No, You Don't Need to 'Balance' Your Hormones If You Have Period Flu

Do you ever feel like crap when your period starts, or perhaps in the week or so before your period? Social media has dubbed this the "period flu," and places like TikTok are full of tips about why it happens and how to deal with it. Unfortunately, a lot of those posts are full of misinformation, so let's straighten out the truth.

Period flu is no relation to stomach flu or the actual flu

"Flu" is a nickname originally applied to influenza--the sickness we get from the influence (get it?) of the stars. Influenza was only identified as being caused by a virus in the 1930's, but before and after that a lot of similar illnesses have been compared to the flu.

Flu-like symptoms, as they're called, typically include fever, chills, headaches, body aches, sore throat, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

These symptoms are common in influenza, but plenty of other conditions will include some or all of these. Common colds, COVID, food poisoning ("stomach flu"), strep throat, all kinds of miscellaneous childhood illnesses, and many sexually transmitted illnesses are among them.

That's because these symptoms are signs that your body is dealing with shit. Your immune system is working on something, whatever that something might be. It may be fighting off a bacterial or viral illness, or even cleaning up damaged tissues after an injury. Got some ink recently? You might experience "tattoo flu" as your body heals.

Flu-like symptoms can also crop up thanks to the cascade of hormones that brings on your period. For example, prostaglandins help to open the cervix and empty the uterus, but they also have a similar effect on your intestines--leading to the notorious period diarrhea and its associated gas, pain, and nausea.

Do you need to "balance your hormones" to avoid period flu?

I don't have any beef with TikTokers who let you know that period flu exists and give tips for weathering it. But what drives me up the wall are the ones who tell you about it like they're letting you in on a secret Big Doctor doesn't want you to know. Then they pitch their "hormone balancing" services.

"Balancing" is not a technical term in endocrinology, and some medical professionals dislike that phrase. We have tons of different hormones in our bodies, regulating different processes, all doing important jobs. The hormones that maintain our menstrual cycle fluctuate wildly over the course of the month, and that's a good thing. Certain hormones are supposed to spike at certain times to make ovulation happen, to grow the uterine lining, and to reset everything at the end of the month.

So, be suspicious of anybody who tells you that your hormones need to be "balanced" or that common conditions like mild period flu or PMS are a sign that you need to buy what they're selling. When I searched for "period flu" on TikTok yesterday, five of the first eight videos were by people selling books, supplements, lab testing kits (so you can find out your hormones are unbalanced and then they can sell you more things), and one-to-one coaching. Clicking into these folks' linktrees, I also found sales pitches for weight loss products and parasite detoxes. (Convincing people that they have parasites is a whole 'nother TikTok grift.)

The M. D. Anderson Center has a pretty straightforward view of hormone imbalances: If you have a hormone-related health concern that is serious enough it's affecting your life and causing you to seek treatment, you should go to a fucking doctor. (My choice of words, not theirs.) On the other hand, if you're just experiencing common, mild symptoms, you don't need fancy hormone coaching or products to deal with them.

How can you deal with period flu?

First of all, pay attention to your symptoms and note whether they recur at the same time in your menstrual cycle. If one month your "period flu" seems to be more severe than normal or it includes symptoms you don't usually get, there's a good chance you have a different medical issue going on. Don't suffer; get checked out.

Because period flu isn't an illness of its own, just a collection of symptoms that can occur in the normal course of your cycle, you don't need to track down some kind of root cause and treat it with supplements or a weird diet. It's OK to address each symptom on its own. For example, WebMD points out that anti-diarrheal medication can help if you have issues with period diarrhea. Taking ibuprofen (or another NSAID medication) can help prevent cramps, especially if you're able to watch the calendar and begin taking it just before your period starts.

If you're looking for legitimate medical information online about period flu, you'll find a lot of it by searching for "premenstrual syndrome." That phrase has fallen out of favor in pop culture, ruined by too many men's jokes about women being emotional. But "period flu" is equivalent to the "physical symptoms of PMS" discussed in sources like this page from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Besides treating the symptoms and generally taking care of yourself, there are a few lesser-appreciated lifestyle changes that can help improve period flu symptoms, especially if you do these things all the time, not just when you're on your period:

Exercise. ACOG recommends 30 minutes of aerobic exercise "most days of the week," even if you don't have symptoms. The idea isn't to go for a jog when cramps hit, but to be a person who exercises regularly. Carbs. While the TikTokers are sharing tips for fighting your cravings, ACOG recommends eating foods that have plenty of carbs and fiber, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Food is good for you, it turns out. Sleep. Being underslept makes you a lot more likely to feel tired, moody, and brain-foggy. Better sleep may not fully "cure" period flu, but it's likely to take the edge off some of the symptoms.Relaxation. Massage, meditation, and other stress-relieving activities help some people; they might be worth a try. Calcium and magnesium. These simple supplements are available cheaply at the drugstore, so don't waste hundreds on online hormone gurus' lab testing, coaching, and name-brand supplements. ACOG specifically recommends 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day to relieve both physical and mood symptoms of PMS.

So if you have period flu, you aren't alone--and you don't need to embark on a hormone-healing journey with whoever sounds the most convincing on social media. Check with your ob/gyn or your regular doctor if you have symptoms that are concerning, or if you'd like to consider a contraceptive method that might relieve your cycle-related struggles. But if you just have mild symptoms, consider making some small adjustments to your exercise, diet, and sleep habits. And consider resetting your TikTok algorithm and sticking to silly dance videos this time around.