Menstruation is a woman’s monthly discharge of blood and mucosal tissue started from adulthood until menopause. It normally stops when they conceive or breastfeeding but there are other causes could potentially stopping this as well. Eating disorder like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating and laxatives abuse are some of the potential reasons.
What could go wrong with your Periods?
Woman’s menstrual cycle is based on body mass index and nutrition in the body. If body knows if cannot sustain a pregnancy due to inadequate nutrition or electrolytes, it will suppress ovulation to conserve resource for more vital organs. When this happen, the periods either stop, become irregular or light. This means they become infertile and unable to pregnant. At most cases, it is reversible whereby once the body conditions are fixed or laxatives intake stopped, they will have periods again.
Does Laxative Misuse Stops Menstrual Cycles
Patients with bulimia nervosa will eat a lot without control and then purge them either by vomiting, starving, over exercise or using laxatives. They may feel guilty, depressed and anxious about their body shape after binge where they will starve themselves, vomit, exercise for hours or take laxatives to avoid weight gain. Due to this actions, their weight and emotion may go up and down. Vomiting or laxatives consumption may cause electrolytes (calcium, sodium, potassium) imbalances. Weight loss, stress, hormone disturbances and electrolytes imbalances are factors that could lead to missing periods.
Patients with constipation turn to laxatives for relief, but eventually become dependence on it especially for stimulant laxatives. Overdose of laxatives can cause dehydration and loss of minerals like magnesium and potassium, which can delay the menstruation. Individuals who abuse laxatives for weight loss will have the same problem.
Other Reasons Why Period Stops
- Mentally Stressed
- Physical stress – too much of exercise
- Sick or having some medical conditions
- Frequent use of control pills
- Sudden gain or weight loss
- You are pregnant – which is good news, congratulation!
Natural Treatments To Regulate Menstruation
- Balanced fertility diet
- Limit caffeine intake
- Moderate exercise daily eg. walking
- Relief your stress through exercise like Yoga
- Taking herbs that promote menstruation – Black Cohost Dong Quai supplement
