Free the Fat for Fertility?

[Snowdrop]

Hi! Just wondering if anyone can offer any suggestions...

I put on 23kg doing "Eat for Heat" in June, 2013. I had irregular menstrual cycles before the weight gain but now they have disappeared completely, it has been 7 months!!!

Firstly, has the complete loss of menstrual cycle been the result of the body fat increase??? And if so, was this due to an increase in estrogen???

My dilemma is that, do I train hard and lose the excess body fat, perhaps putting my health back a few notches. Or, do I keep taking Cynoplus, progest-e, and all the other bits and pieces, in hope that my metabolism will be restored; making the body fat easier to shed?

With all of this in mind, FERTILITY is my main focus. I have been told that the "right weight" is important for fertility.

So, any idea's on how I should tackle this…???

 

[Stilgar]

Could be high prolactin? Try bromocriptine?

I would absolutely not train hard to lose the weight. Train gently, if at all. Think walking, lifting a bit. I don't think your body needs the stress. Albeit being sedentary might be a stress too.

Did you eat a lot of PUFA when you did eat for heat or were you pufa free? Other things to try, especially if you ate a fair amount of pufa in that time and even if not would be aspirin and vitamin E, although you might already be taking those. You could also experiment with higher ratio of carbohydrate to fat, altering thyroid meds, extra calcium, protein etc. Extra coconut oil could be a winner.

Do you otherwise feel healthy and/or like you are improving? It could be that you just need time for things to settle.

 

[Snowdrop]

Thank you Stilgar for replying, I really appreciate your input

I ate rice and wheat a few times per week whilst doing Eat for Heat. A few nuts here and there.

I already take vitamin E, one capsule a day, how much would you recommend?

I use eggshell calcium, I am up to 3 grains of Cynoplus, I cycle progest-e, use vitamin K, vitamin D topically, niacinamide, I skim my milk and have lowered my fat consumption, I walk 30-45 minutes 5 times per week, I also use 12 tablespoons of gelatine a day. Still, my cycle won't regulate and the fat won't budge!!!

I am in the process of ordering aspirin. I have been in two minds about using it thus far. I have read so many variables on dosage, what is your recommendation?

I just feel like the increased body fat is a stressor, physically and mentally. My body hurts from the weight increase. I don't understand why my body would want to hang onto this fat when it is physically causing me so much pain???

I think you're right though, I just need time for my body to settle...fingers crossed!

Many thanks!!!

 

[Hugh Johnson]

Stilgar gave very good advice, but I did a little looking around. Selenium is antiestrogenic and could help.

Zinc may help metabolism, if you have exercised a lot. See here, ctrl+F zinc: http://www.functionalps.com/blog/2012/04/23/exercise-and-effect-on-thyroid-hormone/

Vitamin A is also antiestrogenic; http://www.functionalps.com/blog/2012/04/23/vitamin-a-anti-cancer-and-anti-estrogen/

You might find something that helps from these sources:

http://www.functionalps.com/blog/2012/07/05/menstrual-cycle/

http://www.raypeatforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=1127

For aspirin I think Peat recommends some 375mg a day. I eat it like candy myself.

Vitamin E is eminently safe if you take enough Vitamin K. 2000 IU a day might be good, but you might try four times that to see if you feel better.

If your weight is not budging, you could try eating a bit less. Usually works, but be careful not to cause undue stress.

Edit: I saw this about Vitamin E http://www.livestrong.com/article/25990-increase-progesterone/

However, peat would not recommend eating carotenes, so I would be suspicious about that advice. Anyway you should feel out the dosage, you can't really harm yourself with Vitamin E.

 

[Bluebell]

Hi Snowdrop!

I'm not sure about the answer to your question, but I definitely wouldn't train hard. If I were you I'd train gently, and then eat ray peat style to increase metabolism and lose the weight slowly. I would also watch fat intake (not cutting it out, but for example having 2% milk instead of 4% milk, and not having too much butter!). That is what I am doing at the moment actually as I'm trying to lose a bit. Also I find cronometer.com really good to check that you are getting all the nutrients and also that your calories are high enough but not too high.

Vitamin E is supposed to be excellent for fertility as you know.

Hugh, where did you hear about taking 8,000 IU per day of vitamin E? It sounds like a lot to me. I was going to take 500 IU per day but I thought that was a lot.