I'm a Fertility Specialist—These Viral Trends May Be Harming Your Hormones

A fertility specialist has cautioned that some of the most popular wellness trends on the internet could be harming women's hormone health. Bethany MacLeod, a 28-year-old fertility expert, identified practices she believes women should reconsider. "We've created a wellness culture where women are encouraged to stack stressor upon stressor and call it health," MacLeod stated to Newsweek.

She highlighted a culture of over-exercising and under-eating as her primary concern. MacLeod's research indicates that consistently consuming too few calories compared to the physical demands placed on the body can disrupt hormonal signals crucial for ovulation and menstruation. In severe cases, this can result in functional hypothalamic amenorrhea, a condition where periods cease due to insufficient energy to sustain normal reproductive function.

A 2021 study in the journal Reproductive Medicine and Biology revealed that low energy availability, metabolic issues, weight loss, and metabolic disorders can interfere with hormones controlling reproduction, particularly by decreasing the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). MacLeod also expressed skepticism about cold exposure, such as cold plunges, showers, and iced beverages.

While acknowledging potential benefits for men, she questioned their applicability to women, noting women have unique hormonal environments and reproductive biology. Limited research on cold exposure and female fertility suggested that repeated cold-water immersion in animal studies could alter reproductive hormones and affect fertility.

A 2025 study in Frontiers in Genetics, using female mice, found that cold exposure may induce uterine and ovarian inflammation, potentially disrupting hormone regulation and impairing reproductive capacity. MacLeod emphasized that these findings don't confirm cold plunges cause infertility in women and advised prioritizing warmth, nourishment, and recovery over stress.

She encouraged women to consume cooked meals, eat nutrient-dense foods, and get adequate rest instead of pushing their bodies further.