Is pollution messing with your period? Here’s what you need to know

If you’ve noticed your menstrual symptoms getting worse, pollution may be playing a bigger role than you think. A study suggests that certain chemicals in our environment may be messing with your hormones and making menstrual conditions like endometriosis worse.

Everyday pollution could be silently disrupting your cycle

According to a study published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, certain environmental pollutants can interfere with your hormones and worsen your period.

Some types of pollution contain harmful chemicals called endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). These can mess with your hormones, the natural chemical messengers that control things like your period, ovulation, and fertility.

Hormones need to stay in balance for your body to function properly. But EDCs can either copy your hormones or block them, throwing off this balance. And when hormones like estrogen get out of whack, it can trigger issues like endometriosis. It is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus starts growing in places it shouldn't, like on your ovaries or bladder. It can cause painful periods, heavy bleeding, and even fertility problems.

Tiny particles from traffic, factories and burning fuels can get into your lungs when you breathe, or into your body through the food you eat and the products you use.

Two major culprits are PM2.5: super tiny particles in the air (from car exhaust, construction, etc.) and PAHs: chemicals released when things like coal, oil, or garbage are burned

Once inside your body, these pollutants can cause inflammation in your pelvic area and disrupt estrogen levels. Even if you don’t live near a factory, you're still at risk. Air pollution can travel long distances, and if you live in or near a city, you're likely exposed regularly.

Your gut could be affected too

Pollution can also mess with your gut health. Your gut helps break down and remove excess hormones like estrogen. If pollution throws your gut bacteria off balance, it can make it harder to get rid of extra estrogen, allow harmful toxins to leak into your bloodstream and increase inflammation in your body.

All of this creates the perfect environment for endometriosis to grow and cause more problems.

While we can’t avoid pollution completely, being aware of it is the first step

Choosing clean, low-tox products, eating organic when possible, and supporting cleaner environmental policies can make a difference, both to your body and the environment.

If you’ve been struggling with period pain or irregular cycles, it might be worth thinking about what’s in your environment, not just what’s in your body.

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