You Don’t Have a “Hormone Problem”—You Have a Fueling Problem
As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in the Women’s Health realm, I hear this all the time: “My hormones are a mess.”
Irregular periods, intense PMS, anxiety, poor sleep, stubborn fatigue - many women assume these symptoms mean something is fundamentally wrong with their bodies. Hormones get blamed quickly, and understandably so. But in practice, I often see something else driving these issues: chronic under-fueling.
Hormones don’t operate in isolation. They respond to signals from the brain about safety and availability of energy. When the body senses that food is scarce (whether from eating too little overall, avoiding carbohydrates, or cycling through years of dieting) it shifts into conservation mode. Reproduction and long-term repair become lower priorities.
Estrogen is one of the first hormones affected. When energy intake is consistently low, the brain reduces signaling to the ovaries, which can lead to lighter, irregular, or missing periods. This isn’t a random malfunction but rather it’s the body adaptation to what it perceives as an unsafe environment.
Progesterone is even more sensitive. Ovulation requires adequate fuel, and without it, progesterone production drops. Low progesterone often shows up as worsening PMS, anxiety or insomnia in the second half of the cycle, spotting before periods, or difficulty getting pregnant. Many women are told they have “estrogen dominance,” when the real issue is that progesterone is suppressed by stress and under-eating.
Then there’s cortisol. When food (especially carbohydrates) is inconsistent, cortisol rises to keep blood sugar stable. While this helps in the short term, chronically elevated cortisol can worsen anxiety, disrupt sleep, and further suppress reproductive hormones. This is why low-carb or very low-calorie diets often feel fine at first, then slowly unravel.
The hardest part of this dieting induced hormonal cycle? Many women experiencing these symptoms are doing exactly what they’ve been told is healthy. Eating “clean”, skipping meals, pushing through workouts, ignoring hunger.
The body is doing exactly as it’s designed to in the circumstances: it's responding appropriately to perceived scarcity.
Supporting hormone health often starts with the basics including eating enough food, eating regularly, including carbohydrates and fats, and allowing the body to feel safe again. Before assuming you have a hormone problem, it’s worth asking a simpler question: Am I actually fueling my body enough to support the life I’m asking it to live? If you need help figuring out the answer to this question on a more individualized level, contact a Northern Nutrition Group dietitian today.
Written by Kylie Conner
Kylie specializes in: Oncology - supporting individuals through cancer treatment, remission, malnutrition, food aversions, enteral nutrition, and preventive strategies. PCOS & Fertility - weight-inclusive care for hormonal balance, menstrual health, and fertility support. Cardiovascular Disease - heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and related conditions. Chronic Disease Prevention and Management - focusing on sustainable, non-restrictive approaches to improve long-term health and reduce risk.