This is What Every Woman Should Know Before Trying Intermittent Fasting

I know what you’re thinking – maybe you’re coming here a little mad or annoyed because you’re a die-hard intermittent faster and worried I’m about to bash it. Or maybe you’re here cheering me on, hoping I’ll prove that intermittent fasting is the worst thing ever.

Or, and this might be the most common, you’re just plain confused. You’ve read all the conflicting opinions, your feed is full of mixed messages, and you honestly have no idea what to believe anymore. You just want to understand what’s actually true and what might work for you.

I’m here to lay out the facts, the science, and the actual research – so you can make the most informed decision for your body, not based on trends, but on what actually works for you.

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I feel like intermittent fasting has been everywhere the past decade. From podcasts to wellness books to the girl next to you at the gym (that used to be me lol)… it’s become this huge thing. And while I’m all about tuning into your body and using ancient wisdom to support your health, I also think we need to zoom out and look at the full picture. Because fasting is not a one-size-fits-all thing.

What Even Is Intermittent Fasting?

Fun fact: in 2019, “intermittent fasting” was the most Googled diet-related topic in the world. Clearly, people are curious – and for good reason.

At its core, intermittent fasting (IF) is cycling between periods of eating and not eating. The most common style is the 16:8 method – fasting for 16 hours and eating in an 8-hour window.

But fasting isn’t just a trendy wellness hack. It’s actually rooted in ancient traditions. The Bible talks about fasting for spiritual clarity and healing. Across cultures, fasting has been used to rest, reset, and reconnect. And today, research backs up many of its benefits – from brain health and lower inflammation to improved insulin sensitivity and cellular clean-up through autophagy.

But don’t stop reading there…

My Story With Fasting

I intermittent fasted for years. I loved the mental clarity, the simplicity of skipping breakfast, and feeling like I was doing something good for my body.

But about four years ago, I found myself in a totally different season – I was dealing with painful periods, navigating panic attacks, and starting to think seriously about having kids in the next few years. I was healing from burnout and under-eating, and honestly, my nervous system was shot. The more I learned about women’s hormones, the more I realized that intermittent fasting wasn’t supporting me anymore – it was just adding fuel to the fire.

So I stopped. I focused instead on nourishment, rhythm, and listening to what my body was asking for. That shift helped me get my period regular and pain free again, regulate my energy, support my fertility, and feel more grounded than I had in years.

As Dr. Josh Axe puts it: “Fasting is powerful, but not for everyone and not all the time. Women should listen closely to their bodies and adjust based on their cycles.” This mirrors what I’ve learned both personally and professionally – that our bodies give us feedback when something is or isn’t working.

The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting (When It’s a Good Fit)

When used intentionally, and when your body is in a place to handle it, fasting can:

• Reboot your metabolism by improving insulin sensitivity
• Support brain clarity through increased BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor)
• Reduce chronic inflammation and oxidative stress
• Promote detoxification and gut rest – especially with short broth-based or juice fasts
• Deepen your spiritual connection, like biblical fasts that clear the noise and bring clarity

Who Fasting Can Work For

Fasting may be beneficial if:

• You’re postmenopausal
• You’re male
• You’ve healed your metabolism and hormones
• You’re not under a lot of stress
• You feel energized (not depleted) when fasting

Who Should Be Cautious (Or Avoid It for Now)

Fasting is not a great idea right now if:

• You’re cycling and dealing with hormone imbalances
• You’re trying to conceive, pregnant, or breastfeeding
• You have a history of disordered eating
• You’re under-eating or experiencing burnout
• You have diabetes or blood sugar issues (unless supervised by a practitioner)

Why It’s Especially Tricky for Women

Most fasting studies are done on men or postmenopausal women. Men have a 24-hour hormonal rhythm, but women in their reproductive years have around a 28-day cycle. That means our hormones shift constantly, and our bodies respond differently depending on where we are in that cycle.

Fasting, especially prolonged or aggressive fasting, can cause cortisol to rise and signal to the body that it’s not safe. That stress can suppress ovulation, disrupt your cycle, lower thyroid function, and tank your energy.

A 2014 study even showed that intermittent fasting improved insulin sensitivity in men but worsened it in women after just three weeks (PMID: 24606800).

Here are a few reasons why women are more sensitive to fasting:

• DHEA levels drop: DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a precursor hormone involved in the production of estrogen and testosterone. It plays a major role in supporting egg quality and fertility. Studies show that fasting, especially long-term or time-restricted eating, can reduce DHEA levels in both pre- and postmenopausal women. Lower DHEA can mean less hormonal support, particularly during reproductive years.
• Higher kisspeptin levels: Kisspeptin is a hormone involved in triggering the release of reproductive hormones like GnRH, which regulates your cycle. Women have more kisspeptin than men, and it’s super sensitive to energy availability. When you fast or eat too little, kisspeptin activity can drop – which can throw off your entire hormonal cascade.
• Low protein or carbs = hormone disruption: When women under-eat key macronutrients like protein and carbs, their bodies start conserving energy. Low protein can reduce IGF-1 (a growth factor important for cellular repair and cycle regulation), while low carbs can decrease leptin, which helps regulate hunger and reproductive hormones. This can lead to issues like a thin uterine lining, poor ovulation, or missing periods.
• Greater sensitivity to energy deficits: Biologically, the female body is wired to protect fertility. If your brain perceives a lack of fuel or safety, it downshifts reproductive function to conserve resources. This is why women often lose their period or have irregular cycles under prolonged stress or caloric restriction.
• Stronger stress hormone response: Women tend to have a more reactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis than men. Fasting can increase cortisol, especially in an already stressed-out system. Chronically elevated cortisol can negatively impact thyroid function, slow digestion, increase inflammation, and suppress reproductive hormones like progesterone.
• Menstrual cycle phase matters: Fasting during the luteal phase – the second half of the cycle when progesterone peaks – can be especially disruptive. Your body naturally needs more calories at this time, and under-eating can lead to low energy, mood swings, and poor hormonal output. Women tend to feel better (and handle fasting better) during the follicular phase – the first half of their cycle.

So… Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad?

I know people hate this answer but… it depends!

It can be powerful when used wisely, especially in the right season of life. But it can also become another stressor if your body is already overwhelmed or undernourished.

For the majority of women we work with – women who are stressed, juggling a million things, and already unintentionally under-eating – intermittent fasting just isn’t the best approach. When your body is in survival mode, skipping meals only adds to the chaos. Instead of supporting your hormones, it can dysregulate them even more.

What most women actually need is more nourishment. More food. More minerals. More consistency. Eating balanced meals with enough protein, fat, and carbs throughout the day can do more for your hormone health than skipping breakfast ever will. Supporting blood sugar stability, reducing cortisol spikes, and giving your body a sense of safety is often the real path to healing.

The body thrives on balance… physically, mentally, and emotionally. Sometimes the most radical thing you can do for your health isn’t cutting something out… it’s adding back in what your body has been missing all along.

I’m not anti-fasting. But I am pro-listening to your body. It’s not about what works for the masses – it’s about what works for you.

Maybe you’re not sure if it’s fasting, or macros, or stress, or something else entirely – you just know something feels off. You’re tired of trying every wellness trend but still don’t feel like yourself. You want consistency. You want clarity. And you want to feel good in your body again.

✨ Book a free clarity call and let’s talk through what’s going on. Whether you’re struggling with energy, digestion, what + how much to eat, hormones, or just need help staying consistent – we’ll look at the full picture and create a personalized plan to help you feel like you again.