Facts about menstruation

How much blood do we lose during menstruation?

 

Bloody Hell: We lose between 20 and 60 ml of blood per period - even though it often feels like much more. According to the 2019 Menstrual Hygiene Monitor, a full 69% of women overestimate the average amount of blood flow per menstruation. 60 ml is roughly equivalent to the contents of three shot glasses. Over the course of our lives, we women consume up to 17,000 hygiene products during menstruation.

Period changes throughout the year

Logical, but unnoticed previously: for many women, their periods are at their heaviest in December and January. This is mainly due to the fact that we eat more over the holidays and consume larger amounts of alcohol than usual. As a result, menstrual bleeding is more intense. In the summer months, on the other hand, the menstrual cycle can tend to shorten, as the sun has a direct effect on hormones.

 Menstruation influences our bowel function

The good news first: during our period, we burn up to 300 calories more a day - so yes, we can give in to any hunger pangs. Now the unpleasant part: the intestines also react differently during the period. This is due to the falling progesterone level triggering increased bowel movements (often even diarrhea). In addition, prostaglandins (XX hormone), which are actually responsible for muscle contractions in the uterus, can enter the intestinal mucosa via the bloodstream and stimulate intestinal function there.

Menstruation causes iron deficiency

During each menstruation, we lose about 50 ml of blood and thus also about 25 mg of iron. If this loss is not covered by the daily intake of iron, a deficiency can actually develop. To counteract this, a conscious and targeted diet is particularly important - for example, a glass of orange juice a day can help to provide the body with plant-based iron as well.

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