Skip to content
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • For business
Menu
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • For business
  • En
Menu
  • En
Get the app
  • Hormone health & solutions

Veganuary- can being vegan can affect my hormones?

The Hormona Team

Let’s talk about Veganuary, specifically veganism in terms of hormone health and the questions we’re all asking. Can being vegan affect my hormones?

Now, let’s get one thing straight, I think veganism is fabulous. Giving up foods that have been so deeply ingrained into our upbringing to work towards making the world a better place is selfless and a great cause. However. Do I think it’s the healthiest diet for optimal hormone health and more specifically women’s hormone health? No.

Veganism and hormones

My experience

I personally went vegan for just over two years and had an interesting experience with it. The first six months or so were great. I had endless energy and my skin was lovely and clear, two things that for one living with PCOS, I was always on the hunt for. Eventually, the honeymoon period ended, and I noticed that my PCOS related hair loss that I had got under control prior to veganism had returned. My skin flair ups were constant, and my period decided to stop showing up for work.

Hormones and a vegan diet in the eyes of health professionals

However, a lot of health professionals simply refuse to work with vegans, and I hate that. If you’re adamant that a vegan diet is the one for you, there is no changing your mind. If you need the extra help to ensure you’re meeting your dietary needs, seek a nutritionist who is free from judgment and won’t shame your decisions. I believe that working with a professional can be really beneficial, as nutritional deficiencies can lead to larger health issues and hormonal imbalances if not corrected.

I work with several vegan clients who have had success when it comes to managing their hormonal ailments and working towards optimal health. But that comes from a lot of attention to detail and smart supplementation. I’ve worked with others, who after a lot of trial and error found that adding certain nutrient-dense staples, such as eggs, wild-caught fish, collagen, desiccated liver supplements, to be highly beneficial on absent periods/irregular cycles, hair loss, fatigue and skin problems.

A happy middle ground

Here’s the thing. We’ve become absolutely obsessed with polarisation in terms of diet. We either have to be low carb or obsessed with carbs, high fat or low fat, vegan or avid meat-eaters. The healthiest diet, in my option? Is right there in the middle. Opt for tonnes of non-starchy veggies, leafy greens and whole grains with lots of stable, nutrient-dense fats and high-quality protein. Let’s take a deeper dive into what a vegan diet can and can’t provide.

A vegan diet and your….

Blood Sugar

The fundamental of balancing your hormones and supporting your endocrine system is balancing your blood sugar. Of course, there are many other aspects, but I always think this is the best place to start. When your blood sugar levels are unruly, constantly spiking and dropping throughout the day, insulin gets pumped out to clean up the mess and ferry that sugar into our cells. In too high amounts, too often, insulin directly impacts both our sex and stress hormones.

How can a vegan diet affect my blood sugar?

With vegan diets, we see an awfully high amount of carbohydrates. Think chickpeas with a side of brown rice and sweet potatoes, for example. Now, I am in no way saying carbohydrates are bad. In fact, restricting our carbohydrates too drastically can have implications on our thyroid health. However, even the healthiest diets can cause blood sugar spikes if you’re not focusing on balancing your macronutrients optimally. Especially as most plant-based protein sources also contain carbohydrates.

To achieve lovely and stable blood sugar, we need every meal to include protein, fat, fibre and a mindful portion of carbohydrates. Your carbohydrate source shouldn’t be the main and only thing on your plate. We need to balance it out with quality protein, fat and fibre to ensure a slower release of sugar into the blood. Rather than creating a drastic spike. If all of your meals cause blood sugar spikes, what goes up must come down and you’ll be left feeling tired, craving quick-acting energy and your hormones may take a beating too.

Thyroid

When we talk about hormone health and balancing our hormones, we sometimes forget about the wonderful thyroid, the master of metabolism. When your thyroid is off, you’ll know about it. Hypothyroidism can manifest as fatigue, feeling cold all the time, missing periods, hair loss, dry skin, constipation, low mood and weight gain. When the thyroid isn’t working optimally, we see a rise in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) as it tries to overcompensate and pump out more thyroid hormone.

How does my diet affect my Thyroid?

Now, not only do we need iodine, iron, selenium, vitamin A and tyrosine to make thyroid hormone (T4 + T3), we also need zinc and copper to convert T4 into the more active T3. It is often that sluggish conversion of T4-T3 that is the reason behind the harder to detect hypothyroid cases. All of these nutrients are abundant in animal protein and a little harder to find in plant-based foods. Furthermore, if you’re undereating on a vegan diet or have other forms of chronic stress present in everyday life, you’ve got the perfect storm for a thyroid issue.

Now, I’m not saying that veganism causes hypothyroidism. But if you are predisposed, a vegan diet could be further driving the likelihood. I do not recommend vegan diets to those with hypothyroidism. Unless you’re working with a professional and constantly monitoring your blood work.

Amino Acids

Protein is made up of teeny tiny building blocks called amino acids which have an endless amount of functions within the body. These essential amino acids are found in full range in animal proteins. Whilst plant-based proteins contain a selection (hence why we need to combined plant-based protein sources to achieve a full amino acid profile).

What do Amino Acids do?

When we look specifically at their role in hormone health, we require amino acids for phase 1 liver detoxification. The way that we transform hormones once they had done their job in the body, ready to be packaged up and excreted. If there are any hiccups in this detoxification process, we risk oestrogen dominance or a build-up of toxins that haven’t been effectively dealt with. We also need amino acids to support the integrity of our gut lining which if compromised, can influence the way we absorb our nutrients and stress the body out. Many of our neurotransmitters are made from tyrosine and choline – think mood + memory!

Can my Amino Acids be affected on a vegan diet?

Long story short, you can get a full range of amino acids on a vegan diet. But it requires a bit more thought and planning than those opting for animal sources of protein. Protein combining is key on a vegan diet. It’s not enough to have a portion of beans and think the work is done. We need to complete the amino acid profile throughout the day. Many say that its super simple to get enough protein on a vegan diet and as long as you’re getting in your required calories, you’ll be fine. I disagree – put some thought into it!

Fat

I really believe that we’re much more aware of how important fat is than we once were. And in fact, vegan diets aren’t necessarily always low in fat. The most important thing to remember when it comes to optimal hormone health is that cholesterol is a precursor for our sex hormones. Whilst we can make cholesterol endogenously, it’s also not the root of all evil in dietary form as so many make it out to be. If you’re opting for a vegan diet and you’re suffering from symptoms of low oestrogen or low progesterone, for example, it may be time to up that fat.

Adding good fats on a vegan diet

Think avocados, coconut yoghurt and coconut oil, nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil. If you’re opting for a vegetarian diet, eggs and grass-fed butter are great options. It is important to stress that not all fats are created equally. Try to avoid sunflower oil, vegetable oils, canola and rapeseed oil, for example. Especially when heated, as these are inflammatory and not the best options when it comes to optimal health.

How to Optimise Your Vegan Diet to Help Your Hormones

Input your food into an app such as Chronometer

I’m not a fan of obsessively inputting calories into calorie counting apps. For some, with very specific goals, it can be helpful. But for others, it can be a little triggering and lead to unhealthy habits. However, apps such as Chronometer can be helpful in terms of observing your nutrient intake and ensuring you are getting sufficient calories from your vegan diet. You can observe your full nutrient intake, from zinc to omega 3 / omega 6 ratios. Then fill in the gaps with supplementation, protein powder or just upping your game in terms of particular macronutrients. 

Balance Your Blood Sugar

As we’ve already discussed, learn how to balance your blood sugar and do it relentlessly. Every time you sit down to eat. It’s not about eating every few hours to keep blood sugar “stable”. It’s about opting for the right sources of carbohydrates in the right portion size for you. And pairing them with fat, protein and fibre that help to ease the release of sugar into the blood. We want stable curves over sharp spikes!

Listen to Your Body

Sorry for the cliché, but we need to start honouring what’s right for us over listening to everyone else’s opinions on diet. I knew strict veganism wasn’t right for me after experiencing such drastic symptoms. Yet was so focused on making it work to prove that I could to others

Phytochemicals and Fibre

One of the best things about vegan diets is that they are often abundant in phytochemicals and fibre. Whilst there are unlimited vegan options on the market for sweet treats and meat replacements, don’t forget that the majority of your plate should be crammed full of colourful plants. We need fibre for optimal excretion of those hormone metabolites. Ensuring that they’re not lingering causing chaos (think daily poos!) as well as supporting blood sugar stabilisation. Phytonutrients are often antioxidants, highly anti-inflammatory, supporting optimal health and wellness.

 

Supplements + Nutrients to Be Mindful Of On a Vegan Diet

  1. Omega 3
  2. A Decent Multivitamin – specific nutrients include vitamin A, B vitamins (I would maybe look into an additional B complex), iodine, zinc, magnesium, iron, selenium, choline and vitamin D.
  3. A High-Quality, Complete Plant-Based Protein Powder (I like Garden of Life, Vivo Life and Innermost).

 

A post by Megan Hallet

Megan Hallett is a women’s health expert and nutrition coach and cookbook author. Megan specialises in women’s hormone health. Her work ranges from endocrine conditions such as PCOS and Hypothalamic Amenorrhea to addressing the root cause of symptoms including acne, PMS, hair loss, low mood and fatigue, to name a few.

  • January 21, 2021
  • Hormone health & solutions
The Hormona Team

The Hormona Team

Articles by the Hormona team are written by the amazing people that are, or have been, involved in Hormona and who all stand behind the cause and purpose of educating and empowering women to live better and healthier lives. It’s all of our goal to share personal stories, helpful information, tips, tricks and experiences to help other women in our community in their daily lives and on their hormonal health journey.

More stories

woman meditation on beach in sunset

Information Overload – how to find some quiet in busy times

classical music instrument

How Can Classical Music Help You Work From Home?

Christmas Music: Benefits Of Listening To It Early

RELATED POSTS

juice and a plate of fruit

How do high levels of progesterone impact our hunger?

Sweets. Takeaways. Cakes, ice cream, crisps, bubbles… What are we talking about? Well, aside from being a kickass

Read More »
Hormona app on table

Announcement: The Hormona app is now global.

Gang, we’ve got some big news! We’re thrilled to announce that the Hormona app is global! Yes, women

Read More »
Ciara_Hormona_Employee_02

Meet Ciara Horrigan, Regulatory Manager at Hormona

As you may have noticed, Team Hormona is expanding as we grow and introduce new features and exclusives.

Read More »
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • Partnerships
  • Contact
  • Career
  • Contact us
  • Partnerships
  • Contact
  • Career
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Sign up to our newsletter

Follow us
Instagram Facebook Linkedin Twitter

© Wlness Science Ltd 2023

Language
  • En
  • En
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. You can always opt-out if you wish. Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT