What Is Period Poo?

Period poo it’s a thing! 

How many of you suffer from constipation or diarrhea leading up to your period? 

Your anus is a sphincter muscle.

In chinese medicine the liver meridian circulates around the reproductive organs, controls the muscles and tendons and free flow of qi and blood (amongst it many other actions)!

Leading up to your period, the body enters into a “holding phase”, preparing for the possible fertilization of an egg. Think of this as an incubation period. The body and womb becomes a containing container! Literally, holding on for implantation or awaiting menstruation.

When the energy becomes “stuck or stagnant” in the liver meridian it explodes like a big bang leading to symptoms such as anger, irritability, PMS, IBS, twitching eyes, headaches and migraines. The liver energy normally is free and flowing. It doesn’t like to be backed up (pardon the pun).

As the body prepares for menstruation, the internal organs, glands, muscles and hormones are also prepping. Menstruation is a cleansing, releasing and letting go process. It’s the time of month where the endometrium sheds, and the body loses qi (energy) and blood. 

Whilst, the west has stigmatised periods, chinese medicine so eloquently describes this as “The heart (empress) communicates with the liver, it’s time to release the blood”. The liver begins to soften, qi and blood begin to move and flow. Everything in the body begins to “let’s go” including the sphincter muscle (as it is a reflex action), the bowels move in motion, the poo and period start to flow.

It’s what we call PERIOD POO!!! 

Warning: avoid coffee to avoid a poo plosion. 

The Western Explanation: What's Actually Happening Hormonally

While Chinese medicine offers a beautiful, energetic explanation, there's also a very real hormonal and physiological story behind period poo, and the two perspectives complement each other nicely.

In the days leading up to your period, progesterone levels drop sharply. Progesterone has a natural muscle-relaxing effect on the body, including the smooth muscle of the digestive tract, which is part of why many people experience constipation or sluggish digestion in the lead-up to their period, that "holding phase" in action.

Then, right as menstruation begins, your uterus releases prostaglandins, hormone-like compounds responsible for triggering the uterine contractions that shed the endometrium. The catch is, prostaglandins aren't selective. They also cause the smooth muscle of the bowel to contract, which is exactly why so many people experience loose stools, urgency, or full-blown period poo right as their period starts. Higher prostaglandin levels are also linked to more intense period cramps, so if you're someone who gets both severe cramps and period poo, prostaglandins are very likely the common culprit.

Why This Matters (and Why It's Nothing to Be Embarrassed About)

Period poo is incredibly common, and yet it's rarely talked about openly. Understanding the biological reason behind it, whether you prefer the Chinese medicine lens of stuck liver qi finally releasing, or the western explanation of dropping progesterone and rising prostaglandins, can help take away some of the shame or confusion that often surrounds it. Your body isn't malfunctioning, it's doing exactly what it's designed to do.

Tips to Manage Period Poo

• Avoid or limit coffee in the days around your period, caffeine can further stimulate bowel contractions on top of what prostaglandins are already doing (as our earlier warning suggests!)

• Stay hydrated to help keep things moving smoothly and ease constipation in the lead-up to your period

• Increase fibre intake gradually in the days before your period to help support more regular, comfortable bowel movements

• Gentle movement, such as walking or yoga, can help ease both digestive sluggishness and cramping

• Magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, nuts and seeds may help relax smooth muscle and ease both digestive and uterine cramping

• Heat therapy, a warm heat pack on the lower abdomen can help soothe both uterine and digestive cramping simultaneously

• Anti-inflammatory foods, since prostaglandins are inflammatory compounds, reducing pro-inflammatory foods like processed sugar and excess caffeine may help take the edge off symptoms

Frequently Asked Questions

Is period poo the same every cycle? Not necessarily. Some people experience constipation before their period and diarrhea once it starts, others experience one or the other, and it can vary cycle to cycle depending on hormone fluctuations, diet, stress and other factors.

When should I be concerned about digestive changes around my period? Mild digestive changes around your period are very normal. However, if you're experiencing severe pain, significant changes in bowel habits outside your usual pattern, or symptoms that persist well beyond your period, it's worth mentioning to your GP, particularly to rule out other conditions like endometriosis or IBS, which can also affect bowel symptoms.

Can period poo be a sign of endometriosis? Significant bowel symptoms around your period, particularly pain with bowel movements, can sometimes be linked to endometriosis, especially if endometrial tissue is affecting the bowel. If your symptoms feel more severe than "typical" period poo, it's worth raising with a specialist.

Does everyone experience period poo? Not everyone, but it's estimated that a significant portion of menstruators notice some kind of digestive change around their period, whether that's constipation beforehand or looser stools once bleeding starts. If you've never noticed it, that's completely normal too, everyone's hormonal and digestive response is a little different.

So next time period poo strikes, know that you're not alone, and there's real physiology (and a bit of ancient wisdom) behind it. Your liver, your prostaglandins, and your body are simply doing their job of releasing what no longer needs to be held. 

Amanda is the founder of Angea and has over 12 years of experience working with women to support their health journey. In addition to being a registered doctor of Chinese medicine, Amanda is a yoga teacher and founder of Mindful Pregnancy Yoga Training. Amanda offers acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and womb healing treatments at Angea.