No, You Don’t Need to “balance” Your Hormones If You Have Period Flu.

Have you ever felt unwell when your period started, or maybe a week or so before your period? Social media has dubbed it the “period flu” and sites like TikTok are full of advice on why this is happening and how to deal with it. Unfortunately, many of these posts are full of misinformation, so let’s correct the truth.

The monthly flu is not related to the stomach flu or the real flu.

“Flu” is a nickname originally applied to the flu, a disease that we get from the influence of (get it?) the stars. Influenza was only identified as being caused by a virus in the 1930s , but many similar illnesses have been compared to influenza before and after that.

Flu-like symptoms, as they are called, typically include fever, chills, headaches, body aches, sore throat, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

These symptoms are common with the flu, but many other conditions may include some or all of them. Among them are the common cold, COVID, food poisoning (“stomach flu”), strep throat, all kinds of childhood illnesses, and many sexually transmitted diseases.

This is because these symptoms are a sign that your body is dealing with crap . Your immune system is working on something, whatever it is. It could be fighting a bacterial or viral disease, or even cleaning up damaged tissue after an injury. Have you had ink recently? You may experience “tattoo flu” as your body heals.

Flu-like symptoms can also occur due to the hormonal cascade that triggers menstruation. For example, prostaglandins help open the cervix and empty the uterus, but they also have a similar effect on the intestines, leading to the notorious menstrual diarrhea and associated gas, pain, and nausea.

Do you need to “balance your hormones” to avoid the occasional flu?

I have no problem with tiktokers telling you that there is a periodic flu and giving you tips on how to deal with it. But what pisses me off are those who tell you about it like they’re revealing a secret the Big Doctor doesn’t want you to know. They then offer their “hormone balancing” services.

“Balancing” is not a technical term in endocrinology, and some medical professionals don’t like the expression . There are many different hormones in our body that regulate various processes and perform important work. The hormones that keep our menstrual cycle fluctuate a lot throughout the month , which is a good thing. Certain hormones have to flare up at certain times to trigger ovulation, grow the lining of the uterus, and reset everything at the end of the month.

So be suspicious of those who tell you that your hormones need to be “balanced” or that common illnesses like mild menstrual flu or PMS are a sign that you need to buy what they sell. When I searched TikTok for “menstrual flu” yesterday, five of the first eight videos were from people selling books, supplements, lab kits (so you can know your hormones are out of balance so they can sell you more stuff) and one-on-one coaching. When I clicked on these people’s link trees, I also found advertisements for weight loss and detox products for parasites. (Convincing people they have parasites is another TikTok scam.)

The Anderson M.D. Center has a pretty straight forward view of hormonal imbalances: If you have hormone-related health issues that are serious enough to affect your life and cause you to seek treatment, you should see a damn doctor . (My choice of words, not theirs.) On the other hand, if you’re just experiencing normal, mild symptoms, you don’t need fancy hormonal workouts or products to deal with them.

How to deal with menstrual flu?

First of all, pay attention to your symptoms and note if they recur at the same time in your menstrual cycle. If for one month your “menstrual flu” seems to be more severe than usual, or includes symptoms you don’t normally experience, there’s a good chance you have another medical problem. Don’t suffer; get checked out.

Since menstrual flu is not a disease in itself, but a set of symptoms that can occur during the normal course of your cycle, you don’t have to look for some root cause and treat it with supplements or a weird diet. . You can treat each symptom separately. For example, WebMD indicates that antidiarrheal medications may help if you have problems with occasional diarrhea. Taking ibuprofen (or another NSAID) may help prevent cramps , especially if you can keep track of your calendar and start taking it just before your period starts.

If you search the Internet for reliable medical information about menstrual flu, you will find a lot of information on the term “premenstrual syndrome”. The phrase fell out of favor in pop culture as it was tainted by too many male jokes about women being emotional. But “period flu” is equivalent to the “physical symptoms of PMS” discussed in sources such as this American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists page .

In addition to treating symptoms and general self-care, there are a few low-value lifestyle changes that can help relieve symptoms of the menstrual flu, especially if you do it all the time and not just during your period:

• Exercise . ACOG recommends 30 minutes of aerobic exercise “most days of the week” even if you don’t have symptoms. The idea is not to jog when you get cramps, but to be a person who exercises regularly.
• Carbohydrates . While TikTokers share tips for fighting food cravings, ACOG recommends eating foods high in carbs and fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Food is good, it turns out.
• Sleep . If you don’t get enough sleep, you’re more likely to feel tired, cranky, and foggy. Better sleep may not completely “cure” menstrual flu, but it will likely relieve some of the symptoms.
• Relaxation . Massage, meditation, and other stress-relieving activities help some people; they might be worth a try.
• calcium and magnesium . These simple supplements can be bought inexpensively at drugstores, so don’t spend hundreds on lab tests, education, and name brand supplements. ACOG specifically recommends 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day to help relieve both the physical and emotional symptoms of PMS.

So if you’re having period flu, you’re not alone – and you don’t need to embark on a journey of hormonal healing with whoever sounds most compelling on social media. Check with your OB/GYN or healthcare provider if you have symptoms that cause concern, or if you would like to consider a method of contraception that could ease your cycle problems. But if you’re just having mild symptoms, consider making small adjustments to your exercise, diet, and sleep habits. And consider resetting your TikTok algorithm this time around and sticking with stupid dance videos.