How do drugs affect your period?

Periods can be fickle things. It feels like almost anything can change your cycle from syncing up with your roommates to working out too much. What about when you add recreational drug use to the mix? We looked into substances like cocaine, heroin, and MDMA to work out how drugs affect your period.

Alcohol

Technically, alcohol is considered a drug and it can definitely cause pain beyond your typical hangover. If you're a victim of dysmenorrhea (AKA period cramps) look out. Drinking alcohol could make your cramps last longer if you've been partying it up during that time of the month. Boozing can affect your actual period flow too. Alcohol fluctuates your estrogen and testosterone levels so that might explain why your period isn't always on time.

Cannabis

Dr. Vivika Joshi, GP at DrFelix previously told us that when it comes to women's health and smoking weed, there are kind of pros and cons. "Cannabis is widely claimed to help alleviate the symptoms of PMT [Pre-Menstrual Tension] but THC – the psychoactive substance in cannabis can alter the length of the menstrual cycle," she said.

Cocaine

Coke can really mess around with a horomone in your system called prolactin. Frequently using coke causes a spike in prolactin, which can screw around with your cycle so your flow will become irregular.

Heroin

Heroin can throw your cycle out of wack so it won't be on time or it can stop your period for months or even years! Even if a user still gets her period, the flow could be irregular. Extended heroin use can also reduce fertility.

MDMA

Girls should really be wary of taking MDMA because the consequences can be deadly. A study revealed that women react to MDMA differently than men. Ectasty has been linked to hyponatremia, a condition that stems from low salt levels in the bloodstream.

When sodium levels go dangerously low, the user could convulse, go into a coma and even die. Scientists discovered that 27.3% of women at the Awakenings Music Festival in the Netherlands had mild hyponatremia in 2013. The report concluded that it had to do with where the women were in their cycles when they used MDMA.

Methamphetamine

Meth alters the release of the hormones that control your period. Long term using can lead to bleeding in between periods and just general "disruptions" in your cycle.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

● No one ever talks about the sneaky way alcoholism can ruin your 20s

● How taking cocaine affects your period, as explained by a doctor

● Natural remedies to make your period finish as quickly as possible