Your menstrual cycle is one of the body’s most important vital signs. And just like with your heart rate or blood pressure, irregularities should not be ignored. When something about your period feels “off,” it might be your body’s way of signaling an underlying problem — a hormone imbalance, nutritional deficiency, or potential illness.

That’s why I encourage woman to go beyond symptom suppression and begin exploring why they are experiencing irregular cycles in the first place.

In this guide, we’ll look at the eight common types of abnormal menstruation, what they might be telling you about your health, and how you can use nutrition and lifestyle habits to support a more regular, balanced cycle.

Woman experiencing painful period cramps

What’s Considered a Normal Menstrual Cycle?

A “normal” cycle will vary from woman to woman — what’s important is knowing what is normal for you. In most circumstances, a typical cycle:

Lasts between 24 and 35 days
Includes 3–7 days of bleeding
Should arrive at fairly regular intervals
Comes with minimal pain or disruption

I recommend the practice of “cycle tracking” not only for predicting fertility or as a natural contraceptive but — even more importantly — as a method for understanding your baseline cycle. This way, when it changes or begins to feel different than usual, you’ll be ready to ask for support.

What Causes Menstrual Irregularities?

Irregular periods can be confusing and frustrating — particularly when the catch-all solution so often is “go on birth control.” While hormonal fluctuations are certainly involved (and while hormonal birth control can ease the swings), they rarely occur in a vacuum.

Your menstrual health is influenced by your nutrient intake, your metabolism, your mental health, and more. From a holistic perspective, it’s important to look deeper than the symptoms to understand what’s causing the imbalance.

Conventional Causes of Irregular Periods:

Medical diagnoses often associated with abnormal menstruation include:

PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) — marked by irregular or absent ovulation
Thyroid dysfunction — both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can disrupt your cycle
Endometriosis or fibroids — can contribute to pain, heavy bleeding, or spotting
Perimenopause — natural hormonal changes that begin in your 30s or 40s

While these diagnoses are real and important, they don’t always explain why your hormones became dysregulated in the first place — which is where a holistic approach can add value.

Holistic & Functional Causes

From a functional nutrition lens, menstrual irregularities often stem from:

Blood sugar instability — Frequent energy crashes, sugar cravings, and mood swings may signal imbalances that interfere with ovulation and hormone production.
Under-eating or over-exercising — Too few calories, carbs, or fats — or too much physical stress — can suppress your body’s reproductive function.
Chronic stress — Elevated cortisol levels from emotional, physical, or environmental stressors can throw off your hormonal rhythm and delay or disrupt ovulation.
Nutrient deficiencies — Inadequate intake of key vitamins and minerals (like magnesium, B6, zinc, and iron) can hinder hormone production and detoxification.
Poor liver or gut function — A sluggish liver or imbalanced gut can impair your body’s ability to eliminate excess hormones, leading to symptoms like PMS, heavy bleeding, or irregular cycles.
Post-birth control recovery — After stopping hormonal contraception, it’s common for the body to take time to re-establish natural hormone communication — especially if nutrient stores were depleted.

The 8 Types of Abnormal Menstruation

Below is a table summarizing each type, followed by deeper insights into each.

Type	What It Feels Like	Possible Causes
Amenorrhea	Missing your period for 3+ months, often with fatigue, hair thinning, or low libido.	Low energy availability, HPA axis suppression, post-pill, PCOS, thyroid dysfunction.
Oligomenorrhea	Infrequent or unpredictable cycles, with acne, mood swings, or trouble ovulating.	PCOS, under-eating, stress, thyroid issues.
Polymenorrhea	Bleeding more than once a month, often with short luteal phases and fatigue.	Anovulation, estrogen dominance, thyroid issues, fibroids, stress.
Menorrhagia	Very heavy periods or prolonged bleeding with clotting, cramps, and fatigue.	Hormone imbalance, fibroids, clotting disorders, thyroid dysfunction.
Hypomenorrhea	Light, short periods or spotting with low libido, short cycles, or fatigue.	Low estrogen, stress, under-eating, thyroid or hormonal suppression.
Dysmenorrhea	Severe cramping that may include nausea, headaches, and mood shifts.	High prostaglandins, inflammation, magnesium deficiency, endometriosis.
Metrorrhagia	Unexpected bleeding or spotting between periods, often with fatigue or anxiety.	Hormonal fluctuation, fibroids, IUDs, stress, thyroid imbalance.
PMS/PMDD	Emotional and physical symptoms before your period — from irritability to cravings.	Hormone sensitivity, serotonin imbalance, stress, nutritional deficiencies.

1. Amenorrhea (Absent or Missing Periods)

What it is: A missing or nonexistent period — typically for three months or more — that may come with fatigue, low body temperature, thinning hair, brittle nails, and a noticeable dip in libido or mood.

Possible Root Causes

Hypothalamic amenorrhea (often from under-eating or over-exercising)
Stress and elevated cortisol
Post-pill amenorrhea
PCOS or thyroid dysfunction