How to get your period faster

There are many reasons why you may want to induce your period, including timing a period around an important occasion or if your periods are irregular. If you are doing a web search for “how to get your period faster,” you are likely looking for safe, effective, and quick ways to make Aunt Flow arrive.

The truth is, there’s really only one method that is known to work: hormonal birth control pills. People who take birth control pills can induce a period by manipulating the manner in which they take their pills. While there are many old wives’ tales about certain foods, herbs, or lifestyle choices that can make your period come faster, few of these have evidence-based research behind them. Still, most of them aren’t dangerous when used in moderation, so there is generally no harm in trying them.

We connected with women’s health experts to help you understand how to induce a period and how to make your period come faster—in both a safe and effective way.

Why you may want to make your period come faster

Most women are looking to make their period come faster because of upcoming engagements. “Some people may want to time their periods around certain life events like vacations or weddings, so they may want to induce a period early or delay it,” says Kelly Culwell, MD, OB-GYN, also known as Dr. Lady Doctor.

But, before trying to induce your period, you should rule out the most common cause of a missed period: pregnancy. “If you have missed a period, it is important to take a pregnancy test, as pregnancy is a common cause of a late or missing period (amenorrhea),” Dr. Culwell says.

Sometimes, women want to induce their periods because of medical conditions that cause slow-to-arrive or absent menses. One of the most common medical conditions that causes missed periods is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition affecting 1 in 10 women and frequently causing irregular periods.

People with PCOS “may want to induce their period if it doesn’t naturally arrive in order to prevent heavy bleeding,” explains Adi Davidov, MD, associate chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital in New York. Dr. Davidov says that in addition to convenience and avoiding heavy flow periods, inducing periods when they are absent can help reduce your risk of developing endometrial cancer.

What causes late periods?

Besides PCOS, there are several other factors that can cause a late period, delayed period, irregular period, or lack of periods, according to Mitchell Kramer, MD, chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Huntington Hospital in Huntington, New York. These include:

• Changes in your diet
• Changes in exercise
• A recent illness
• Medications you’re taking
• Traveling
• Life stress

All of the above factors can cause changes in your hormone levels, including estrogen and progesterone, Dr. Kramer notes, which can affect your menstrual cycle and the timing of menstruation. 

How to induce a period

If you’re searching for answers about how to induce your period, you have probably seen a lot of ideas online, including herbal supplements, foods you can eat, lifestyle changes you can make, and more. The question is: Which methods actually work?

Right now, the only medically proven way to induce a period is to manipulate the way that you take your birth control pills. As for the other methods, there is very little (if any) evidence behind their effectiveness and safety. Do not try any unproven method without guidance from a healthcare provider.

Here, we’ll break down the different methods of inducing a period. 

Hormonal birth control to induce your period

As of now, the only medically proven way to induce a period is through the use of hormonal birth control. In fact, according to research published in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, it’s actually quite common for women who use birth control pills to manipulate their pill usage so that they can time their periods, usually around important events. Among the study participants, 74% had purposefully manipulated their periods using birth control pills during the preceding year, and 29% had done this four or more times.

So, how exactly can you use hormonal birth control to induce a period? “Most birth control pills have a placebo week of different colored pills at the end of the pack,” explains Dr. Culwell. “If you stop taking the active pills and switch them out for the placebo pills, this often triggers a withdrawal bleed, or menstrual period.”

While this is usually safe, there are several precautions to keep in mind. “You can skip to the placebo week of pills to have your period earlier, but only after you have been on the pill for a few months. Don’t do this in the first month of taking the pills. It is important to never go more than four to seven days without taking an active pill, or you increase the risk of pregnancy,” Dr. Culwell advises.

If you do this, keep in mind that you could increase your chances of pregnancy. Manipulating menstruation with birth control pills “significantly decreases the effectiveness of the birth control pill,” Dr. Kramer emphasizes. “Use of an alternate method of contraception is recommended.”

Most importantly, you should always connect with your healthcare provider or gynecologist before trying to induce your period via birth control pills. “Manipulating birth control should be done under the supervision of a doctor to guarantee safety and effectiveness,” says Michael Green, MD, OB-GYN and co-founder at Winona. “It’s generally safe to adjust birth control for menstrual control, but it’s essential to discuss any changes with a healthcare provider.”

How to make your period come faster naturally 

All of the experts we connected with agreed that there are no natural remedies—foods, supplements, herbs, lifestyle tweaks—that will definitely induce your period. “It is rumored that consuming pineapple, ginger, turmeric, and foods rich in vitamin C can assist in bringing on a period,” Dr. Kramer says. “There is no scientific evidence to support this, and it is very individually dependent.” Dr. Kramer recommends contacting your physicians before trying any of these natural remedies.

Let’s take a look at what we know about various natural remedies for inducing a period and how to try them in a safe manner.

Vitamin C

Some people believe that taking vitamin C can affect reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone, which are  the main hormones that control your menstrual cycle. The idea is that, by changing the levels of these reproductive hormones, you might be able to induce your period or get your period to come faster. There is no evidence to support this theory, however.

At the same time, taking vitamin C in moderation is not harmful and has other health benefits, such as protecting your cardiovascular health and boosting your immune system. According to the National Institutes of Health, the recommended daily supplement dose of vitamin C for an adult woman is 75 milligrams a day. Taking higher amounts is unlikely to cause serious side effects, but too much vitamin C can cause stomach upset, including cramps, bloating, nausea, and diarrhea. 

Papaya 

There are some online rumors that consuming papaya regularly can cause uterine contractions, which may induce your period. Unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence for this. There was a study published in 2021 that found that papaya seed extract may cause infertility, may make the implantation of a fertilized egg more difficult, and could potentially be used for contraceptive purposes. But this study was done on rats, not humans, and it doesn’t apply to inducing menstrual periods.

Consuming large amounts of papaya fruit shouldn’t be an issue, though doing so may cause digestive upset and bloating. According to MedlinePlus, papaya leaf extract is likely safe when taken for up to five days, though adverse effects like nausea and vomiting may occur. It’s possible that consuming unripe papaya fruit is not safe. This is because unripe papaya contains papain, an enzyme that can harm your esophagus.

Turmeric

Turmeric is an herb frequently used in cooking and taken in pill form or as a tea. There are many herbs that are traditionally used as emmenagogues, which are substances used to induce a period. These herbs are used around the world for menstrual purposes and reproductive health, including making a period come faster, but there is scant scientific proof that they work. Besides turmeric, some of the herbs used in world cultures for menstrual and reproductive health include garlic, ginger, and fennel.

Consuming abundant amounts of turmeric shouldn’t generally be an issue, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. But, if taken as a supplement, high doses of turmeric can potentially cause kidney stones. They can also interact with medications you are taking, including blood thinners and immunosuppressive drugs. Allergic reactions to turmeric are also possible. Most of the negative side effects from turmeric occur when taken in pill or capsule form, rather than when consumed as a food, tea, or spice. 

Exercise

One simple, natural way that’s thought to induce a period is exercise. “It’s rumored that exercise—approximately 30 minutes of moderately intensive aerobic exercise or 15 minutes of vigorous exercise daily—can help induce a period,” Dr. Kramer says. There is no evidence to prove this, though. While methods like exercise are “relatively safe,” Dr. Kramer says, they are of “questionable effectiveness.”

In certain circumstances, exercising less may actually induce a period. According to Dr. Culwell, some people stop having periods or have infrequent periods due to overexerting or exercising too intensely. These people may benefit from pulling back on exercise for a bit to see if they get a period.

Sex 

“Sexual activity, which causes the uterine muscles to contract and release with climax, has also been rumored to help—especially if near period time,” Dr. Kramer says.

Dr. Green emphasizes the lack of scientific evidence supporting this claim but adds that the release of certain reproductive hormones during sex might have some influence on menstrual timing.

Stress Relief

There’s a chance that reducing stress can help induce your period. “Stress-reduction techniques like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises may positively impact hormonal balance and contribute to regular menstrual cycles,” Dr. Green says. Again, there are no studies to prove this, but there is certainly no harm in reducing the overall stress levels in your life whenever possible.

Is it safe to make your period come faster?

While most methods that induce a period are generally safe, you should always consult a physician before consuming herbal supplements, vitamins, or large amounts of a certain food. Your gynecologist can also discuss with you how often it’s safe to induce a period through natural means.

Again, the most effective way to induce a period is through birth control pills. “Using medications like birth control pills to control a period is usually safe,” according to Dr. Davidov. “However, there are certain conditions that may not be safe. It is recommended that a woman speak to her doctor before she attempts to alter her period with hormonal medications.”

Above all else, if you are experiencing a late period, delayed periods, or lack of periods and you aren’t sure why, you should make an appointment with your healthcare provider for medical advice. “You should always consult your healthcare provider if you are concerned about late periods,” Dr. Cullwell says.