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Hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle can also affect mental health.
March 18, 2026
Jana Ackermann
Struggling with PMS? Discover what to eat during each phase of your menstrual cycle to balance hormones, reduce symptoms, and feel your best
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Sometimes you just crave chocolate. Sometimes a big salad. Sometimes nothing but peace and warm soup. What feels like a mood or weakness often follows a surprisingly clear biological pattern: the menstrual cycle. Recent research shows that our hormones not only affect how we feel – but also what our body needs and when. And that the right nutrition at the right phase of the cycle can make a real difference.
In an average cycle of 28 days, the female body goes through four clearly defined phases – controlled by the interplay of the hormones estrogen, progesterone, FSH, and LH. What changes is not limited to the uterus: these hormonal fluctuations influence metabolism, immune system, sleep, mood, and – crucially – nutrient requirements.
Estrogen, for example, boosts insulin sensitivity in the first half of the cycle – the body processes carbohydrates more efficiently, and energy levels noticeably rise. Progesterone, which dominates the second half, increases the basal metabolic rate by up to 300 calories daily. This explains why we feel hungrier just before our period – and why it’s not a failure of willpower, but simply biology.
The reason these connections have been largely ignored for so long is sobering: women were massively underrepresented in clinical studies for decades – often with the argument that hormonal fluctuations would distort the results. A costly mistake, the consequences of which research is still addressing today. The good news: that is currently changing.
Estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest point. The body sheds the uterine lining – and releases pro-inflammatory messengers called prostaglandins. They are responsible for cramps, but also for the diffuse feeling of exhaustion and increased pain sensitivity that many women experience during this phase. No drama – but a clear signal from the body: please take it slow now.
Nutritional relevance: Blood loss noticeably increases the need for iron – iron-rich foods like lentils, beets, or oatmeal are particularly valuable now. Omega-3 fatty acids, such as those from fatty fish or flaxseeds, can significantly reduce the intensity of menstrual pain because they dampen prostaglandin production. Better to avoid caffeine and alcohol: both enhance inflammatory processes and worsen iron absorption.
Estrogen rises, energy levels increase – this is not your imagination. The body metabolizes carbohydrates more efficiently in this phase, mood is more stable, and self-confidence grows. No wonder many women feel like themselves again during the follicular phase.
Nutritional relevance: Those with athletic goals are now at a clear advantage: studies show that strength gains are measurably higher in the follicular phase than in the second half of the cycle. Fresh, nutrient-dense foods are a perfect fit – leafy greens, avocado, eggs, salmon, berries, and nuts provide the body with folic acid, B vitamins, and high-quality proteins.
Around ovulation, estrogen reaches its peak value, testosterone increases too – and the brain releases more dopamine. What this means in everyday life: you feel energized, communicative, confident. It is now easier to approach people, have important conversations, or give a presentation.
Nutritional relevance: Nutritionally, foods rich in antioxidants are particularly worthwhile now: berries, kiwi, broccoli, almonds, and flaxseed protect against oxidative stress, which increases around ovulation. Don’t forget to drink plenty – water and herbal teas support the body during this high phase.
Progesterone takes command – and with it begins a phase that many women experience as sluggish, more irritable, or exhausted. The reason behind this: basal metabolic rate increases by up to 300 kilocalories daily, body temperature rises slightly, and the body prepares for a possible pregnancy. Cravings during this phase are not a weakness – but physics.
If fertilization does not occur, estrogen and progesterone drop rapidly. This crash – not the absolute level of hormone levels, but its speed – is considered the main trigger for PMS symptoms. How much women suffer from it is very individual and also depends on the sensitivity of certain brain receptors.
Nutritional relevance: Magnesium is a real helper in this phase: several studies show that it significantly alleviates PMS symptoms such as mood swings and water retention – preferably through bananas, spinach, pumpkin seeds, or a piece of good dark chocolate. Complex carbohydrates from whole grains and legumes stabilize blood sugar and curb mood slumps. Sugar, salt, caffeine, and alcohol, on the other hand, fuel PMS – better cut down significantly in the week before the period.
What do I eat when? The answer, according to research, also depends on the cycle calendar. Here are the most important recommendations - divided by phase, practical and without dogma.
Now is not the time for raw salads and intermittent fasting. The body loses blood and with it iron - iron-rich, warming food is ideal: a hearty lentil soup, oatmeal for breakfast, steamed vegetables with fatty fish. Omega-3 fatty acids from salmon or flaxseed can relieve cramps - this is not a home remedy, this is biochemistry. Better to leave out coffee and alcohol, they inhibit iron absorption and worsen inflammation.
The energy is back - and the body is particularly good at utilizing nutrients right now. Those who exercise should take advantage of this: Strength gains are greatest now. Fresh, colorful foods fit this phase perfectly: spinach, avocado, eggs, salmon, berries, nuts - nutrient-dense, delicious and exactly what the body needs now. Highly processed foods and trans fats unnecessarily dampen the hormonal high.
In the ovulation phase, less is often more: light meals, lots of fresh, lots of color. Berries, kiwi, broccoli, almonds and herbal teas provide exactly the antioxidants the body needs around ovulation. And please: drink plenty. It sounds simple, but it actually makes a difference.
Yes, the craving for chocolate just before the period is real – and no, you don't have to resist it. At least not the dark kind: It provides magnesium, which has been proven to alleviate PMS symptoms. The same goes for bananas, spinach, and pumpkin seeds. Whole grain bread instead of white flour, lentils instead of chips – complex carbohydrates keep blood sugar stable and prevent the mood crashes many know at this stage. What really doesn't help: sugar, salt, caffeine, and alcohol. They all fuel PMS symptoms – unfortunately measurable.
Cycle tracking is everywhere right now. Apps, books, Instagram accounts promise that with the right knowledge about your own phases, you not only eat better but also work, train, and sleep better. Sounds tempting. But what of it is really true?
The answer is: partly. The biology behind it is well-documented – that hormones influence nutritional needs, energy metabolism, and pain sensitivity is not esotericism but science. What is still lacking are large, well-controlled studies showing that consciously adjusting diet and training to the cycle actually brings measurable benefits. Research is underway – it's just not there yet.
What is well-documented: Magnesium and calcium in the luteal phase help against PMS – confirmed by a Cochrane review from 2023, the highest level of scientific evidence. For big promises like improved job performance through cycle tracking, however, the robust studies are still missing. Knowing this, one can correctly classify the recommendations – and still benefit from them.
And even without a perfect study situation, it applies: Anyone who begins to consciously observe their own cycle learns to know their own body better. That is never wrong.
From what current research knows, concrete recommendations can be derived that are well-documented:
• Increase iron intake during menstruation – especially in cases of heavy bleeding
• Magnesium in the luteal phase – 200 to 400 mg daily has been shown to alleviate PMS
• Eat more protein during the follicular phase if you exercise – the body is particularly efficient at building muscle
• Reduce caffeine and alcohol before your period – both significantly exacerbate PMS
Other recommendations – such as specific superfoods for certain phases – are biologically plausible, but not yet sufficiently proven. This is not a reason to ignore them. However, it is a reason to treat them as they are: well-founded hints, not laws.
The menstrual cycle is not a disruption that women have to manage somehow. It is a biological system with its own logic – and the better you understand this logic, the easier it is to take good care of yourself. Research has caught up a lot in recent years. But perhaps the most important thing that science doesn't have exclusively: is your own body awareness.
Cycle tracking in its simplest form is free, has no side effects, and provides insights that no doctor knows as well as you do. Those who approach it with common sense – taking the proven recommendations seriously, understanding the rest as suggestions – have little to lose. And possibly a whole lot to gain.
