5 key nutrients you need to get your menstrual cycles back to normal

When your cycle is irregular, missing, or stretching longer than 35 days, one of the most common underlying reasons is that ovulation isn’t happening regularly. Ovulation is the central event of the menstrual cycle — it’s what allows your body to produce the hormones needed for a healthy, predictable rhythm.

Many factors influence whether or not ovulation occurs, including stress, sleep, exercise, and overall energy availability. Nutrition is one of the most important foundations, because the foods we eat provide the raw materials our bodies need to produce hormones and release an egg.

Here are five nutrients that play a particularly important role in supporting ovulation and menstrual cycle health:

1. Protein

Every single cell in our body contains protein, so of course it's going to be important for our ovaries and proper hormone production. Speaking directly to protein and it's connection with irregular cycles, it is possible that inadequate protein intake can lead to a suppressed release of luteinizing hormone (LH). LH is the hormone made in the brain that stimulates ovulation. So, suppressed LH release can lead to delayed ovulation, and delayed/irregular ovulation is what typically drives irregular cycles.

Adequate protein intake also helps regulate blood sugar, an important factor in reproductive hormone balance in PCOS. The better one balances their blood sugar with PCOS, the higher the chance they have of regulating their cycle. This is because poor blood sugar regulation drives up testosterone, which will cause irregular cycles. So if your PCOS is driven by high testosterone, regulating your blood sugar can bring down those testosterone levels. 

I'm typically recommending folks to explore anywhere from 1-1.5 grams of protein per kg of body weight. To convert your current weight in pounds to kilograms, divide your weight in lbs by 2.2. So someone who weighs 150 lbs is 68 kg.

Food sources: beef, pork, bison, venison, lamb, eggs, poultry, fish and seafood, Greek yogurt, cheese, bone broth, organ meats, tofu, tempeh, edamame, lentils and beans (primarily carbohydrates), nuts/seeds (primarily fats, and not nearly as high in protein as most think)

2. Fats

Dietary fats are essential for hormone production, as they help make cholesterol, and cholesterol is the precursor to all sex hormones. Without enough fat, the body may not have the resources it needs to produce estrogen and progesterone consistently and in adequate amounts. While we don't need to be afraid of fat, it is something we do need to be somewhat mindful of when it comes to portions. Of the three macronutrients, fats are the highest in calories per gram. While I don’t believe in the value of intensely focusing on calories, they do matter, and overeating can cause hormonal issues.

Omega-3 fatty acid intake, specifically from seafood, has been associated with an increase in progestone production in the luteal phase (this is good!), and a lower risk of anovulatory cycles (cycles where you don't ovulate). The fatty fish with omega-3's are listed below. They are a different type, but we also get omega-3s specifically from walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flax seeds. It's great to try to include a 1 tbsp serving of one of these daily. 

Food sources: fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring, tuna, trout), fat from other animal proteins (beef, pork, poultry, eggs, dairy, etc), avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil

3. Iron

When it comes to poor iron status, it is a vicious cycle with hormones. Poor hormone regulation can cause heavy periods, leading to iron deficiency, and iron deficiency can then interfere with hormone production and cause anovulatory cycles. This could be due to low oxygen availability to the ovaries. Therefore, maintaining good iron stores is important to break that cycle and keep cycles more regular.

For a deep dive into iron and all of the food sources, check out my other blog here!

Food sources: bivalve shellfish (oysters, mussels, clams), red meat, poultry, pumpkin seeds, spinach, tofu, lentils

4. Vitamin B6

All of our B vitamins are important in overall hormone health, but vitamin B6 specifically plays a key role in the development of the corpus luteum, a structure in the ovaries that is responsible for producing progesterone following ovulation. Without the corpus luteum, there is no progesterone production, and that can lead to wonky cycles. You might notice a short luteal phase with inadequate progesterone production.

Food sources: chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, lentils, salmon, chicken, beef, pork, bananas, sweet potatoes/potatoes, winter squash, spinach, pistachios, sunflower seeds, avocado, tofu, milk, eggs

5. Zinc

Zinc is essential in supporting the overall reproductive process, as cells are constantly dividing and proliferating, and zinc plays a key role in that process. Zinc deficiencies not only cause ovarian abnormalities but also increase oxidative stress and inflammation, all things that can disrupt cycles. In addition, it has been shown that zinc supplementation can reduce testosterone and insulin levels in women with PCOS, which in theory would help with regulating cycles. 

Problem is, women often fall short on zinc, especially if they eat limited amounts of animal protein. 

Food sources: oysters, red meat, crab, poultry, shrimp, salmon, cheese, Greek yogurt, milk, lentils, sardines, tofu, quinoa, brown rice, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, chickpeas, kidney beans, cashews

Bringing It All Together

While this post is about specific nutrients, cycle regularity is rarely about a single nutrient. It’s about consistently nourishing your body with enough energy and the building blocks it needs for hormone production. Focusing on balanced meals that include protein, healthy fats, and micronutrient-rich foods is a strong foundation for ovulation and menstrual health.

If your cycles have been irregular or absent for a long time, nutrition is an excellent starting point.

✨ If you’d like support in understanding what your body needs to restore a healthy rhythm, I work with women one-on-one to create a personalized plan for regular, predictable cycles. Book a discovery call to learn more!