Ever noticed your period blood looks different from month to month - or even day to day - and wondered if that’s normal? You’re not alone. To cut through the confusion (and the Google panic), we’ve brought in Ms Shikha Kapur, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at London Gynaecology. With years of experience helping people understand their cycles, she’s here to break it all down - no fluff, no fear, just facts.
What changes in period blood colour could be a sign of something worth checking in with a doctor about?
Let’s start with what might feel a little scary. Your period blood’s gone brown… or pink… or suddenly super heavy. Is that normal? Here’s what to look out for - and when to check in with a doctor.
A change in colour of your menstrual blood can be a normal response to natural fluctuation in hormones oestrogen and progesterone. A change in stress levels or weight can affect it as well.
If you notice an association with other symptoms and a change in your menstrual cycle pattern, it is worth discussing with your gynaecologist or general practitioner. Other symptoms in conjunction include your period suddenly becoming heavy or irregular with bleeding in between menstrual periods. If there is an associated odour, severe cramps, bleeding after sexual intercourse or pelvic pain in association with a change in colour, you should get checked.
It could be due to a hormonal shift, infection, womb lining polyp or womb muscle growth called fibroids.
How do hormonal shifts - like low oestrogen or high stress - impact the colour, flow, or texture of your period?
Your hormones aren’t just background players - they run the whole show. Ms Kapur explains how shifts in oestrogen, progesterone, and even stress can affect what you see in your WUKAs.
Hormonal changes can affect the flow, colour and texture of your menstrual period. If your period becomes lighter in colour, it can be due to low oestrogen. This happens if you are using contraception that prevents ovulation which is a normal response. It can also happen in the perimenopause which are physiological changes. If you exercise a lot and lose a lot of weight your period can become lighter in colour or stop completely. Having a low progesterone which stabilises the womb lining means you can experience heavier period flow with more clots.
High stress levels increase cortisol which can make your period heavier, or it can make your period lighter and cause brown spotting. Having an underactive thyroid can make your menstrual period heavier with more clots. If it is overactive it can cause lighter or absent periods.
What role does nutrition (especially things like iron levels) play in how your period looks and feels?
Spoiler: what you eat can totally influence your cycle. From iron to omegas, here’s how nutrition supports a healthy period (and why undereating can throw things off track).
Nutrition has an important role in how your period looks and feels. If you have heavy periods with clots you will experience low iron or anaemia. This can cause tiredness. It is important to have a diet rich in green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli. Red meat also contains good levels of iron. Lentils, beans, chickpeas and dried fruit are all good sources to naturally replace iron and will boost your energy levels. Sometimes you need to take iron supplements or an overall nutritional supplement.
Under eating can cause irregular or lighter menstrual cycles. So, it is important to have a healthy balanced diet with protein to maintain hormone production. Omega 3 in fish, chia and flax can reduce heavy bleeding and improve mood. Replacement of vitamin B6, B9, B12 and Mg boosts energy, improves your mood and helps regulate your menstrual cycle. It is important to replace vitamin D particularly in the winter months as well
If someone notices a sudden change in colour, clots, or spotting - what steps should they take next?
Not sure if something’s worth worrying about? Ms Kapur walks us through what to do if your period starts showing signs that feel out of the ordinary.
You would be advised that if there is a persistent change in your menstrual period flow, colour or regularity to speak to your gynaecologist or general practitioner. You will have a pelvic examination to check the neck of your womb if there is irregular bleeding or brown spotting.
You can have blood tests to check your hormones, vaginal swabs to check for infection and a pelvic ultrasound scan to examine for polyps or fibroids. It is important to have regular cervical smears as well. Reviewing your diet, nutrition, lifestyle and wellbeing is also important to discuss.
Final Thoughts
Periods are powerful - and they’re also full of information. Understanding how hormones, stress, and nutrition affect your flow helps you get more in tune with your body (and less freaked out by the unexpected). So next time you spot a change in your WUKAs, you’ll know exactly what to do. And remember: there’s zero shame in asking for help.