Women's Hormones and Fasting

Women with PCOS, endometriosis, or insulin resistance may benefit from more fasting because fasting can improve insulin signaling and metabolic flexibility. Fasting and ketosis follow a Goldilocks principle — not too much, not too little — appropriate for the person and their stage of life. Women are not a single category; responses to fasting vary widely based on hormonal status, thyroid function, leptin, insulin resistance, PCOS, and other conditions. Too much fasting for too long can cause disrupted menstrual cycles, hair loss, low thyroid symptoms, and sleep disruption.