Menstrual Cycle Wellness: Key Minerals and Protein

Let’s face it—your period can feel like a monthly battle. Between the cramps, fatigue, mood swings, and cravings, it’s easy to wonder if something’s off. The truth? Your body is doing a lot behind the scenes. Hormone shifts, egg development, endometrial changes, and energy production—it’s like running a marathon every month. This requires considerable nutrition, especially minerals and protein. This article kicks off a deep dive into the nutrients your body needs to power through your cycle and feel more in balance.

Every month, the female body goes through substantial work involving hormone regulation, ovarian function, ovulation, uterine-endometrial health and oxidative stress to maintain your reproductive cycle. Furthermore, neurotransmitters, mitochondria, thyroid, adrenals, insulin, brain and nervous system, and other factors underlie the success and maintenance of the menstrual cycle. Wow! It’s a lot of work!

To maintain a healthy menstrual cycle, you need quality, nutrient dense foods. Unfortunately, the Western diet fails to provide this, causing many girls and women to needlessly suffer. Fatigue, cravings for chocolate, sweets, salty flavors, or other foods, mood swings, bloating, GI distress, and numerous other uncomfortable and even disabling symptoms occur. Optimizing nutrient intake is essential for girls and women to have a healthy menstrual cycle.

Essential Minerals for Menstrual Wellness

Minerals are highly important for the female reproductive system and menstrual cycle. A recent review article describes some of the critical functions that involve calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, selenium, and iodine.

1. Calcium

It is well known that calcium is required for healthy bones and teeth, but this mineral is also required for the menstrual cycle. Calcium is required for:

• Egg fusion with sperm

• Embryo implantation and start of pregnancy

• Endometrial tissue regulation and fertility

• Insulin and blood sugar metabolism

• Neurotransmitters and signaling mechanisms required for the different menstrual cycle phases

• Ovulation

• Production and release of estrogen and progesterone

2. Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral required for over 600 enzymatic reactions in the human body. An estimated 80% of the population fails to consume enough magnesium to meet basic needs. It is readily depleted by stress, caffeine, and numerous medications, resulting in a public health crisis. Magnesium is essential for menstrual cycle health in many ways including: 

• Blood sugar metabolism 

• Blood vessel function and blood flow

• Needed for both first half and second half of the monthly cycle

• DNA repair

• Endometrial/uterine muscle relaxation and blood flow during menses

• Essential for glutathione function, the master antioxidant

• Mitochondrial function and energy production

• Modulates ovulation

• Production and function of estrogen

• Prostaglandin inflammatory cycle regulation and menstrual comfort 

• Protection against oxidative stress

• Protection for ovaries and eggs

• Required for converting androgens into estrogens

3. Iron

Iron is the most common nutrient deficiency across the globe. Studies show nearly 40% of 12 to 21-year-old females in the U.S. are iron deficient. An estimated 30% of women globally have iron deficiency anemia. More than 25% of girls who have not started their period yet are iron deficient.

Iron is required for:

• Blood flow to ovaries, uterus, and endometrial lining development

• Cell division 

• Development and quality of eggs

• Embryo conception, implantation and development

• Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone hormone production

• Mitochondrial function and energy production

• Neurotransmitter formation

• Oxygen transport and DNA synthesis

• Regulatory mechanisms for ovulation

The serum ferritin blood test measures the amount of iron in storage. Serum ferritin levels between 100 and 300 μg, generally indicate adequate iron stores. It is vital to know your iron status and serum ferritin levels as excess and insufficiency both cause stress with the female reproduction system and other parts of your body. Test, don’t guess.

4. Zinc

Zinc is a trace mineral required for over 200 different mechanisms in the human body including several functions in female health and reproduction. Zinc is essential for:

• Antioxidant protection to the ovary, egg, and endometrial lining

• Cell division

• Egg development, maturation and quality within the ovary

• Embryo conception, implantation, and development

• Endometrial lining protection and the natural shifts that occur with building and shedding of the lining

• Thyroid and adrenal hormone regulations and production influencing menstrual cycle rhythms and stress tolerance

• Metabolism and production of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and androgen hormones. 

• Mitochondrial function and energy production

• Metabolism affecting carbohydrate and glucose metabolism which is critical as ovaries are glucose hungry tissues. 

• Synthesis of FSH and LH, ovulation regularity, ovarian function, menstrual cycle regularity, and fertility

5. Copper

Copper is a trace mineral that works in a finely tuned balance with iron and zinc. Copper is essential for:

• Antioxidant protection to the ovaries and eggs

• Blood flow and oxygenation to ovaries and uterus

• Endothelial lining protection

• Essential for neurotransmitter production

• Blood sugar management

• Iron absorption

• Mitochondrial function and energy

• Signaling mechanisms and genes

Protein aids copper absorption, whereas low salt diets and fructose-rich foods impair copper absorption. High fructose foods include high fructose corn syrup, honey, agave syrup, invert sugar, maple-flavored syrup, molasses, palm or coconut syrup, sorghum, fruit juice, apples, grapes, watermelon, asparagus, peas, and zucchini. Furthermore, birth control pills may affect your copper status.

6. Selenium

Selenium, another trace mineral, provides menstrual cycle support largely due to its role in thyroid hormone regulations and functions. It is required for:

• Activation and protection of thyroid hormone which is critical for a healthy female menstrual cycle and reproductive system

• Endometrial health

• Fertility

• Follicle development

• Hormonal balance 

• Management and protection of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation

• Mitochondrial function and energy production

• Protection of endometrial tissues

• Protects egg quality

• Supports other glutathione and other antioxidant systems

7. Iodine

Like selenium, iodine affects menstrual cycle health by its role in thyroid hormone production and metabolism. Additionally, iodine supports and is required for:

• Antioxidant support

• Conception and embryo implantation

• Endometrial and uterine tissues

• Fertility

• Menstrual cycle rhythm

• Ovulation

• Reproductive hormone synthesis

• Thyroid hormone function that regulates ovulation, estrogen and testosterone concentrations and transport mechanisms, and menses onset

Iodine supplementation works best with other nutrients. Selenium and vitamin A are especially important for iodine metabolism. Furthermore, B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium, and other antioxidants are required for iodine metabolism. Like iron, zinc, and copper, a balanced approach with not too much or too little is essential for iodine intake, otherwise oxidative stress may increase.

Protein Essential for a Healthy Menstrual Cycle

Protein requirements increase during the menstrual cycle with tissue building and repair, neurotransmitter production, and hormone transport.

For non-athletes, protein needs may range from a minimum 0.8 g/kg/day to 1.2 g/kg/day. For a 140-pound adult female this equals 50 - 77 grams of protein per day.

An increase in protein needs is especially true for pre-menopausal recreational and/or competitive female athletes. Overtraining, eating disorders, and undernourishment can cause the menstrual cycle to stop and cause hormonal irregularities. Thus, it is vital to strive for optimal protein and nutrient intake. 

Protein recommendations in current sports nutrition guidelines are 1.2 to 2.0 g/kg/day. For a 140-pound adult female, this equals 77 - 128 grams of protein per day. 

If you are prone to blood sugar irregularities, skip meals, have poor exercise tolerance or recovery, or have sleep difficulties, try increasing your protein intake to help menstrual cycle energy demands.

Vitamins and Antioxidants

The different phases of the menstrual cycle also require numerous vitamins and antioxidants. A future article will provide more detailed information.

Foods and Supplement Resources

A whole foods diet is fundamental to all perimeters of health. The Western diet with high calorie, high sugar, nutrient-poor, and pro-inflammatory ultra-processed foods fails your health and causes disease.

Minerals are found in several whole foods like dark, green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, legumes, animal proteins and dairy. For additional support, consider these nutritional supplements:

Calcium: Daily Bone Xcel, Coral Calcium, TriCal, or Calcium AEP

Magnesium: RelaxaMag, Muscle Mag, Daily Bone Xcel, or Coral Calcium

Iron: Blood Booster, Daily Prenatal Multiple Vitamin, Super Mini Multi

Zinc: Strengthener Plus. Smaller amounts are found in Daily Energy Multiple Vitamin, Daily Prenatal Multiple Vitamin, Daily Protector Eye & Immune

Copper: Strengthener Plus. Smaller amounts are found in Daily Energy Multiple Vitamin, Daily Prenatal Multiple Vitamin, Daily Protector Eye & Immune

Selenium: Thyroid Helper, Daily Energy Multiple Vitamin, Daily Prenatal Multiple Vitamin, Daily Protector Eye & Immune, and Activator Plus

Iodine: Iosol Iodine, Daily Prenatal Multiple Vitamin

Protein: Daily Protein Unflavored or Daily Protein Plus (unflavored with oat bran, organic cocoa, or organic vanilla bean)

You fuel your body for energy, brain, heart, and bone health. Are you keeping up with your needs for a healthy menstrual cycle? How about the female athletes and tweens in your life? The health of future generations depends on your nutrient status fueling the monthly hormone endurance test.

Additional In-Depth Resources

Calcium – Are You Getting Enough?

Insufficient Magnesium – Public Health Crisis Declared

Low Iron Linked with Muscle Health, Sleep, Mood, and Mitochondria

Zinc Essential for Immunity, Sense of Smell, and More

Taking Zinc? Balance It With Copper!

What’s Your Iodine Status?

Selenium’s Vital Role in Thyroid Hormone Function