Due to the acidic properties of lemon, it may affect your menstrual cycle resulting in delay or postponement in periods.
Have you ever heard from your granny or read that lemon use during periods may cause complications in your menstrual cycle? Or, before reading this title, do you consider this only a myth?
We all know that lemons are packed with vitamin C and potassium. It is also evident that lukewarm water and lemon provide comfort in periods but still, you need to understand the circumstances that delay your menstrual cycle.
Early in 2020, a research study was conducted by some medical students on 25 female rats, which affected their estrous and ovulation cycle (Effect of the Juice of Lime (Citrus Aurantifolia) on Estrous Cycle and Ovulation of Sprague-Dawley Rats, 2020). They were given lemon juice in their diet for 16 days. The main reason for the research was to explore the contraceptive potential of the plant. And after the detailed data analysis, it revealed that lime juice has anti infertility potential. As the human and rat ovulation mechanisms are the same, they may affect the menstrual cycle in females.
Effects of Lemon Juice on Menstrual Cycle
Women may stop consuming lemon two days before the bleeding starts. But during these periods, some potential health benefits of lemon cannot be ignored.
- Cures Dysmenorrhea:
It is a pain in the lower abdomen caused by the breakdown of the uterus lining. These cramps can be avoided by having lemon juice with water.
- Reduces Emotional Stress
During periods mood swings and emotional stress are the common symptoms that females experience. Flavonoids have the potential to reduce the impact of these symptoms.
- Smooth Flow of Blood
Intake of lemon juice ensures smooth blood flow through veins, thus clearing the veins from blood clotting.
- Heals wounds
The abundant amount of vitamin C heals your cuts and wounds.
- Reduces Gastroespheal Flux:
The menstrual cycle causes nausea, headaches, vomiting, and increased palpitations in females. Having a few drops of lemon juice can relieve these symptoms.
What amount of lemon juice can Delay Your Periods?
Weather, environment, stress, and dietary intake are all significant factors that affect the menstrual cycle.
According to research, dietary changes can affect your menstrual cycle. Your monthly period dates can be changed by altering your total calorie intake.
Larger and smaller meals can result in irregular periods when it comes to nutrition. Having a large amount of undiluted lemon juice may delay your cycle due to the highly acidic nature of the lemon, but the evidence so far is still weak.
What are other alternatives to lemon?
Some other alternatives to lemon are:
- Birth control pills
- Norethisterone
Conclusion
Whenever you need to stop your period, always talk to your doctor first so they can recommend the best course of action for you. But remember that there isn’t much evidence to back up most natural therapies, so be careful. The most successful remedies might be those that are not natural but only use those under your doctor’s prescription.
References:
Effect of the Juice of Lime (Citrus Aurantifolia) on Estrous Cycle and Ovulation of Sprague-Dawley Rats. (2020, December 28). Effect of the Juice of Lime (Citrus Aurantifolia) on Estrous Cycle and Ovulation of Sprague-Dawley Rats – ScienceDirect. Retrieved January 18, 2023, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1530891X20408006