10 Causes of Heavy Periods
Heavy periods also called menorrhagia can be a huge burden on your daily life and can make the time of month very stressful. In addition, heavy periods can be a signal that something deeper is going on in the body. Any period symptom that is painful, life-disrupting, or burdensome should always be looked into because it can be a sign that there is a hormone imbalance in the body. Before we discuss the causes of heavy periods, let's first define what a heavy period means.
A heavy period consists of...
1. A period lasting longer than 7 days
2. Losing more than 80 mL of blood per cycle (or 16 regular tampons or pads)
3. Changing tampons or pads every hour or two
4. Needing to double up on period protection products
5. Having to wake up to change your tampon or pad in the night
6. Planning activities around your heavy period
7. Blood clots the size of a quarter or bigger
Here are 10 causes of heavy periods:
1. Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is one of the causes of heavy periods. This condition occurs when your thyroid is under-functioning, meaning that it is not producing enough thyroid hormones noted as T3 and T4. A study has found that women who have hypothyroidism also have more menstrual issues and irregularities, specifically heavy periods. Women experience a heavy period with hypothyroidism because both estrogen and the T3/T4 hormones can affect each other because they are both related to fat metabolism. When estrogen is out of balance in those with hypothyroidism, this can cause heavy bleeding during menstruation.
Source: 26620017
2. Anovulation
Another one of the causes of heavy periods is anovulation, which means you are not ovulating. It is still possible to not ovulate but still get your menstrual cycle, which usually occurs to women just before menopause. The anovulation occurs due to low hormone levels, specifically low progesterone which can lead to heavy periods. This period is still the shedding of the endometrium but there is no egg passed.
Source: NIH
3. High Estrogen
High estrogen levels are another one of the causes of heavy periods. Heavy bleeding can be caused by polyps which are when there is enlarged tissue growth in the endometrial cavity. Estrogen functions to build up the endometrial wall for menstruation, so when estrogen levels are high then heavy periods can occur.
Source: 26695831
4. Low Progesterone
Another one of the causes of heavy periods is low progesterone. In a normal period, after ovulation, the egg is released from the follicle and the resulting sac called the corpus luteum will secrete progesterone. In anovulation, the egg is not released and the corpus luteum will not produce progesterone, resulting in lower circulating progesterone levels. In addition, due to lower progesterone, this can lead to higher estrogen in the body and results in heavy periods.
5. Endometriosis
Another one of the causes of heavy periods is endometriosis. Endometriosis is a condition where there is a growth of endometrial tissue outside of the uterus, typically in the fallopian tube, vaginal canal, or ovaries. This tissue is estrogen-sensitive and higher levels of estrogen cause increased menstrual flow and pelvic pain. Endometriosis occurs in women with increased estrogen levels, and therefore result in heavy periods.
Source: 26695831
FREE pain-free period 5-day MEAL PLAN:
6. Fibroids
As of a 2019 study, fibroids are the most common gynecological disorder in the US. Fibroids are noncancerous growths that can occur in the uterus. This condition can be one of the causes of heavy periods because the mass can press against the uterine wall causing the endometrium to release more blood during menstruation.
Source: 30774352, Harvard Health
7. Adenomyosis
Another condition that is one of the causes of heavy periods is called adenomyosis. The condition occurs when there is an invasion of the endometrium into the myometrium which is the muscular layer right next to it causing the uterus to be enlarged. This condition is usually diagnosed in women in their 40s or 50s, and the cause is not entirely understood. The heavy periods and pelvic pain occur due to inflammation and swelling of the uterus.
Source: 24771944
8. Ovarian Cysts
Ovarian cysts are one of the three diagnostic criteria for PCOS and they are one of the causes of heavy periods. These cysts are sacs filled with fluid or with tissue that reside near the ovaries. 10 out of every 100 women have a cyst, and many are born with them, but in some cases, they are developed due to other causes. Additionally, some cysts are benign and cause no pain, but others do cause pain and grow larger over time. Symptoms of an ovarian cyst are abdominal pain, irregular periods, heavy cramping, and pain while using the bathroom. Cysts can be one of the signs of low progesterone which is why they lead to heavy periods. In a study of dairy cows, they found that a single injection of progesterone in the early stages of cyst growth reduced its lifespan and resulted in the return of ovulation in some cases.
9. Luteal Phase Defect
The luteal phase is the 12-16 day time frame that occurs after ovulation until the day before your next period. If the luteal phase does not occur at the right time this can disrupt the menstrual cycle and ovulation. Low progesterone levels from failed corpus luteum function result in disorders called luteal phase defects. In a normal menstrual cycle, the egg is released from a follicle in the ovaries and the resulting sac is called the corpus luteum which will produce progesterone to promote fertility. Examples of a luteal phase defect could be high prolactin as mentioned earlier, obesity, PCOS, and low thyroid hormone production. All of these factors can cause a luteal phase defect and will lead to low progesterone and heavy periods.
10. Iron Deficiency
Now that we’ve listed all those causes of heavy periods, one of the outcomes of heavy periods is iron deficiency. This is because iron functions in the blood to help red blood cells carry oxygen around the body. All of our cells need oxygen for multiple chemical reactions that help us live. Because iron is highly concentrated in our blood if you have a heavy period you are losing substantially more iron than you would if you had a normal flow. Symptoms of iron deficiency include fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, coldness in hands and feet, and dizziness. Look into consuming more iron-rich foods like spinach, poultry, fish, and iron-enriched products like cereals, bread, and pasta.
Source: 30504337
