In today’s world, many people chase quick weight loss through strict diets and intense workouts. But this drive for a perfect body can harm fertility, experts warn.
Dr. Medha Kapoor, Chief Nutrition and Wellness Consultant at Varsity Skin and Wellness Clinic, says that drastic weight loss often causes serious nutritional deficiencies and hormonal imbalances. These problems can damage reproductive health, especially in women.
Exercising too much can disrupt the body’s hormone system that controls ovulation. Dr. Kapoor explains that heavy physical activity affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, reducing important hormones like luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). This can cause missed periods, no ovulation, and long-term fertility problems.
Over-exercising may also lower estrogen and progesterone levels, cause muscle damage, increase stress and insomnia, and weaken immunity and bone strength. While exercise is healthy in moderation, pushing too hard can backfire.
Crash dieting and extreme calorie cuts are equally dangerous. When the body gets too little food, it goes into survival mode and stops reproductive functions. This leads to irregular or absent periods, changes in reproductive organs, weak bones, damaged organs, mental health issues, and chronic fatigue.
Dr. Kapoor stresses that healthy living depends on balance. She recommends four key habits for good health and fertility:
- Eating a nutritious, balanced diet
- Exercising moderately and regularly
- Getting 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep
- Managing stress effectively
She warns against quick fixes and fad diets, urging people to focus on long-term wellness instead. The pressure to look a certain way should not come at the cost of health or fertility.
In the quest for wellness and the ability to conceive, balance is essential. Extreme dieting and over-exercising may do more harm than good.
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