The “Period Flu” Explained: These Symptoms Are Not In Your Head

If you’ve ever found yourself bracing for your period not just because of abdominal cramps or mood swings, but because you feel like you’re coming down with the flu, you’re not imagining it. What many are now calling “period flu” is a very real experience for countless women, yet it’s rarely acknowledged in conventional conversations about women’s health and menstrual health.

In my telehealth functional medicine clinic, I’ve seen this story time and time again. Women are told that the symptoms they are experiencing are all in their head, leaving them frustrated and struggling through their day-to-day life. Instead, we understand that these symptoms are very real and often a reflection that something beneath the surface needs to be addressed. So instead of powering through your time of the month, let’s uncover what the period flu is, why it happens, and what you can do to alleviate your symptoms. 

What is “period flu”?

Although not an official medical diagnosis,“period flu” is a term used to describe a very unique set of premenstrual symptoms (PMS) in that they mimic symptoms of the typical flu. While it can seem alarming to get sick this often, these symptoms are more likely linked to hormonal shifts, rather than an actual infection.

What are the symptoms of period flu?

Everyone’s health is different, so the symptoms of period flu can vary from person-to-person and even between each person’s individual cycle. However, the most common symptoms of period flu include:

• Fever
• Body aches
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea
• Headaches
• Chills

It is also important to note that the period flu is separate from traditional premenstrual syndrome. Although it is possible to experience both simultaneously, period flu is only referring to the flu-like symptoms listed above. What makes the period flu so unique though is that it is made up of mostly physical symptoms like muscle aches, whereas PMS typically includes a range of emotional symptoms like anxiety, brain fog, change in libido, depressed mood, and irritability in addition to physical symptoms like breast tenderness, bloating, and acne flare-ups.

What causes period flu?

Since period flu is a relatively new term to categorize this particular set of PMS symptoms, researchers are not sure exactly what causes it. However, it is likely a result of specific hormonal fluctuations that happen during your cycle.

1. Hormone shifts

Shifts in prostaglandins — hormone-like compounds that play a key role in menstruation — are the biggest suspected trigger behind period flu symptoms. Prostaglandins start to naturally increase right before your period to help your uterus contract and shed its lining. But these increased prostaglandins can end up circulating beyond the uterus leading to: 

• Muscle and joint pain (aka that “flu-like” body ache)
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Digestive distress, constipation, and diarrhea

It’s difficult to conclude though why this increase affects some women so dramatically and not others, since all women have a boost in prostaglandins before their period.

2. Immune system changes

Your immune system isn’t static. It ebbs and flows through the various phases of your menstrual cycle, specifically during your luteal phase. Your luteal phase occurs right before the first day of your period. Hormones like progesterone start to increase to prepare your body for a potential pregnancy. And when progesterone surges, your immune system takes a back seat. (1) When this decrease in immune response happens, it can create the sensation that your body is fighting something, even when there’s no actual pathogen involved. Plus, you can be more susceptible to getting the actual flu.

3. Other conditions

Your body is intricately connected. Therefore, it’s not a far stretch to suggest that women with hormonal conditions such as PCOS or endometriosis may be more prone to experiencing period flu. Considering these conditions are characterized by hormone imbalances, these could exacerbate PMS symptoms, including period flu symptoms.

LISTEN NOW: PMS Isn’t Normal: The Cycle Syncing Women Are Missing | Alisa Vitti

How long does period flu last?

Since the symptoms of period flu are so similar to the regular flu, it can leave many women confused as to what’s really going on with their bodies. Are you actually sick or is there something more going on beneath the surface? What makes these symptoms distinct, though, is the timing. If these symptoms consistently show up in the same window before your period, that pattern is a strong indicator that hormones — not an infection — are behind your symptoms.

Period flu symptoms typically follow a similar pattern:

• Begin about 3-5 days before your period
• Peak in the day or two right before your period starts
• Improve 1-3 days after your period begins

In total, most women can experience period flu symptoms for about 3 to 7 days each cycle. If symptoms last longer than this, occur randomly throughout the month, or don’t improve a few days after your period starts, it may be a sign that something deeper is going on.

What are the potential complications of period flu?

For most women, period flu is manageable. But for others, symptoms can be unbearable,  significantly impacting daily life and causing disruptions at work or personal obligations. In this case, period flu could be pointing toward other underlying conditions like hormone imbalances, PCOS, endometriosis, or Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

How is period flu treated?

Since the exact cause of period flu is unknown, there is also no single treatment. Everyone’s unique health case is different, resulting in many underlying factors that could ultimately be contributing to these symptoms. In conventional medicine, treatment is focused mainly on symptom management through birth control, over-the-counter pain-relievers like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs (ibuprofen), heating pads, and getting more rest.

While symptom relief is beneficial when in the midst of period flu, in functional medicine, we want to address what is happening at a physiological level as much as possible. Since period flu is a newer term, it’s currently not very well researched. In fact, there aren’t really any studies specifically looking at period flu outside of general PMS. But with that said, the research that has been done on PMS, has given us a slew of natural, science-backed remedies that can still be beneficial at alleviating period flu symptoms.

1. Address hormone imbalances

The very first step in overcoming any hormone related health problem is by restoring any hormone imbalances. Considering period flu is likely a result of hormonal shifts, hormone labs will give you insight into whether or not more significant imbalances are a factor in your case. Labs can also give you further insight into whether or not preexisting conditions like PCOS, blood sugar imbalances, or endometriosis are putting additional stress on your hormones. If so, this information will give you and your healthcare provider a clearer path toward the best way to address your symptoms.

2. Target your supplements

As a functional medicine practitioner, I believe that food is foundational when it comes to getting everything you need to thrive. However, when you are dealing with a chronic condition like PMDD, research has shown that certain dosages of particular supplements can ease symptoms common with PMS and PMDD.

• Calcium: Daily supplementation has been shown to reduce both emotional and physical symptoms. The recommended dosage is 1,000mg per day. (2)
• Vitamin D: Every single cell in your body needs Vitamin D to thrive and this nutrient actually acts more like a hormone than a vitamin. It helps to regulate hundreds of different pathways in your body and when taken alongside calcium helps your body to absorb more of it.
• Chasteberry: Chaste tree berry, also known as vitex, is a tree that grows in the Mediterranean and has long been used for its health benefits, including aiding in symptoms associated with PMS. (3)
• Magnesium: Studies have found that magnesium can greatly improve symptoms with the greatest reduction in symptoms happening as a result of taking magnesium and Vitamin B6 together. (4)
• Vitamin B6: Consistent supplementation has been shown to significantly improve PMS and PMDD symptoms, especially when taken alongside calcium. (5) In a recent study, up to 60% of individuals completely alleviated their symptoms after just three cycles of taking Vitamin B6. (6)

Instead of taking multiple different supplements, I personally formulated Protect with a blend of calcium glucarate and B vitamins to support your body’s natural ability to detox from hormone disrupting chemicals like xenoestrogens and help alleviate symptoms of PMS.

3. Look into seed cycling

Seed cycling supports period regularity by promoting hormone balance through the consumption of specific seeds during different phases of the menstrual cycle. (7) In the follicular phase (days 1–14), leading up to ovulation, eat flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds rich in zinc and polyphenols to boost estrogen levels.

In the luteal phase (days 15–28), eat sunflower and sesame seeds rich in selenium and vitamin E to support healthy progesterone levels. The best time to begin is right at the start of your cycle with high-quality, organic seeds.

READ MORE: 4 Seed Cycling Benefits for Balanced Health + Hormones

4. Manage stress

In functional medicine, we know just how detrimental stress can be to your health, especially when it comes to your hormones. One study conducted by the National Institutes of Health found that women who were more stressed earlier in their cycle also experienced worse PMS symptoms. (8) Incorporating mindfulness techniques like breathwork, journaling, and meditation are great tools to help mitigate the burden of stress in your life.

The takeaway

If you’re struggling with symptoms of period flu, know that you aren’t alone. But just because something is common, doesn’t make it normal. Instead of relinquishing yourself to a lifetime of monthly symptoms, take this as an invitation to look deeper at what your body needs. Rather than being at the mercy of your cycle, seek to understand what’s going on beneath the surface and support your body with natural remedies. In my telehealth functional medicine clinic, we work to help identify the root cause behind your symptoms and restore balance so you can move through every phase of your cycle feeling more like yourself.

As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe. 

Photo: Unsplash.com

Sources

• Faas, M., Bouman, A., Moesa, H., Heineman, M. J., de Leij, L., & Schuiling, G. (2000). The immune response during the luteal phase of the ovarian cycle: A Th2-type response? Fertility and Sterility, 74(5), 1008–1013. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0015-0282(00)01553-3
• Arab, A., Rafie, N., Askari, G., & Taghiabadi, M. (2020). Beneficial role of calcium in premenstrual syndrome: A systematic review of current literature. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 11, 156. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_243_19
• Rafieian-Kopaei, M., & Movahedi, M. (2017). Systematic review of premenstrual, postmenstrual and infertility disorders of Vitex agnus-castus. Electronic Physician, 9(1), 3685–3689. https://doi.org/10.19082/3685
• Fathizadeh, N., Ebrahimi, E., Valiani, M., Tavakoli, N., & Yar, M. H. (2010). Evaluating the effect of magnesium and magnesium plus vitamin B6 supplement on the severity of premenstrual syndrome. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 15(Suppl 1), 401–405.
• Masoumi, S. Z., Ataollahi, M., & Oshvandi, K. (2016). Effect of combined use of calcium and vitamin B6 on premenstrual syndrome symptoms: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Caring Sciences, 5(1), 67–73. https://doi.org/10.15171/jcs.2016.007
• Retallick-Brown, H., Blampied, N., & Rucklidge, J. J. (2020). A pilot randomized treatment-controlled trial comparing vitamin B6 with broad-spectrum micronutrients for premenstrual syndrome. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 26(2), 88–97. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2019.0305
• Rasheed, N., Ahmed, A., Nosheen, F., Imran, A., Islam, F., Noreen, R., Chauhan, A., Shah, M. A., & Ali, Y. A. (2023). Effectiveness of combined seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, flaxseed): As adjacent therapy to treat polycystic ovary syndrome in females. Food Science & Nutrition, 11(6), 3385–3393. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3328
• National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2010, August 23). Prior stress could worsen premenstrual symptoms. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/newsroom/releases/082310-prior-stress-worsen-premenstrual-symptoms