Food Cravings and Appetites
A premenstrual symptom some, if not most, menstruating women experience is cravings or increased appetite. Before a woman begins her period, she will experience a drop in her serotonin levels. When these levels drop is when a woman will have cravings for carbs. Our bodies use carbs to produce serotonin, which is why menstruating women crave foods high in carbs and fat. Progesterone is a hormone that affects your appetite. High levels of progesterone can cause an increase in your appetite and progesterone is at its highest right before a woman gets her period. Low levels of serotonin and high levels of progesterone are the results of an increased appetite for all the wrong food. Why do serotonin levels drop before your period? During menstruation your estrogen levels fluctuate, the levels are high during half of your menstrual cycle and low during the other half. When your estrogen levels drop so do your serotonin levels. Why are progesterone levels highest before your period? You...