Understanding Period Cravings: A Scientific Deep Dive

If you find yourself craving chocolate, carbs, or salty snacks before your period, you’re not imagining it. Period cravings arise from a complex interplay of hormonal fluctuations, brain chemistry, metabolic changes, and even environmental and psychological influences. Below, we take a deeper look at the major biological and behavioural mechanisms that make certain foods feel so irresistible during this time of the month.

Estrogen & Progesterone Fluctuations

Your menstrual cycle is characterized by major swings in ovarian hormones, particularly estradiol and progesterone, and these hormones influence appetite in several meaningful ways. During the luteal phase (the window between ovulation and your period), progesterone rises while estradiol remains elevated, and this hormonal environment has been linked to increased appetite and intensified cravings. One study found that the estradiol to leptin axis may shape how strongly women crave sweet or carbohydrate-rich foods during this phase [1]. Participants with a higher ratio of estradiol to leptin reported more cravings for sweets and starches, and interestingly, levels of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) during the luteal phase were also positively associated with cravings for sugary and carb-heavy foods [1]. This suggests that it is not only the levels of reproductive hormones that matter, but also how they interact with other metabolic regulators.

Brain Insulin Sensitivity & Metabolism

Insulin is often associated with blood sugar regulation, but it also plays a key role in the brain, where it influences appetite and reward. A recent study demonstrated that when women are in the follicular phase, administering insulin to the brain (via intranasal insulin) increases whole-body insulin sensitivity. However, this effect disappears in the luteal phase. Brain imaging from the same research showed that the hypothalamus, a region involved in hunger and energy balance, responds strongly to insulin in the follicular phase but not in the luteal phase [2]. This suggests a form of hypothalamic insulin resistance during the premenstrual window. Practically speaking, if your brain’s insulin response is blunted during the luteal phase, your energy regulation becomes disrupted, which can lead to increased appetite and cravings.

Brain Chemistry & Reward Systems

Hormones influence more than metabolism, they also shape the way the brain assigns value to reward, including food. A landmark fMRI study by Dreher and colleagues (2007) found that during the midfollicular phase, women showed greater activation in reward-related regions such as the orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala, midbrain, and striatum when anticipating or receiving uncertain rewards compared to the luteal phase. These findings suggest that estradiol and progesterone modulate the brain’s reward circuitry, possibly altering how appealing or “tempting” certain foods feel. If your brain’s reward system is tuned differently across the menstrual cycle, cravings may reflect these shifting neural sensitivities [3].

Appetite-Regulating Hormones: Ghrelin, Leptin & More

Beyond insulin and reproductive hormones, classic appetite hormones also fluctuate throughout the cycle, although the evidence is mixed. In people with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), one study found that leptin levels increased from the early to late luteal phase, and these rises occurred alongside stronger sweet cravings and more uncontrolled eating [4]. Another study examining ghrelin (which stimulates appetite) and obestatin across the early follicular, pre-ovulatory, and luteal phases found no significant differences in its sample of healthy women [5]. These inconsistent findings suggest that while appetite hormones may contribute to cravings, they likely work in combination with brain reward pathways, stress, and metabolic signals rather than functioning as direct or isolated causes.

Psychological & Environmental Factors

Biology sets the foundation, but psychological and environmental factors can significantly amplify cravings. The luteal phase is often linked to mood changes, irritability, and increased stress sensitivity, all of which can encourage emotional eating, where food becomes a tool for coping. In individuals with PMDD, increases in leptin during the luteal phase were closely tied to heightened sweet cravings and episodes of uncontrolled eating, showing how hormonal shifts can intensify emotional and behavioural responses [4]. Environmental cues also play a major role. Easy access to high-reward foods such as sweets and salty snacks can reinforce cravings. When your internal biology is already pushing you toward comfort foods, a tempting food environment can make those cravings feel even more powerful.

Why Does This All Matter?

Understanding the science behind period cravings has practical benefits. By tracking your cycle and recognizing when physiological shifts make cravings more likely, you can plan ahead with more supportive food choices. Strategies such as increasing fiber and protein intake, managing stress, creating a balanced food environment, or timing indulgences more intentionally can help you navigate cravings during the luteal phase. For people with PMDD or disordered eating patterns, these biological insights may also guide more personalized clinical strategies, including behaviour-focused therapies or future treatment approaches. Ultimately, the more we understand about the relationship between hormones, metabolism, and behaviour, the better equipped we are to treat our bodies with compassion and awareness.

References:

1. Krishnan, S., Tryon, R. R., Horn, W. F., Welch, L., & Keim, N. L. (2016). Estradiol, SHBG and leptin interplay with food craving and intake across the menstrual cycle. Physiology & Behavior, 165, 304–312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.08.010

2. Hummel, J., Benkendorff, C., Fritsche, L., Prystupa, K., Vosseler, A., Gancheva, S., Trenkamp, S., Birkenfeld, A. L., Preissl, H., Roden, M., Häring, H.-U., Fritsche, A., Peter, A., Wagner, R., Kullmann, S., & Heni, M. (2023). Brain insulin action on peripheral insulin sensitivity in women depends on menstrual cycle phase. Nature Metabolism, 5(9), 1475–1482. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-023-00869-w 

3. Dreher, J.-C., Schmidt, P. J., Kohn, P., Furman, D., Rubinow, D., & Berman, K. F. (2007). Menstrual cycle phase modulates reward-related neural function in women. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(7), 2465–2470. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0605569104 

4. Yen, J.-Y., Lin, H.-C., Lin, P.-C., Liu, T.-L., Long, C.-Y., & Ko, C.-H. (2020). Leptin and ghrelin concentrations and eating behaviors during the early and late luteal phase in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 118, 104713. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104713

5. Salem, A. M., Latif, R., Rafique, N., Aldawlan, M. I., Almulla, L. B., Alghirash, D. Y., Fallatah, O. A., Alotaibi, F. M., Aljabbari, F. H., & Yar, T. (2022). Variations of ghrelin and obestatin hormones during the menstrual cycle of women of different bmis. International Journal of Women’s Health, Volume 14, 1297–1305. https://doi.org/10.2147/ijwh.s375594