In today’s fitness world, everything revolves around discipline, body shape, and diets. Women experiment with low-carb, ketosis, intermittent fasting, or high-protein approaches to optimize performance, physique, and health. Yet what often goes unnoticed: our hormones are the real drivers.
Why Nutrition Has Such a Deep Impact on Hormones
Hormones are not abstract messengers. They are built from very concrete nutrients:
- Cholesterol is the foundation for progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol.
- Protein provides amino acids for metabolism and enzyme activity, which steer hormones.
- Carbohydrates signal to the body that enough energy is available to maintain reproduction and the menstrual cycle.
If we turn the wrong dials, the hormonal system can fall into chaos.
Carbohydrates: Energy and Signal Givers
Very low carbohydrate intake – as in strict ketosis – can have short-term positive effects. But:
- Low carbs → reduced leptin.
- Lower leptin → the hypothalamus reduces GnRH secretion.
- This lowers LH and FSH, which stimulate the ovaries.
- Result: Reduced progesterone and estrogen.
This explains why women on strict ketogenic diets sometimes experience cycle disturbances, worsening PMS, or hot flashes.
Fats: The Building Blocks of Hormones
Fats are not the enemy. On the contrary:
- The body builds its sex hormones directly from cholesterol.
- Omega-3 fatty acids improve hormone receptor sensitivity and reduce silent inflammation.
- Good fat sources: egg yolks, butter or ghee, avocado, olive oil, fatty fish.
- Excess omega-6 fatty acids (sunflower oil, cheap processed foods) can promote inflammation.
Protein: Foundation and Balance
- Whey protein supplies essential amino acids, supports muscle preservation and insulin sensitivity – indirectly beneficial for hormone balance.
- Collagen provides glycine and proline for connective tissue and skin but is insufficient as a sole protein source.
- Rice protein or plant-based blends provide amino acids but are less complete and should be combined (e.g., with legumes).
Culture and the Himalayas Example
Why do people in Himalayan regions traditionally eat rice?
- Rice is storable and provides stable energy.
- Combined with lentils, vegetables, and ghee, it creates a complete amino acid profile plus healthy fats for hormone synthesis.
- This balance of carbs and fats stabilizes energy supply – and thus hormone balance.
Finding the Balance
The goal is not extremes but balance:
- Enough carbohydrates to keep leptin and the menstrual cycle stable.
- Healthy fats as raw material for progesterone and estrogen.
- Adequate protein for tissue, metabolism, and hormone-related pathways.
In the fitness era, many women aim to lose fat and maximize performance. But true strength also lies in not starving the body, instead fueling it with the right nutrients – so muscles, energy, and hormones remain in harmony.
Supporting Leptin and the Hypothalamus
Leptin is a hormone produced mainly in fat tissue. It signals to the hypothalamus that sufficient energy is stored. Only then does the hypothalamus release GnRH, which drives LH and FSH production – the foundation of progesterone and estrogen.
Ways to support leptin:
- Adequate energy intake: chronic deficits lower leptin, pushing the body into “survival mode.”
- Enough carbohydrates: moderate intake stabilizes leptin. Examples: brown rice, oats, quinoa, fruit in moderation.
- Healthy body fat range: very low fat (<18% in women) lowers leptin and halts cycles; stable fat (~20–28%) signals fertility safety.
- Regulate stress and sleep: chronic stress and excess cortisol blunt leptin signaling; 7–9 hours of sleep improves sensitivity.
Cholesterol: The Raw Material of Steroid Hormones
Biochemical pathway:
Cholesterol → Pregnenolone → Progesterone → Estrogen, Testosterone, Cortisol.
No cholesterol = no hormone production.
Food sources:
- Egg yolk: one of the richest sources, plus choline for liver function.
- Butter and ghee: long used in cultures with stable hormonal balance.
- Organ meats (liver, kidney): very high in cholesterol, plus fat-soluble vitamins.
- Fatty fish: provides cholesterol plus omega-3s.
Positive effects:
- Cholesterol is not just a hormone precursor but also part of cell membranes and bile acids for fat digestion.
- Studies show: many women with low estrogen and progesterone also have low cholesterol levels.
- Dietary cholesterol raises blood cholesterol significantly in only ~25% of people; most regulate it via the liver.
Holistic Approach
- Nutrition: Enough energy, moderate carbs, healthy fats (including cholesterol sources).
- Lifestyle: Sufficient sleep, stress management, no chronic underfeeding.
- Body awareness: Use cycle and energy levels as feedback to adjust nutrition.
This way, leptin remains stable, the hypothalamus receives the correct signal, and progesterone and estrogen can be produced in healthy amounts.
Key Cholesterol Sources (per 100 g, approx.):
- Egg yolk: 350–400 mg
- Beef liver: 350–380 mg
- Chicken liver: 280–350 mg
- Kidney (veal, pork): 300–400 mg
- Shrimp: 150–200 mg
- Squid / Calamari: 200–250 mg
- Butter: 200–220 mg
- Cheese (hard types like Parmesan, Gouda, Cheddar): 80–120 mg
- Fatty fish (mackerel, sardine, salmon): 50–100 mg
- Beef or lamb: 70–100 mg
- Chicken / turkey (with skin): 80–100 mg
