Can Seed Cycling Balance Hormones and Ease Menopause Symptoms?
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- Aug 6, 2019
- 2 min read
Seed cycling is a growing trend claimed to balance hormones, boost fertility, and ease symptoms of menopause.
It involves eating flax, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds at different times of the month to balance certain hormones.
However, despite plenty of anecdotal accounts of its usefulness, scientific evidence to back its claims is lacking.
This article tells you everything you need to know about seed cycling and whether it’s a helpful practice.
What is seed cycling?
Seed cycling is a naturopathic remedy that aims to balance estrogen and progesterone levels by eating flax and pumpkin seeds during the first half of the menstrual cycle and sunflower and sesame seeds during the second half.
How does it work?
The claims about how seed cycling works are inconsistent across different sources. However, the basic idea is that different seeds can promote or hinder the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Hormones in a normal cycle
In a regular cycle, estrogen is produced during the first 14 days of the follicular phase as eggs in the ovaries ripen.
Levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) increase just before ovulation, and estrogen levels drop just after ovulation.
Once an egg has been released, the luteal phase starts, and progesterone and estrogen levels gradually increase in a careful balance to support conception and implantation.
They drop again before the next period if no implantation occurs.
Causes of hormonal imbalance
Most women produce adequate levels of hormones to support a healthy cycle.
However, certain health conditions, such as PCOS and hypothyroidism, as well as over-exercising and being under- or overweight, can lead to a hormonal imbalance.
Additionally, during menopause, levels of estrogen and progesterone decrease, which increases your risk of heart disease and osteoporosis and can lead to symptoms like hot flashes and weight gain.
Seed cycling proposes to not only support those with hormonal imbalances but also those with healthy cycles.
How seeds influence hormones
During the follicular phase, proponents of seed cycling claim that the phytoestrogens in flax seeds can help increase or decrease estrogen levels as needed.
Phytoestrogen are compounds in plants that can mimic the action of estrogen.
Additionally, zinc from pumpkin seeds is claimed to promote progesterone production in preparation for the next phase of the cycle.
During the luteal phase, lignans a type of polyphenol in sesame are supposed to inhibit estrogen levels from increasing too much. Meanwhile, the vitamin E in sunflower seeds is thought to help boost progesterone levels.
Seed cycling proposes to balance estrogen and progesterone through the actions of phytoestrogens, zinc, selenium, and vitamin E.
Does seed cycling balance hormone levels?
Plant lignans can have a weak effect on estrogen levels, and flax seeds are linked to improved cycle length and reduced breast pain. Still, no evidence associates seed cycling with improved hormone levels.
What are the effects on menopause symptoms?
Some seeds have been found to improve symptoms and hormone status during and after menopause.
Flax and sesame seeds may improve some menopausal symptoms, such as estrogen levels, hot flashes, and vaginal dryness. Still more research is needed. No evidence suggests that the doses and timings promoted in seed cycling provide benefits.
Other benefits of seeds
Though seed cycling may not balance hormones, including seeds in your diet boosts your intake of vitamins and minerals and is associated with a lower risk of certain cancers, as well as reduced inflammation, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.
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