If you have been diagnosed with - or suspect that you may have - luteal phase defect(LPD), you may want to take a close look at the level of fiber in your diet. Dietary fiber can have many positive effects upon health, and one key benefit - especially for cancer prevention - is the way in which fiber can expedite the removal of reproductive hormones such as estrogen from your body.

If you have luteal phase defect which is characterized by low luteal levels of estrogen and progesterone, you may need to curb your fiber intake temporarily to allow your hormone levels to rise. Excessively high levels of dietary fiber may be speeding up the removal of reproductive hormones from your body a little too efficiently.

A 2012 study - published in Fertility and Sterility - on the connection between fiber and luteal phase defect observed 233 normal body weight, regularly menstruating women across 406 menstrual cycles. Various hormones such as: serum estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured up to 8 times per menstrual cycle and dietary fiber levels were recorded. This study discovered that of the 14% of women who had a shortened - less that 10 day-luteal phase, increased dietary fiber intake was a significant factor.

If you want to lengthen your luteal phase take a good look at your diet: do you add extra fiber, consume fiber-enriched foods or take fiber gummies or other fiber supplements daily? High fiber nutritional strategies may be ideal after childbearing years to confer significant protection against reproductive and other cancers but you may need to go easy on the fiber while you reboot your luteal hormones to restore fertility.

Other factors which can have a negative impact upon the luteal phase include high frequency and intensive work-outs such as running, low fat diets - you simply can’t make hormones without fat! - and low levels of dietary antioxidants which can trigger ovarian oxidative stress.

This article is intended for informational purposes and is not intended to provide medical or dietetic advice, or to substitute for the advice of a suitably qualified physician or dietitian.

Fertility and Sterility supplement September 2012. O-82 Monday, October 22, 2012 05:30 PM LUTEAL PHASE DEFICIENCY IN NORMAL CYCLING
WOMEN. A. O. Hammoud,a K. C. Schliep,b S. L. Mumford,c
J. B. Stanford,b C. A. Porucznik,b E. F. Schisterman.c a