Carbs, Hormones, and Fertility

From keto diets to carb counting, many of us have learned to fear what our bodies were designed to need. Today we’re diving into why carbohydrates are essential for hormone health, fertility, and energy—and how eating them is key in period recovery.Photo by Tara Evans on UnsplashDisclaimer: While I am a Holistic Hypothalamic Amenorrhea Practitioner, I am not your personal HA coach or a medical doctor. This content is for informational purposes only and not to be used as a substitute for professional medical/nutritional advice, treatment, or therapy. Always consult your healthcare provider for guidance.References:Dienel G. A. (2019). Brain Glucose Metabolism: Integration of Energetics with Function. Physiological reviews, 99(1), 949–1045. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00062.2017Dupont, J., & Scaramuzzi, R. J. (2016). Insulin signalling and glucose transport in the ovary and ovarian function during the ovarian cycle. The Biochemical journal, 473(11), 1483–1501. https://doi.org/10.1042/BCJ20160124Cleveland Clinic. (2023, January 31). Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11647-hypoglycemia-low-blood-sugarStrain, G., Zumoff, B., Rosner, W., & Pi-Sunyer, X. (1994). The relationship between serum levels of insulin and sex hormone-binding globulin in men: the effect of weight loss. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 79(4), 1173–1176. https://doi.org/10.1210/jcem.79.4.7962291Barbe, P., Bennet, A., Stebenet, M., Perret, B., & Louvet, J. P. (1993). Sex-hormone-binding globulin and protein-energy malnutrition indexes as indicators of nutritional status in women with anorexia nervosa. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 57(3), 319–322. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/57.3.319MedlinePlus. (2022, December 14). SHBG blood test. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/shbg-blood-test/Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 48(3):p 543-568, March 2016. | DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000852 Meyer, K. A., Kushi, L. H., Jacobs, D. R., Slavin, J., Sellers, T. A., & Folsom, A. R. (2000). Carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and incident type 2 diabetes in older women. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 71(4), 921–930. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/71.4.921Burén, J., Ericsson, M., Damasceno, N. R. T., & Sjödin, A. (2021). A Ketogenic Low-Carbohydrate High-Fat Diet Increases LDL Cholesterol in Healthy, Young, Normal-Weight Women: A Randomized Controlled Feeding Trial. Nutrients, 13(3), 814. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13030814Marshall, N. E., Abrams, B., Barbour, L. A., Catalano, P., Christian, P., Friedman, J. E., Hay, W. W., Jr, Hernandez, T. L., Krebs, N. F., Oken, E., Purnell, J. Q., Roberts, J. M., Soltani, H., Wallace, J., & Thornburg, K. L. (2022). The importance of nutrition in pregnancy and lactation: lifelong consequences. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 226(5), 607–632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2021.12.035Desrosiers, T. A., Siega-Riz, A. M., Mosley, B. S., Meyer, R. E., & National Birth Defects Prevention Study (2018). Low carbohydrate diets may increase risk of neural tube defects. Birth defects research, 110(11), 901–909. https://doi.org/10.1002/bdr2.1198 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit katelyneweber.substack.com