisol levels (8).
Irregular Menstrual Cycles and Amenorrhea
If your diet is very restrictive, you may experience irregular menstrual cycles or amenorrhea. Amenorrhea is defined as the absence of a menstrual cycle for 3 months or more. The most common cause of amenorrhea is functional hypothalamic amenorrhea, which can result from a very low calorie diet, disordered eating, losing weight, experiencing stress, or getting too much exercise. Restricting carbs could contribute to some of these causes (9). Amenorrhea occurs as a result of the drop in levels of many hormones, such as gonadotropin-releasing hormone, which starts the menstrual cycle (9). This results in a domino effect, causing a drop in the levels of other hormones such as luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone (11). These changes can slow some functions in the hypothalamus, the region of the brain responsible for hormone release. A low level of leptin, a hormone produced by fat cells, is another potential cause of amenorrhea and irregular menstruation. Research suggests that women need a certain level of leptin to maintain normal menstrual function (12, 13). If your carb or calorie consumption is too low, it may suppress your leptin levels and interfere with leptin’s ability to regulate your reproductive hormones. This is particularly true for underweight or lean women on a low carb diet. In a 2021 narrative review of research on female athletes and their diets, the authors reported that female athletes often underconsume in calories, especially carbohydrates, and that this can affect menstruation and other important metabolic processes (14). However, research on amenorrhea and low carb diets is still scarce. Studies that report amenorrhea as a side effect were usually done only in women following a predominately low carb diet for a long period of time (15). One small 2003 study followed 20 teenage girls using a ketogenic (very low carb) diet to treat epilepsy. Researchers found that 45% experienced menstrual problems and 6 experienced amenorrhea during the 6-month study period (16).
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Thyroid Function
Carbs can be beneficial for thyroid function Your thyroid gland produces two hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These two hormones are necessary for a wide range of bodily functions, including breathing, heart rate, the nervous system, body weight, temperature control, cholesterol levels, and the menstrual cycle. In a study of people with breast cancer, the ketogenic diet in particular had no adverse effects on thyroid function. In fact, the diet had beneficial effects in that it significantly reduced levels of lactate and alkaline phosphatase (17). However, other studies have found that carbohydrates can be beneficial for thyroid function and that consuming too few of them can actually lower thyroid hormone levels (18).
How Many Carbs Should You Eat?
The optimal amount of dietary carbs varies for each individual. However, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that carbs make up 45-65% of your daily calorie intake (19). Furthermore, the Food and Drug Administration states that for a 2,000-calorie diet, the Daily Value for carbs is 275 grams per day (20).
A Moderate Carb Intake May Be Better for Some Women
A large 2018 study looked at carb intake in middle-aged adults. In this group, eating a moderate amount of carbs - that is, 50% to 55% of your total calories - was associated with the lowest risk of dying. This means that people with a moderate carb intake were likely to live longer than people with low or high carb diets (21). There are other reasons to consider a moderate carb intake. Given the potential side effects of restictive diets, certain women may do better consuming a moderate amount of carbs. This may include women who: are very active and struggle to recover after training, have an underactive thyroid, despite taking medication struggle to lose weight or start gaining weight, even on a low carb diet have stopped menstruating or are having an irregular cycle have been on a very low carb diet for an extended period of time are pregnant or breastfeeding For these women, benefits of a moderate-carb diet may include weight loss, improved mood and energy levels, normal menstrual function, and better sleep. Other women, such as athletes or those trying to gain weight, may find a higher daily carb intake appropriate. Your doctor or a registered dietician can help you create a healthy eating plan.
A Low Carb Intake May Be Better for Others
Certain women may do better sticking to a low carb diet. This includes women who have (22, 23, 24, 25, 26): overweight or obesity a very sedentary lifestyle epilepsy polycystic ovary syndrome, fibroids, or endometriosis yeast overgrowth insulin resistance type 1 or type 2 diabetes a neurodegenerative condition such as Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease certain forms of cancer Note that “low carb” is defined differently across studies. Some diets were very low carb, in the range of 15 grams to 20 grams per day. On the higher end, some diets were less restrictive, with low carb defined as less than 45% of daily calories from carbs.