I Stopped Eating Meat and My Period Is Late - What's Going On?

How Diet Changes Can Impact Your Menstrual Cycle

It's not uncommon for women to experience irregularities or changes to their menstrual cycle at some point. From skipped periods to painful cramps, our cycles can be quite sensitive to shifts in diet, exercise, and lifestyle habits.

Recently, some women have noticed their periods becoming irregular or late after adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet. The sudden drop in meat consumption seems to disrupt hormonal balances in the body that regulate menstruation. If you've stopped eating meat and noticed your own period is late, this impact is likely temporary. But it's still helpful to understand exactly why this occurs.

Why Removing Meat Causes Period Issues

To understand how vegetarian and vegan diets can lead to late or missing periods, it helps to first understand how meat intake relates to hormone regulation and menstruation overall.

Many experts believe there are a few key reasons why giving up meat protein sources may temporarily impact the menstrual cycle for some women:

• Lower calorie diets can suppress estrogen levels
• Lack of iron and Vitamin B12 may disrupt ovulation and menstruation
• Sudden drop in dietary cholesterol changes hormone production

Let's explore what each of these factors means for your cycle when you cut out meat products.

Calories and Estrogen Levels

Women who previously ate meat as a major component of their diet often reduce their overall calorie intake when transitioning to vegetarian or vegan eating. This calorie deficit signals to the body that less energy is needed for vital functions.

In response, the body may suppress estrogen production to conserve energy for more essential bodily processes. Since estrogen is key to regulating the menstrual cycle, reduced levels can lead to delayed ovulation or missed periods altogether.

Nutrient Deficiencies Disrupt Cycles

Meat products like red meat, poultry, fish and eggs have always been prime sources of iron and Vitamin B12 for those following mixed diets. Both iron and B12 support proper ovulation and menstruation.

When these nutrients are lacking from an all plant-based vegetarian or vegan diet, it can impair hormone balances and interrupt regular cyclic bleeding. However, well-planned meatless diets obtain iron from beans, lentils, spinach and fortified cereals and grains. Vitamin B12 needs come from eggs, dairy and fortified foods or supplements.

Cholesterol Equates to Hormones

Meats also provide substantial dietary cholesterol, which our bodies use to produce steroid hormones like estrogen and progesterone. These two hormones work synergistically to support menstruation.

If cholesterol intake falls too low from avoiding meat, we may not have the basic building blocks to maintain hormone elaboration. This can delay periods or cause breakthrough spotting mid-cycle.

Other Factors that Delay Periods

Beyond just changes to your diet, a number of additional influences may also be in play if your monthly visitor is MIA after you became meat-free.

Sudden Weight Changes

Some vegetarian converts experience swift weight changes early on, especially if eliminating meat prompts an overall drop in calories and adipose tissue throughout the body. Since estrogen can be produced and stored in fat cells, this loss may lower estrogen and delay your cycle.

Birth Control and Medications

Hormonal contraceptives like the pill often lead to lighter, less frequent periods over time anyway. But missing periods on birth control doesn't necessarily mean you are pregnant after removing meat from your lifestyle.

Certain other medications also linked to amenorrhea include antidepressants, blood pressure drugs and NSAID pain relievers. Speak to your doctor if you think any prescriptions may be contributing to your missing monthly flow after your dietary switch.

Perimenopause or Menopause

As you reach your mid-30s to 40s, periods naturally become more irregular and eventually cease altogether with menopause. You may notice hormonal changes occurring earlier if you adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet around this age. But this may signal the natural transition of perimenopause rather than just diet-related impacts.

Medical Conditions Unrelated to Diet

Several medical problems can cause women to miss or experience irregular menstruation unrelated to their vegetarian status. These include thyroid disorders, PCOS, endometriosis, uterine fibroids and some chronic illnesses.

If your periods were previously normal before avoiding meat, then become very delayed, it’s less likely that this dietary change is fully to blame. Speak with your physician and ask for appropriate testing to check for these other potential menstrual disruptors.

Tips for Regulating Your Cycle After Giving Up Meat

In most healthy women, menstrual irregularities stemming from a switch to vegetarianism or veganism tend to resolve within several months. As hormone levels recalibrate and your nutrition adjusts over time, periods typically normalize and regulate post-adjustment.

However, there are several proactive steps you can take to help regulate your cycle faster if going meat-free has coincided with late or absent periods:

Eat a Nutritious, Balanced Diet

Assess your current vegetarian or vegan meal plan to ensure you eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, healthy fats and plant-based proteins. Cover all your nutrient bases by eating the rainbow!

Increase Calorie Intake If Needed

Up your healthy fat, protein and complex carb intake to balance hormones. Some great vegetarian sources include avocados, tofu, beans, lentils, quinoa, oats, nuts and seeds.

Supplement Wisely

An iron supplement can provide extra menstrual support if levels are low. Boost vitamin B12 through a supplement or consumption of eggs and dairy products if still included in your diet.

Stay Active with Regular Exercise

Moderate activity 3 to 5 days per week helps regulate ovulation and menstruation by keeping hormones and weight stable.

Manage Stress Properly

Chronic stress can delay periods, so be sure to make time for sufficient sleep, relaxation, and self-care while adjusting to vegetarian eating.

See Your Doctor If Needed

If your periods remain very irregular or absent for over 90 days, schedule an appointment to rule out other underlying causes. You may need medication or targeted lifestyle changes to get your cycle back on track.

The Bottom Line

Switching from an omnivorous diet to vegetarian or vegan eating can certainly impact the menstrual cycle initially. Lower calories, nutrient deficiencies, and reduced cholesterol intake explain why periods may become irregular or late for meat-free newcomers.

However, this effect tends to be temporary. With a balanced, nutritious plant-based diet and attention to other regulating factors like activity, weight and stress levels, most women find their periods normalize within several months of eliminating meat.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.