Hunger caused by hormonal imbalance is different from usual hunger
- Hormones & Cravings ! -

Dr Ashwini Anil Kumar Sirapanasetty *

Cravings come in many forms-from the historically odd pregnancy cravings (pickles and ice cream!) to late night snacks, and to chocolate (any time!). They are different from true hunger because cravings are an intense desire to eat a certain food. Cravings are often associated with a person’s lack of willpower and can be overwhelming because you feel a lack of control.

But there are actual biological reasons behind cravings. They can be caused by your hormonal imbalance, stress level, nutrient deficiencies and more. Once you get to the root cause of your cravings you can start to control them.

Cravings before your periods

If you’re having certain food cravings during your period, it’s likely related to your levels of hormones or serotonin. Common cravings tend to be carbohydrates and sweets. Stop apologising for wanting to inhale some chocolate and chips with a side of tacos just before your period.

Period cravings and hunger are real and there are reasons - legitimate, scientifically proven reasons - why you and a lot of other period-having folks want to eat all the things before your period.

Why it happens?

Research suggests that changes in levels of hormones estrogen and progesterone cause cravings for high-carb and sweet foods before your period. Your hormones may not be the only driving force behind your desire to eat all the goodies in your pantry before Flo comes to town, though. Eating all the foods can also help you combat all the feels that accompany the premenstrual stage of your cycle.

Your body releases serotonin when you eat starchy foods and sweets. Serotonin is a chemical that boosts feelings of happiness. A boost in good feelings is always nice, but even more so when you’re whacked-out hormones have you feeling all PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome). Compulsive Eating &Food Cravings before a period may also be signs of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder-PMDD.

Cravings due to hormonal imbalance

A hormonal imbalance occurs when there is too much or not enough hormones in your body. It doesn’t take a large imbalance for you to experience symptoms. Small imbalances of a variety of hormones can cause food cravings as well as other weight related conditions. In addition to the “stress” hormone, cortisol, increasing your cravings, the following hormones contribute to cravings ---

Ghrelin: Produced in your stomach, ghrelin is referred to as the “hunger hormone.” Its primary function is to regulate your appetite and tell you when you are hungry. Ghrelin levels increase in your blood just before eating or during fasting. Eating then reduces the level of ghrelin in your system. Sleep deprivation can also cause ghrelin spike.

Leptin: While ghrelin tells you that you are hungry, leptin is the hormone that tells your brain that you are full. Often called the “obesity hormone” and the “starvation hormone,” leptin is produced by your fat cells and communicates to your brain that you are no longer hungry.

The primary function of leptin is to help your body maintain its weight. Low leptin levels can cause you to never feel satisfied after eating and to feel hungry all the time. Obviously, this can lead to cravings. Leptin also increases cortisol that leads to additional hormone imbalance.

Insulin: Produced in the pancreas, insulin is the hormone that regulates your blood sugar levels. Insulin allows your body to use sugar (glucose) from the carbohydrates you’ve eaten for energy or to store the glucose for future use. If the amount of insulin in your body is not converting food into energy properly then you can experience cravings. Type 1 diabetes is the result of the body not being able to produce insulin.

Food cravings stem from a variety of emotional, behavioural, and physical factors. Bio-identical hormone therapy can bring your hormones back into balance and reduce your unwanted cravings that can be contributing to stress and unwanted weight gain. Identical to the hormones produced naturally in your body, bioidentical hormones are indistinguishable from your body’s actual hormones.

Cravings due to stress (Emotional eating)

Stress gets the blame for many ailments, and food cravings are one of them. When you are feeling stressed, your body naturally releases the hormone cortisol into your body. Cortisof is known as the “stress” hormone and activates your “fight or flight” response. When you feel stressed cortisol prepares the body to “fight or flight” by flooding it with glucose (blood sugar) that supplies immediate energy to the large muscle groups.

This elevated level of cortisol increases your appetite especially for sugary or fatty foods. Stress eating, also known as emotional eating, is a type of craving. After a dreadful day at work or a big fight with someone, a bowl ice cream or a bag of chips might be used to sooth the feelings of stress.

The foods we crave are often comfort foods designed to do just that comfort us. Not only are we trained from a young age that these types of foods are associated with a reward or celebration, but we are socialised to eat them even when we are not hungry.

Nutrient Deficiencies that cause cravings

A growing number of people believe that food cravings are the body’s subconscious- way of filling a nutritional need. They assume that when the body lacks a specific nutrient, it naturally craves foods that are rich in that nutrient.

For instance, chocolate cravings are often blamed on low magnesium levels, whereas cravings for meat or cheese are often seen as a sign of low iron or calcium levels. Fulfilling your cravings is believed to help your body meet its nutrient needs and correct the nutrient deficiency.

When to see Doctor

[] persist throughout the month
[] are a way to cope with persistent or severe feelings of depression, anxiety, or stress
[] lead to significant weight gain
[] cause you anxiety or distress
[] impact your treatment or recovery from an eating disorder
[] interfere with your ability to perform at school or work

It’s also important to see a doctor if you’re craving non-food items, which is medically called pica. Pica is more common in pregnant people and children but can also develop in people with certain conditions. Cravings for non-food items, such as ice, clay, dirt, or paper, could result from an iron deficiency, which is especially common in people with heavy periods and worth following up about with your doctor.

The fundamental takeaway

Rest assured you’re not the only one grabbing ever snack in your pantry before your period. Instead of beating yourself up over your cravings, listen to your body and give it what it needs. If that means that once a month it needs pizza and ice cream, then so be it.